There is more to Johnnie Walker than colored labels.
Over the brand’s two-century journey, Johnnie Walker has released a number of expressions that are no longer available. Today, these discontinued labels are prized by collectors and curious drinkers alike.
So, today, we are going to take a look at the forgotten side of Johnnie Walker, bottles that once defined eras, reflected strategy shifts, or honored lost traditions. Here is what you need to know about the Johnnie Walkers that have now all but disappeared.
Johnnie Walker White Label (1909 – c.1918)
White Label was part of the first color-coded Johnnie Walker lineup launched in 1909. It was a light, approachable 6-year-old blend, released alongside Red and Black Labels. The range also introduced the brand’s iconic Striding Man logo. Why 2025 Was A Win For Whiskey Drinkers
However, White Label didn’t last. It was phased out during World War I, likely due to grain shortages, changing market focus, and a shift toward positioning Johnnie Walker as more premium. By the early 1920s, it had disappeared completely.
Today, White Label is a true collector’s item. Surviving bottles from the 1910s are extremely rare and can fetch thousands at auction. Its short life makes it a fascinating piece of brand history.
Johnnie Walker Swing (1932 – Discontinued)
Swing was unlike any other Johnnie Walker release. Introduced in 1932, it came in a distinctively curved bottle designed to rock gently on ocean liners, where it was originally sold. Swing was aimed squarely at luxury travelers in the golden age of sea voyages.
The blend itself was reportedly comprised of Speyside, Highland, and Islay whiskies, offering a smooth, lightly smoky profile. It remained in limited circulation for decades, mostly in travel retail and select international markets.
Swing quietly disappeared from shelves in recent years. Its gradual fade may be due to overlapping offerings in the core range and changing travel retail strategies.
Collectors value Swing for both its unique packaging and its place in brand lore. It’s a reminder of how Johnnie Walker once tailored its whisky to fit a glamorous, mobile lifestyle.
Johnnie Walker Gold Label 18 (1995 – 2013)
Gold Label 18 was originally created to celebrate Johnnie Walker’s centenary, though the release didn’t arrive until 1995. The blend featured only whiskies aged 18 years or more, offering a silky profile with honeyed malt and gentle smoke.
It quickly gained a following among drinkers looking for a step above Black Label without reaching Blue Label prices. For many, it was the perfect balance of age, quality, and value.
In 2013, Diageo retired Gold Label 18 and replaced it with Gold Label Reserve, a no-age-statement blend. At the same time, the 18-year age slot was filled by a new release: Platinum Label.
The original Gold Label 18’s departure marked a shift in Johnnie Walker’s approach, moving from clear age statements toward branding flexibility and global market trends.
Johnnie Walker Green Label (2004 – 2012, Revived 2016)
Green Label began life in 1997 as Pure Malt 15, a blended malt combining single malts from distilleries like Talisker, Linkwood, Cragganmore, and Caol Ila. It stood out by containing no grain whisky, a rarity for a major blended whisky brand.
In the early 2000s, it was rebranded as Green Label to align with the color-coded range. It developed a loyal following for its balance of smoke, sweetness, and structure.
But in 2012, Diageo discontinued it globally, keeping it only in Taiwan. The decision, likely part of a brand streamlining strategy, drew criticism from whisky fans.
Green Label returned to global markets in 2016 after sustained demand. While no longer lost, its temporary disappearance makes early editions — especially “Pure Malt” bottlings, an now obsolete term in the whisky industry — particularly collectible.
Its comeback story is proof that drinkers can, on occasion, bring a label back from extinction.
Johnnie Walker Platinum Label (2011 – 2017)
Platinum Label was introduced in 2011 as a refined, 18-year-old blend positioned between Gold and Blue Label. It was designed to feel exclusive, with a name and packaging meant to evoke private reserves once gifted to clients and dignitaries.
The whisky itself was smooth, elegant, and approachable, with gentle vanilla, honey, and subtle smoke. It appealed to drinkers who wanted age-stated quality with modern polish.
In 2017, Diageo dropped the Platinum name and rebranded the blend as Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years. The liquid remained largely the same, but the sleek silver label was retired in favor of a more direct name.
Today, Platinum bottles are no longer produced and have become a minor collector’s target, a brief chapter in the brand’s push to modernize while still catering to traditional tastes.
Johnnie Walker XR 21 (Early 2010s – Limited Availability)
XR 21 is one of Johnnie Walker’s more elusive blends. Released in the early 2010s, it was created to honor Sir Alexander Walker II and features whiskies aged at least 21 years — including some from the then-closed Brora Distillery.
Bottled in a tall, decanter-style design, XR 21 was primarily aimed at Asian markets and global travel retail. Its profile is rich, layered, and polished, with notes of dried fruit, spice, and a whisper of smoke.
The whisky has been discontinued in many markets, but is still available in some regions. However, it can be difficult to find. XR 21 is often treated as a collector’s item.
It’s a blend that bridges heritage and exclusivity, and for many fans, it’s a modern example of a Johnnie Walker label that feels effectively lost to the wider world.
Johnnie Walker Explorers’ Club Collection (2012 – 2014)
The Explorers’ Club Collection was an ambitious travel-retail series launched in 2012. It featured three expressions: The Spice Road, The Gold Route, and The Royal Route. Each was inspired by historic trade paths and regional flavors.
These were no-age-statement blends sold exclusively in duty-free shops. They were packaged in bold, distinctive boxes and offered a new twist on the Johnnie Walker style.
But the range was short-lived. In 2014, a trademark lawsuit from The Explorers Club in New York forced Diageo to stop using the name. Rather than rebrand the line, the company chose to retire it altogether.
Despite its brief run, the Explorers’ Club Collection left a mark. The Royal Route, in particular, has gained value on the secondary market.
Johnnie Walker Quest (1997 – c.2000)
Johnnie Walker Quest was a bold experiment aimed at the Asian travel retail market in the late 1990s. Marketed as a super-premium blend, it featured a unique “cask conditioning” process and came in a distinctive bottle etched with the Striding Man.
Quest was intended to sit above even Blue Label in the range, appealing to collectors and high-end buyers. But it never caught on. Limited distribution, minimal marketing, and a lack of clarity around the blend’s profile made it a tough sell.
It was quietly pulled from shelves just a few years after launch. Today, Quest bottles are extremely rare and often command high prices at auction. Its short life and ambitious positioning have turned it into a cult curiosity.
Johnnie Walker 1820 (Mid-20th Century, Japan Exclusive)
Johnnie Walker 1820 was a limited-release blend made exclusively for the Japanese market, likely during the mid-20th century. It was named after the year the brand was founded and positioned as a premium expression with an elegant, understated presentation.
Little is officially documented about the blend, but it’s believed to have contained well-aged malts, possibly aged over 21 years. Its availability was tightly controlled, and it never saw global distribution.
Production eventually ceased, likely due to wartime disruptions or limited stock.
Bottles of 1820 rarely surface. When they do, they draw serious interest from collectors. It remains one of the most mysterious Johnnie Walker expressions ever released.
Why the Lost Labels Still Matter
Johnnie Walker’s discontinued labels reveal how the brand has shifted, adapted, and taken risks over time. Some faded quietly, others were cut short by circumstance, but all have earned a place in whisky history.
For collectors and curious drinkers, these lost expressions are reminders that the world’s most iconic Scotch is still full of surprises, even in the bottles you can’t buy anymore.
Read the full article at The Lost Labels of Johnnie Walker: Discontinued Expressions You Can’t Buy Anymore
