Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare 4th Edition​ / Pittyvaich

Johnnie Walker is arguably the most popular and recognisable blended Scotch on the market. Its core range includes the standard Red Label and Black Label, introduced in 1909 and named, quite simply, after their packaging. The iconic “striding man” motif was first drawn by Tom Browne the year prior. The premium Blue Label brand was introduced in 1992, and is composed using malt whisky from some of the most sought after distilleries in Diageo’s extensive portfolio. Today, many of these distilleries are only still with us due to their importance to the Johnnie Walker blends during the difficult 1980s period for the industry. A true champion of the whisky world.

A limited release of Johnnie Walker's most premium brand. The Ghost and Rare Blue Label blends focus on Scotland's lost and sorely missed distilleries, with this fourth release built around malt from Pittyvaich.

Johnnie Walker master blender Jim Beveridge OBE and his team also included liquid from Mannochmore, Auchroisk, Cragganmore, Royal Lochnagar, Strathmill, Port Dundas and Carsebridge in the blend.

Pittyvaich could be considered the front-runner for shortest-lived Speyside distillery. It was built in 1975 by Arthur Bell & Sons, next-door to their Dufftown distillery, in order to increase provision for its popular blends. Arthur Bell & Sons were bought by Guinness in 1985, who's merger with DCL to form United Distillers (now Diageo) the following year, saw the huge firm oversupplied by its enormous portfolio. Pittyvaich was an early candidate for closure, and was silenced in 1993 before later being demolished. The brief Flora & Fauna release was the only distillery bottling of Pittyvaich in its lifetime, and aside from the occasional official limited edition, the majority of releases have been increasingly sought after independents like this.