John Walker & Sons, Scotch whisky distillers by appointment to Her Majesty The Queen, has celebrated the Queen’s accession to the throne with the bottling of Diamond Jubilee By John Walker & Sons.
The bottling – which took place 60 years to the day since the Queen’s accession on 6 February 1952 – is a blend of rare malt and grain Scotch whiskies distilled in and maturing since 1952.
At Royal Lochnagar Distillery, on the edge of the Queen’s Balmoral Estate, David Gates, Grantee of John Walker & Sons’ Royal Warrant, oversaw the filling of the Queen’s decanter, as well as 60 further editions for sale around the world.
John Walker & Sons’ profits from the sale of the 60 editions, priced at £100,000 each (US$160,000), are being donated to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) with a guaranteed amount of at least £1 million (US$1.6 million).
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Sales will help to create an enduring legacy
Gates commented: “John Walker & Sons was first awarded a Royal Warrant in 1934 by King George V. We are extremely honoured that the quality of our whiskies is recognised by this symbol and our commitment to this calibre of quality and service is unwavering.
“Today in 2012, we are privileged to be able to celebrate the Queen’s remarkable achievement with this fitting tribute, Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons, the sales of which will help to create an enduring legacy for the supreme craftsmanship that it represents.”
The creation of Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons has been a once-in-a-lifetime privilege for Master Blender Jim Beveridge and his apprentice Matthew Crow who have overseen the search, selection and blending of the whiskies.
The final, traditional step of marrying was carried out in casks made by the John Walker & Sons coopers using oak provided by kind permission of the Queen from her private Sandringham Estate.
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John Walker & Sons’ profits from the sale of these limited editions, priced at £100,000 each, are being donated to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust with a guaranteed amount of at least £1 million (US$1.6 million) |
Diamond-shaped Baccarat crystal decanter with six radial legs
Master Blender Jim Beveridge said: “Along with Master Cooper David Taylor, who I have worked alongside for more than 30 years, and all those at John Walker & Sons, I feel an immense sense of pride to be involved in this project. An extraordinary amount of care and attention has gone into every stage of crafting this Scotch whisky and there has been a great sense of excitement building towards today, when the full character and flavours of Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons will be revealed for the first time.”
John Walker & Sons has harnessed the skills of more than 60 artisans, including fellow Royal Warrant holders and QEST Scholars who are creating bespoke pieces to present and accompany the whisky.
The diamond-shaped Baccarat crystal decanters stand on a crystal base with six radial legs to reflect the decades of the Queen’s reign, and are adorned with Britannia silver, selected for its purity. Leading Scottish silversmith Hamilton & Inches has fashioned the collars set with a half-carat diamond, the Royal Arms, John Walker & Sons monogram and individually numbered seals.
Each edition also includes a pair of lead Cumbria Crystal glasses engraved by Philip Lawson Johnston and a commemorative artefact book, hand bound by Laura West at her Isle of Skye bindery and personalised for each owner by Sally Mangum, calligrapher by appointment to the Queen.
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Master Blender Jim Beveridge: “I feel an immense sense of pride to be involved in this project” |
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A monument to the skills of craftspeople
All the elements will be housed in a chest made by the cabinet makers at NEJ Stevenson, incorporating oak from Sandringham to echo the whisky-marrying casks and Caledonian pine from the Queen’s Balmoral Estate.
QEST Chairman Richard Watling said: “The creation of this beautiful work, a monument to the skills of its craftspeople and the definitive tribute to 60 years of Her Majesty’s reign is of enormous significance to QEST. The donation will enable us to significantly increase the number of scholarships we award, helping to secure the preservation of vital craft skills for generations to come. For this, QEST is extremely grateful.”
Two further editions created for the John Walker & Sons archive will embark on an international tour in Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee year.
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About Diamond Jubilee By John Walker & Sons
The 60 editions of Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons will be released by John Walker & Sons for sale at £100,000 (excluding UK VAT).
A minimum donation of £1 million from the sales of Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons will be given to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), a registered charity in England (number 802557). 10% will be paid to the charity through QEST Enterprises Ltd, which donates all its profits to the charity, and 90% will be paid to the charity direct.
QEST is the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, established in 1990 to mark its 150th anniversary and the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
QEST provides scholarships to preserve rare skills and enable talented craftspeople with promise and a long-held passion for their craft to achieve greater levels of excellence through study with masters of their craft worldwide.
The John Walker & Sons Collection
Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons is a limited celebratory edition from The John Walker & Sons Collection. Drawing on almost two centuries of expertise, the John Walker & Sons Collection comprises: King George V, created to celebrate the granting of the Royal Warrant to John Walker & Sons in 1934 by King George V; The John Walker blended Scotch whisky, crafted using handpicked whiskies from nine distilleries open during the time of John Walker and blended in limited quantities; and Johnnie Walker XR 21yo, the blend created in honour of Sir Alexander Walker’s knighthood awarded in 1920.
About John Walker & Sons
John Walker & Sons, part of the Diageo Group, is the founding company behind Johnnie Walker, the world’s number one selling Scotch whisky brand, enjoyed in almost 200 countries.
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