In the mid-1800s, Alexander Walker used his experience in blending teas to create some of the first blended Scotch whiskies in the world. As a result, he transformed the grocery business of his father, John Walker, into a global whisky business. First called Old Highland Whisky, he later renamed the brand Johnnie Walker in honor of his father, the company says.
The first two whiskies that Alexander created featured a red label and a black label, which is how consumers identified the products, says Brian Radics, Scotch brand director for Diageo North America, Norwalk, Conn. Therefore, the company renamed the whiskies Johnnie Walker Red Label and Johnnie Walker Black Label in 1909. Now owned by Diageo, Johnnie Walker Red Label is the brand’s best-selling SKU worldwide, and Johnnie Walker Black Label is its best-seller in the United States, Radics says.