1 / 1
The face of Johnnie Walker tells us about the most delicious whisky he’s had and what he thinks of serving whisky with mixers
You have seen it and very likely sampled it at some point. Johnnie Walker is often seen as the go-to brand in the world of Scotch whisky and is vastly popular among drinkers who like to play it safe. For starters, its colour-coded labels are easy to understand, and its flavours and aromas stay consistently palatable year after year. While much of the credit must go to the master blender who signs off every bottle of Johnnie Walker, it is the global brand ambassador’s job to educate drinkers and connoisseurs alike, duly guiding them and opening doors to the universe of blended Scotch whisky. This is where whisky expert Tom Jones comes in.
As brand ambassador, Jones is the face and voice of Johnnie Walker. He travels across the world to provide knowledge of the brand, and was previously aboard the John Walker & Sons Voyager that docked outside Harbour City as part of his Asia Pacific journey to unveil the new blend John Walker & Sons Odyssey. We jumped at the opportunity to ask about all things whisky and his take on Hong Kong’s drinking culture.
HongKongTatler.com: What is the most delicious glass of Scotch you have ever had?
Tom Jones: It’s my first sip of whisky, Johnnie Walker Black Label at the end of a long hard shift behind the bar in Scotland many moons ago.
HKT.com: What is the job of a whisky brand ambassador?
TJ: I travel the world, talking about our whisky, training, tasting and telling tales but also learning about the trends in countries which enjoy whisky. I live in my suitcase.
HKT.com: What is the overall Scotch whisky market like in Hong Kong and China?
TJ: Shanghai is embracing the bar scene and whisky culture, providing an increasing number of places to enjoy whisky in style. Consumers in Hong Kong are knowledgeable and they are very interested to know more about whisky.
Find out where the top 5 whisky bars in Hong Kong are.
HKT.com: What is in the perfect whisky?
TJ: I look for smoothness, balance and big flavours in a whisky.
HKT.com: What do you think of mixing whisky with green tea or coke, or soda water. Is it a different palate or just completely erroneous?
TJ: Whisky with a mixer is fabulous in some ways, there are countries which mix whisky with coconut water, and some with green tea or soda or ginger ale. It is all about a balance in taste, and it’s different for different countries around the world.
HKT.com: Johnnie Walker for the most part uses a colour-coded system to categorise its whiskies, unlike others who use age. Why?
TJ: Flavour and flavour alone is considered when creating our blends. So we do not categorise them in years, but the flavour and aroma it offers.
