Johnnie Walker has launched John Walker & Sons XR 21, a luxurious new 21-years-old dram, just in time for winter revelry.
Remember when you turned 21? It may seem like a lifetime ago now, but at the time, we’d wager you thought you’d pretty much mastered this whole ‘life’ thing. At 21, it’s very easy to cast your childhood years behind you in lieu of the bright potential ahead. However, at this tender apex, it’s also possible to forget how formative those proceeding years were. Your first kiss (let’s hope that was behind you), your first crush, your first heart break, driving lessons, hangovers, endless exams and seemingly endless summers, experimentation, acne, friendships forged, wins, losses, and life lessons learned. When you think about it, a hell of a lot can happen in 21 years.
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So it is with whisky, including Johnnie Walker‘s newest legacy blend release. Slow matured, meticulously crafted, John Walker & Sons XR 21 symbolises the rich heritage and legacy that John Walker has passed on to his successors since 1820.
Taking inspiration from the life of the brand founder, and from the blending notes of Walker’s grandson, Sir Alexander Walker II, a master blender from a coveted dynasty, John Walker & Sons XR 21 contains whiskies aged for a minimum of 21 years, including some from the now silent distillery of Port Dundas, built in 1811 above Glasgow.
To make this exceptional drop, rare grain and malt expressions were drawn from the private reserve of the brand’s Master Blender, which were combined in an extremely rare three-stage blending process. The result is a blended whisky with a creamy core created by grain whiskies from Port Dundas; layers of complexity delivered by whiskies matured in American oak; and rich fruit, malt, and chestnut notes from single malts from Speyside distilleries such as Mortlach and Cardhu.
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Intense, yet balanced and elegant, John Walker & Sons XR 21 boasts sweet honey and tempered spices cloaked in warming smoke, with citrus zest, ripened tropical fruits, and touches of caramel, tobacco, and raisins. The long finish is played out across a subtle tapestry of peat that accentuates a complexity that’s a tribute to its years.
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