There is really no blended scotch more famous than Johnnie Walker, and for good reason—this Diageo-owned brand makes a wide range of expressions to satisfy all tastes, ranging from the affordable to the extravagant, and draws on whiskies produced at some of the most prominent distilleries in Scotland. Almost a year ago, Johnnie Walker released its oldest expression to date, a 52-year-old blend, and now for the first time it’s available here in the U.S., albeit in very limited numbers. We got an early taste, and if you’re willing to drop $25,000, you’re in for a treat.

Just 200 bottles of this whisky were produced, with only 30 making their way here after the global launch in December of 2024. Johnnie Walker Aged 52 Years is a blend of six malt whiskies and two grain whiskies, most of which come from shuttered ghost distilleries, that was assembled by master blender Dr. Emma Walker (no relation to the founders, it should be noted). “Alongside my small team of whisky experts, we hand-selected some of our oldest and most precious casks of Highland single malt and Lowland single grain whiskies for my first ultra-rare release as master blender,” she said in a statement. “With this deceptively simple cask combination, we intended to create a new, masterful blend in homage to our founders’ achievements. The rare aromas, flavors, and character in this blend, combined with their shared age and small number, make this super-limited edition a testament to the art of whisky blending.”

The grain whiskies were produced at Cambus, a distillery that closed in 1993 and is said to add notes of vanilla and butterscotch, and Carsebridge, another shuttered distillery that adds a fruitier element to the mix. The malt distilleries included are as follows—Blair Athol (a core component of Bell’s blended scotch), Glenury Royal, Glenlochy (which closed in the early ’80s), Glen Albyn (closed in 1983), Dalwhinnie, and Brora (closed in 1983, reopened a few years ago). The whisky is lovely despite its age (remember, sometimes older whiskies are not actually that good), with notes of caramel, licorice, mango, apple, berry, cinnamon, and a slight wisp of smoke on the palate. It’s bottled at 41.2 percent ABV.

If you’re a Johnnie Walker fan and want to try a less expensive but still very limited-edition whisky, there’s also the new Couture Blend, a collaboration with creative fashion director Olivier Rousteing. This comes after the launch of the Johnnie Walker Vault bespoke blending experience located in the basement of the brand home on Princes Street in Edinburgh, and the first Couture Expression that came out last May. The Couture Blend comes in a bottle designed by Rousteing and consists of 10 whiskies from the Vault, including ghost malts from Port Dundas and Caledonian; ’80s and ’90s whiskies from Benrinnes, Cragganmore and Cameronbridge; and more modern liquids from Cardhu, Roseisle and Teaninich. “I was inspired by Olivier’s story of progress over the last 40 years, from his early self-discovery to his daring modern creativity,” said Walker in a statement. “In this blend, I leaned into progressive and experimental whiskies from the past and present—whiskies that push boundaries just as Olivier does in couture.”

The Couture Blend is available in a run of 1,500 decanters (SRP $2,500) at specialty retailers, while those interested in Johnnie Walker Aged 52 Years (SRP $25,000) should visit the Diageo website to find out more. The rest of the lineup, including an expensive 48-year-old expression, can be found at websites like ReserveBar now.