4 Johnnie Walker Whiskies Worth A Small Fortune

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With a pedigree spanning back to 19th-century Scotland, Johnnie Walker is a beloved Scotch whisky brand with fans all over the globe. It is best known for its Red, Black, and Blue labels, which vary in price but are largely affordable and offer consistent quality to discerning drinkers. Johnnie Walker also has a few rare, exclusive blends under its belt, which are accompanied by some truly jaw-dropping prices. Let's put it this way: The most expensive Johnnie Walker whisky on our list is roughly the same price as your average home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

While the other Johnnie Walker whisky varieties featured here aren't the priciest alcohols in the world, they range from a little less than $5,000 to roughly $25,000. That's a lot of cash to spend on liquor, and rest assured these bottles aren't for mixing with soda. Most of these whiskies have been aged for decades, which makes them more of a collector's item than something to stock your liquor cabinet. Then there's the matter of getting your hands on them, as most had vastly limited production runs. If you happen to come across a bottle (and are the recent recipient of a financial windfall), these Johnnie Walker offerings are definitely worth checking out.

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It was 2012, and Queen Elizabeth II was celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years on the throne. Festivities took place throughout Great Britain, Johnnie Walker got in on the action with its most expensive and historical release: the John Walker & Sons Diamond Jubilee. Only 60 bottles of this whisky were made, so it's incredibly hard to come by. As for the price, brace yourself. The Diamond Jubilee cost £100,000 (or about $131,856.71 in today's bucks) on release, and the tipple is even more expensive these days. According to the wine-searcher website, the current average price is $219,716. 

Other than its scarcity, what makes Johnnie Walker's Diamond Jubilee so dang special? The whisky was aged for six decades. The process began in 1952 when the queen was coronated. Consider that some commercial varieties are aged from two to four years, depending on the country of origin. A review by Whiskey Advocate described the flavor as a blending of fresh fruit and berries, plus richer notes of vanilla and cardamom. While the queen was known to enjoy a good cocktail (and supposedly drank four a day), it's not clear if the monarch ever sampled her celebratory whisky. 

With packaging that looks more like a bottle of fancy cologne than whisky, John Walker Masters' Edition is clearly something special. Aged for half a century and with only 100 bottles produced, this 2018 release proved to be highly exclusive. The exorbitant price tag also contributed to its mystique, as John Walker Masters' Edition cost a stomach-churning $25,000 on its debut. We checked out more recent prices, and wine-searcher listed the global average price as $24,973 (as of 2020). To the average person, a $25,000 bottle of whisky is unconscionable, but to a connoisseur, the history behind this release makes it all worthwhile. 

Keep in mind that Johnnie Walker isn't merely a liquor mascot but a real person who founded the brand in 1820 and maintained it until his death in 1857. The 50-year Masters' Edition consists of a blend of six whiskies that were sourced from distilleries that were functional during Walker's life. The careful aging process yielded a whisky replete with notes of blackcurrants, dark chocolate, and a hint of smokiness. Despite its strong connection to the past, Johnnie Walker also has an eye on the future. In 2021, the company broke new ground with Dr. Emma Walker (no relation), who became the first female Master Blender in Johnnie Walker's history. 

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Johnnie Walker's Master Blenders 30 Year was created in tribute to Alexander Walker, who was not only the son of founder John Walker but a Master Blender in his own right. Original packaging included a lockable wooden box and crystal decanter, and only 1,438 sets were released. The date of release isn't totally clear, but it likely debuted at some point during the mid-2010s. As for the price, the Master Blenders 30 Year whisky was a veritable steal at $5,000 at the time of its introduction. However, wine-searcher has its current average price set at $12,081. 

While Alexander didn't found his namesake brand, he's often lauded for putting Johnnie Walker whisky on the map when he took over the company in 1857. The liquor purveyor identified opportunities to ship his products to places outside of Scotland and even developed a whisky that was meant to attract new customers. During the same period, Alexander's son, fittingly named Alexander Walker II, created the iconic Johnnie Walker branding that's still in use today, including the Red and Black labels (the brand also featured a White Label, but production ceased during WWI). This rare release is part of the Art Deco era, which was an homage to Alexander's contributions to the brand. 

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Packaged in a handcrafted wooden box complete with a lock, Johnnie Walker's Commemorative 1920 Edition is among the more affordable rare whisky options offered by the brand. Only 540 bottles were made available upon its 2016 release, and the Commemorative 1920 Edition originally retailed for $2,900. On Whiskay, the set is currently priced at €3,950 (or $4,549.25). Included in Johnnie Walker's Epic Dates Collection, 1920 is a reference to the year when the whisky brand established a global footprint, which covered 120 countries.

The other rare tipples on our list were meticulously aged, which explains their lofty price tags. As for the Commemorative 1920 Edition, it's accompanied by a no-age statement, which means there are no claims about the aging process on the bottle. However, a no-age statement doesn't mean the liquor hasn't been aged; as a matter of law, Scotch whisky must be aged for at least three years. As a result, we can only assume the historical importance and limited production run of this whisky are the primary reasons for its high cost. Because a portion of the malt used to make this whisky came from a now-defunct distillery, Johnnie Walker fans consider it a crucial part of the brand's history.