Johnnie Walker unveils $156,000 Diamond Jubilee whisky

By James Atkinson

Johnnie Walker has already sold more than 20 bottles of its extremely rare Diamond Jubilee whisky, which was exclusively unveiled to Sydney's liquor trade media last night.

Diageo Australia last night played host to the world's only touring bottle of Diamond Jubilee, which was produced by John Walker & Sons to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's 60 years of reign.

Only 60 bottles of Diamond Jubilee have been made available for sale with an incredible £100,000 ($156,000) price tag. Profits will be directed to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, a Royal charity that celebrates the preservation and conservation of craftsmanship.

John Walker & Sons global brand ambassador Jonathan Driver personally escorted the Diamond Jubilee bottle to Sydney, where he detailed the steps behind the selection process in which master blender, Jim Beveridge explored deep within the distiller's stocks to find exquisite whiskies suitable for the blend.

The liquid was crafted using a unique blend of grain and malt whiskies that have been distilled and matured since 1952 (the year the Queen acceded to the throne). It was placed in two small marrying casks of English Oak from the Queen's Sandringham Estate before being bottled in bespoke diamond-shaped hand blown Baccarat crystal decanters on February 6 this year – exactly 60 years since the Queen took to the throne.

The specially-made decanters of Diamond Jubilee stand on a base of six radial legs, each reflecting one decade of the Queen’s reign. Each bottle is decorated with Britannia silver adornments, the John Walker & Sons Royal Warrant and a collar that features a half-carat diamond.

Driver last night revealed he had already sold 17 bottles of the Diamond Jubilee to buyers spread across every continent.

"The intention is to sell the 60 during the course of this year," he said.