Alexander Walker II

Who was Alexander Walker II?

Sir Alexander Walker II was the younger grandson of John ‘Johnnie’ Walker. He and his brother, George Paterson Walker, took the control of the company after the death of their father Alexander Walker in 1889.

Alexander took his father’s black labeled blend and added two more blends—Old Highland, Special Old Highland —to the line. At the same time the original blend was renamed Extra Special Old Highland

In 1909 Alex’s brother George oversaw the creation of the Johnnie Walker Striding Man logo, and the rebranding of the lines as Johnnie Walker White Label, Johnnie Walker Red Label, and Johnnie Walker Black Label.

The brothers discontinued White Label during World War I to move the brand more upscale, and in 1932 Alex introduced his last blend, Johnnie Walker Swing.

Sir Alexander was knighted in 1920. In the inter-war years he was a member of the pro-British independence group Right Club.

Walker retired in 1940, and on his death left all of his blending notes to the now public company. In the 1990s John Walker and Sons introduced Johnnie Walker Gold Label based in large part on those notes.