Cover Inside the Tatler x Johnnie Walker Vault: Ewan Gunn and Dr Emma Walker (Photo: Adrian Lee)
Inside the Tatler x Johnnie Walker Vault: Ewan Gunn and Dr Emma Walker (Photo: Adrian Lee)
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It’s not often that Diageo’s luxury global ambassador and Johnnie Walker’s master blender share a stage. Here’s what happened when they did, over an exclusive blending and tasting session
It takes a lot to tempt people out for a Monday lunch—but when Ewan Gunn, Diageo’s luxury global ambassador, and Dr Emma Walker, Johnnie Walker’s master blender, are in town, you make an exception. On the afternoon of November 3, the pair who seldom host together led an exclusive Tatler x Johnnie Walker Vault experience at Spago, Marina Bay Sands, bringing together 24 whisky enthusiasts for an intimate journey into the world of blending and tasting.
The session began with a deep dive into the art and science of blending. Guests were invited to nose and sample a selection of whiskies, each with its own character: bright and grain-forward, fruity and fresh, chocolate malt, and rich, smoky depths. Under the gentle guidance of Gunn and Walker, everyone got a feel for how these distinct personalities come together to form a blend, before crafting their own unique creation to take home. Equal parts chemistry and creativity, it offered a rare peek into the process behind one of the world’s most iconic spirits.
Ewan Gunn, Diageo’s senior luxury global brand ambassador, luxury Scotch whiskies, leading the blending session
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From there, the afternoon shifted gears to a guided tasting paired with Spago Dining Room’s fine cuisine. The lineup started with the Cragganmore 23 Years Old, a Speyside single malt that charmed the room with its floral nose and creamy, rounded texture, finishing with whispers of smoked almonds and peppery spice. Then came the timeless Johnnie Walker Blue Label— still as alluring as ever with its honeyed sweetness, hazelnut warmth and gentle spice—a blend drawn from whiskies across Speyside, the Highlands, and Lowlands, including Port Dundas, Mortlach, and Talisker.
The final pour was the showstopper: the Olivier Rousteing Couture Blend, the last release from Johnnie Walker’s collaboration with the Balmain creative director. Created to celebrate Rousteing’s 40th birthday, the blend was a sensory statement: lush tropical fruits and sweet berries on the nose, dark fruits and toffee on the palate, with a long, elegant finish. Its rare component—including whiskies from Port Ellen 1978, Benrinnes 1988, and Cameronbridge 1995—gave it an unmistakable depth and glamour, much like its namesake.
By the time lunch drew to a close, it was clear that the Johnnie Walker Vault wasn’t just another whisky event. It was a meeting of minds, distilled into one unforgettable afternoon.
Credits
Images: Adrian Lee
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Dudi Aureus is the senior dining and travel editor at Tatler Singapore, covering the city’s most exciting restaurants, global travel trends, and the personalities shaping the culinary and lifestyle scenes. She also serves as co-jury chair for the Tatler Best awards in Singapore, celebrating the very best in hospitality. When she’s off duty, she can often be found at a favourite hole-in-the-wall Thai spot, savouring a perfectly balanced pad thai.
