Johnny Walker comes striding back
THE Scottish whisky industry is rightly acclaimed for the quality of its product and volume of sales.
And, while it’s certainly true that our distilleries produce world-class drinks and generate plenty for the Exchequer, what’s often overlooked is the value in jobs and tourism, especially to some of the most rural locations.
Well, drinks behemoth Diageo has turned the simple distillery tour on its head with the single biggest investment in Scotch whisky tourism – and it’s not even linked to production.
The £185 million Johnnie Walker experience unveiled this week on Edinburgh’s Princes Street covers eight floors and includes two rooftop bars.
Before Covid struck, the Scotch whisky industry attracted more than two million tourists a year. Let’s hope this helps to encourage them back.