Diageo Unveils a New Magic in Australia: The Black Ruby RTD Cocktail

Sunday, 07 September 2025 at 07:00

Innovation is crucial in the whisky industry to attract new customers – a mantra Diageo seems to subscribe to. An interesting development has taken place down under: in Australia, the Johnnie Walker Black Ruby RTD was launched, an instant ready-to-drink cocktail.

FAQ

What does the abbreviation RTD stand for?
Ready to drink. This is an instant cocktail.
What is the Johnnie Walker Black Ruby RTD?
This is an RTD made from Johnnie Walker Black Ruby whisky.
What is the alcohol content of Johnnie Walker Black Ruby RTD?
6%. The whisky itself traditionally stands at 40%.

The launch of this new product comes after the earlier release of Black Ruby by Johnnie Walker this year; an extension of the Black Label line up. Johnnie Walker Black Ruby is the first product to be launched as part of the core range under the guidance of Master Blender Emma Walker.

'Reinventing the iconic character of Johnnie Walker Black Label'

Sarah Shimmons, Marketing and Innovation Director at Diageo Australia, is delighted with the new groundbreaking implementation.

‘The Johnnie Walker Black Ruby Blackberry & Soda offers a bold step forward for whisky. We have reinvented the iconic character of Johnnie Walker Black Label for a new generation, offering a flavor profile and format that feels refreshingly modern.’

What does the Johnnie Walker RTD taste like?

This ready-to-drink cocktail is described as a 'whisky spritz' with a taste of blackberries and elderflower. The drink is being hailed as a take on Tom Collins, a classic cocktail of gin, lemon, and sparkling water, served in a long drink glass.

The Johnnie Walker Black Ruby RTD is made in Australia. It has an alcohol content of 6%, and is released in a 375 millilitre format. The launch of the RTD was grandly celebrated with notable figures and influencers across Australia.

Whether the ready-to-drink will make its way to Europe remains a question. For now, there are no revelations of such plans.

Johnnie Walker Black Ruby review

Until then, we'll have to make do with the standard variant. We've dissected this bottle in depth in our review, writing the following:

'From the moment you pour the Johnnie Walker Black Ruby whisky, a strong sweet scent of dark red fruit fills the air. An initial rush of pie fruit is encountered upfront, swiftly followed by plums, dried figs, and a faint hint of charred oak.'