Emma Walker, Johnnie Walker’s first female master blender, on creating a Scotch for India

What if your Scotch tasted like the best parts of an Indian festival? Think layers of spice balanced with cinnamon sweetness and that unmistakable whiff of smoke of the tandoor. When Emma Walker, the first female master blender at Johnnie Walker, set out to create the Johnnie Walker Blue Festive Blend she began with a shopping list of sweets and savoury Indian dishes recommended by the whisky-making team at United Spirits India.

Then, the festive packaging was created in collaboration with Indian couturier Rahul Mishra. This is the designer’s second commission for label design with Johnnie Walker Blue Label. In 2025, he designed a special Diwali edition label with iconography from Indian culture.

This year the Festive Blend has a minimal but celebratory design language on the label, created for the occasion. IS THERE ANY MORE INFORMATION ON MISHRA’S WORK - CAN ADD A LINE This is the first time in its 200-year spirits history that the brand has created a festive edition as a celebratory tribute to India.