It was in 2021 that Emma Walker landed what is arguably the biggest job in Scotch whisky production – that of master blender for Johnnie Walker. Over a virtual dram, she tells Ron Emler of her approach to the role …

What whisky lover would not relish having the run of 11 million casks of some of Scotland's finest spirit, visiting the distilleries, tasting and conjuring new blends and then travelling the world to talk about them? No wonder that Dr Emma Walker thinks she has a dream job.

Appointed four years ago as Master Blender of Johnnie Walker, she not only supervises the composition and consistency of the biggest brand of Scotch Whisky, but also has technical oversight of the entire Diageo range including The Singleton, Talisker and Lagavulin.

"We look after the quality performance of all the Scotch portfolio", she says. "So, we are closely connected to all our inventory, which is important because we get to make sure we've got the right flavours for Johnnie Walker as well."

Having such a vast stock maturing in cask gives Dr Walker – no relation to the brand's founder – and her team of twelve "a huge set of flavour to work with."

"One of the main jobs is working with our colleagues and planning. I look at parallels to see what we've got laid down with what we want for the future. But we also need to make sure that we're holding back stock as well so that we can look at Blue Label, 21-year-olds and above. So, it's always fun. It's never dull day."

"Flavour" is the predominant word in Dr Walker's vocabulary, and it plays a central role in new product development. She has been behind the Blonde and Black Ruby extensions to Johnnie Walker, designed in concert with development teams in the light of global customer feedback to fill niches as preferences evolve.

"We need to look at new blends with realism, making sure that we're creating something that fits the bits of space we're looking to fill", she says. "What's the market? What's the price point? We always think about that as well as looking at our inventory. We don't create something and then try to back load it."

Are more brand extensions likely in future?

"I think so. We'll do it in the right way. Our customers want to be able to explore the range of flavours, serves and experiences," she says. "When we're creating the whiskies it's about discovery."

Diageo brings some of its wealthiest private clients to Scotland for the full luxury whisky experience, visiting the distilleries and sitting down with Dr Walker to create their own exclusive blend.

Deep in the bowels of the Jonnie Walker Experience in Edinburgh is a vault housing 500 of the rarest and most precious samples, which she works through with them.

"Before meeting a client we have a conversation with them. What are their favourite spirits, what sort of Scotches? What cuisine do they like? What flavours and why? Where's the places that really speak to them? Even what's the favourite season, the favourite colour?

"All that comes together into creating the whisky, even down to their favourite bands or music or album. All these things give us an inspiration point. It's absolutely fascinating".

The result may not be to her immediate taste, but the experience is never wasted, the flavour tweaks and final results are memorised.  "It builds up a library of experience," she says. "We might end up with inspiration for something that's part of the Johnnie Walker range in the future,".

She also draws inspiration from extensive travel and discussing whiskies.

"We're very lucky at Diageo. We've got blending teams around the world. We all get together monthly and have a chat on Zoom to talk about what's happening in our world. What can we learn? What can we share?

"When I was in India recently, I got to talk to colleagues from the technical team in Bangalore, which was lovely. Getting caught up with those guys, sharing samples while talking about the Johnnie Walker Blue label special edition release with (Indian fashion designer) Ruhal Mistra – that was great".  

"We can work directly with our colleagues around the world to understand, for example, more about what happens with the more rapid maturation than what can we look at. It's really interesting seeing how these changes have come to shape and add more context.

"It's wonderful, I think. Expanding that world of where whisky can come from, the flavours that are available. It keeps us on our toes. We have to make sure we keep on innovating and thinking about our customers, what they're looking for. It's great. It keeps us honest and keeps us curious about what can we do next."

A dream job. So how did she land it? By happenstance, almost.

She studied chemistry in Edinburgh and then achieved a doctorate at Sheffield. "I started working on temporary contracts in pharmacy but was looking for a permanent job with a pension. I was living in Fife and they [Diageo], were a great local employer so I applied to become a project scientist."

She was taken aback at the interview to find legendary Johnnie Walker Master Blenders Jim Beveridge and Maureen Robinson on the panel. She joined the team.

The chemistry background is a big plus. "It helps me to make sense of what's happening in the distillery and during maturation, on how the flavours come together. The science takes you so far and then you almost need to become an interpreter and create a picture, create a piece of music from the chemistry in front of you."

It was through that progression that she developed her love for grain whiskies. "My heart belongs to them. I admit the bias," she confesses. "I was quality manager at Cameronbridge for more than a year, and I'm from Fife as well."