Johnnie Walker's temple

Scottish-style spiritourism exists outside the distilleries of Speyside and the Islands. Another experience offers equally intense pleasures in central Edinburgh. While the historic capital is well worth a visit in its own right, it's also possible to add an immersion in the Johnnie Walker House. On Princes Street - long the most expensive street in the UK outside London - a historic commercial building has been converted into a temple to the world's best-selling whisky. " It's the centerpiece of the largest whisky program ever undertaken in the industry," proclaims the flagship brand of Diageo, the world leader in spirits. Opening in September 2021 after four years of refurbishment orchestrated by specialist American agencybRC Imagination Arts - which has also worked for Talisker and Jameson - the site has already attracted over a million visitors.

The eight-storey building is designed to satisfy both the discerning connoisseur and the neophyte, in a contemporary setting that is rather at odds with the world of Scottish spirits. The full name of the Johnnie Walker Princes Street Visitor Experience is a clear indication that the aim is to offer whisky tourists - of whom there are around 2 million in Scotland every year - a different approach. The " Journey of Flavour " program combines the visitor's preferred aromas with whisky suggestions. " There are 800 possible combinations. You can come back every day for over two years and have a different experience every time," smiles the manager. On the rooftop of the building, two bar-restaurants also renew the drinking experience. 1820, with its classic design and terrace overlooking historic Edinburgh, boasts a flawless cocktail menu and a gastro menu. In operation since summer 2023, Explorer's Bothy offers a more offbeat concept: a bar with 150 rare references and an upscale catering offer created by James and Maria Close. heading up the renowned Raby Hunt for fifteen years, the duo have developed signature dishes in miniature paired with house whiskies, partly in the form of cocktails crafted by in-house head bartender Miran Chauhan.

In the ground-floor boutique - the first and last stop for visitors - all Johnnie Walker blends await the compulsive consumer, with the option of customizing their own bottle. But the aim is long-term: to dust off the approach to whisky, instill the brand's codes and recruit tomorrow's fans. At the same time as the Johnnie Walker House, Diageo has renewed the visitor centers at four of the twelve distilleries that make up the group, particularly those at the source of the brand's various blends: Clynelish, Cardhu, Caol Ila and Glenkinchie, the closest to Edinburgh. A change of scenery just 25 kilometers from the Princes Street temple, to rediscover the timeless charm of the Scottish countryside.