Johnnie Walker & The 4 Corners of Scotland Immersive Whisky Experience

This week I’ve been on a journey. A journey to end all journeys. One that Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring would have be proud of. I visited the Island of Islay and the Caol Ila Distillery in Scotland to complete the 4 Corners of Scotland with Johnnie Walker.

What are the 4 Corners of Scotland?

Johnnie Walker have invested around £180million to renovate and regenerate 4 distilleries in each corner of Scotland. Each individual distillery has their own unique whisky brand and flavour profile that when combined create the Johnnie Walker blends that we all love to this day. These 4 Corners of Scotland are the homes of Glenkinchie, Cardhu, Caol Ila, and Clynelish.

Not only does Johnnie Walker have a new collection of four collectable, 12-year-old blended Scotch whiskies they are offering distillery tours so you can be truly immersed in the world of whisky.  This is an experience that any whisky connoisseur needs to experience - tick off all 4 corners then complete the adventure with a visit to Johnnie Walker Princes Street.

Johnnie Walker Black Label Speyside Origin (Light & Fruity with Green Apples)
Johnnie Walker Black Label Highlands Origin (Rich & Fruity with Red Berries)
Johnnie Walker Black Label Islay Origin (Spice & Smokiness)
Johnnie Walker Black Label Lowlands Origin (Sweet Creamy Vanilla & Toffee)

The trip was truly remarkable. Caol Ila is truly something special. Islay is known around the world for its whisky and they have ensured that our visitor experience not only tells the story of the Caol Ila brand but also the major role whisky plays in the island’s history.

Boasting panoramic vistas of the neighbouring island of Jura and its iconic Paps, the distillery’s brand new bar area offers arguably one of the most incredible views in the world of whisky.

With a modern retail space and a bar featuring floor to ceiling windows, the visitor experience is a world removed from the traditional distillery tour offering.

Immersive storytelling rooms bring to life Caol Ila’s history and craft and tell the stories of the Four Corner malts that go into making Johnnie Walker. Caol Ila also tells a wider story, that of the origins of Scotch whisky and of Islay’s place as the island where ‘the water of life’ began to flow.

Caol Ila’s connection with the Johnnie Walker brand story goes back over a century. John Walker and his family had been operating in the Ayrshire town since 1820, running a grocer’s store on what is now Kilmarnock’s High Street. He soon began to blend his own whiskies, which were stocked alongside rums, spices, teas, and delicacies from around the globe. The Walker family were relentless in their pursuit of flavour, a chase which ultimately led to the establishment of one of the world’s most celebrated whiskies. The Walkers strove for quality and consistency and there was treasure to be found on Islay.

Like each of Caol Ila’s sister distilleries across the Four Corners, a unique Striding Man statue salutes visitors with a tip of his hat. A collaboration between local artist and craftsperson, Rosemary Fletcher, and her two daughters, Cairistiona Fletcher and Jessica May Fletcher, the Striding Man is inspired by island life, capturing the moody colours of Islay's huge open skies, Hebridean landscape and vibrant seascape.