Johnnie Walker ‘Ghost & Rare’ Special Releases Series

Ghost & Rare is Johnnie Walker’s most exclusive series of blended scotch whisky. Each edition is built around a “ghost distillery”, a term used for sites that have been closed and silent for decades. These distilleries no longer produce spirit, but limited stocks remain in aging warehouses. Once those casks are gone, they’re gone for good. The Ghost & Rare concept began in 2017 under Master Blender Dr. Jim Beveridge. His goal was to highlight the unique character of these lost whiskies by placing one at the heart of each blend. Supporting malts and grains, drawn from Johnnie Walker’s extensive reserves, are chosen to enhance the ghost distillery’s personality. Every release combines eight whiskies in the blend: typically three from ghost distilleries, and five from rare or underused working distilleries. The bottlings are limited and individually numbered, often released just once per market.

1. Johnnie Walker Ghost & Rare Brora (2017): The first Ghost & Rare release set the tone for the series. Launched in 2017, it was built around Brora, the legendary Highland distillery that closed in 1983 and remained silent for nearly four decades. At the time of release, Brora was a ghost in every sense. It reopened in 2021, but stocks from its original era remain limited. The supporting whiskies include malts from Clynelish, Glenlossie, Glenkinchie, and Royal Lochnagar, plus grain whisky from Cambus and Cameronbridge. Pittyvaich, another closed distillery, rounds out the ghost trio. Each component adds structure: fruit, spice, sweetness, or weight.
2. Johnnie Walker Ghost & Rare Port Ellen (2018): The second Ghost & Rare release arrived in 2018 and focused on Port Ellen, one of Islay’s most revered closed distilleries. Known for its elegant maritime smoke and subtle complexity, Port Ellen shut down in 1983 and remained silent until Diageo began restoring it. The distillery reopened in 2023, but whiskies from the original era remain among the most collectible in scotch. Ghost grain whiskies from Carsebridge and Caledonian add depth and silkiness. Rare single malts from Mortlach, Dailuaine, Cragganmore, Blair Athol, and Oban support the blend’s richness and structure.
   
3. Johnnie Walker Ghost & Rare Glenury Royal (2019): The third Ghost & Rare release spotlighted a distillery few outside serious whisky circles had heard of. Glenury Royal, founded in 1825 and closed in 1985, was one of only three scotch distilleries ever granted royal status. Its spirit was known for a fruit-driven style with a touch of Highland weight. Supporting whiskies include rare malts from Glen Elgin, Inchgower, Glenlossie, Glenkinchie, and grain from Cameronbridge. Together, they build a smooth, autumnal character.
   
4. Johnnie Walker Ghost & Rare Pittyvaich (2021): After a year’s pause in 2020, the Ghost & Rare series returned in 2021 with a release centered on Pittyvaich, a short-lived Speyside distillery that operated from 1974 to 1993. Rarely bottled as a single malt in its lifetime, Pittyvaich gained cult interest after its closure for its delicate orchard-fruit character. Supporting distilleries include Port Dundas and Carsebridge (both ghost grain), along with malts from Mannochmore, Auchroisk, Cragganmore, Strathmill, and Royal Lochnagar.
   
5. Johnnie Walker Ghost & Rare Port Dundas (2022): The fifth Ghost & Rare release, launched in 2022, turned the spotlight on Port Dundas, a historic grain distillery in Glasgow that closed in 2010. While less romanticized than ghost malt distilleries, Port Dundas had operated since 1811 and was once one of the largest grain whisky producers in Scotland. Port Dundas is supported by grain from Cambus and a subtle malt from Brora—its second appearance in the series. Other rare distilleries include Clynelish, Glenkinchie, Dailuaine, Auchroisk, and Cameronbridge. The blend feels rich, balanced, and modern, with just a wisp of Brora’s signature smoke.