I mean Johnnie Walker or more specifically, Johnnie Walker Green Label. You know, the 15 year old pure malt that got discontinued a while ago.
For the past few weeks I have been receiving emails from people in odd parts of Canada and the US about the reappearance of Johnnie Walker Green Label on the shelves of their favorite liquor store. These readers want to know if the late, great Johnnie Walker Green Label is back?
The chatter is on the internet too. Check out this thread: http://www.connosr.com/wall/discussion/206700/johnnie-walker-green-label-to-be-discontinued/
Scotch Addict reports that he has received an email from Diageo:
"Johnnie Walker Green Label was discontinued in North America, however, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of this world renowned whisky we are releasing it as a limited time offering. Johnnie Walker Green should begin hitting store shelves throughout February 2015. I encourage you to speak with your local retailer to request they place an order for the product."
I have emailed Diageo, but no response so far. Let's just say that I am on their 'naughty' list, so I am not holding my breath. What I would like to know, if I could speak with them, is whether or not this Green Label release will still have the 15 year age statement? Still have the same core single malts?
If anybody sees a bottle, drop me a line or better yet, post a comment below.
For those of you who have never tried Green Label, now is a good time to try it. Wondering what it tastes like? Here are my notes:
http://jason-scotchreviews.blogspot.ca/2010/04/night-with-johnnie-walker-green-label.html
http://jason-scotchreviews.blogspot.ca/2009/08/johnnie-walker-green-label.html
Don't be shy! Chime in on any sightings or official announcements from Diageo.
Let's hope the rumours are true! If only I could divine the future of Johnnie Walker Green Label like Carnac the Magnificent.
Cheers!
Jason Debly
P.S. Johnny, we miss you! Rest in peace brother.
Just picked up a bottle here in Edmonton. There's another 9 bottles on the shelf.
ReplyDeleteSo far I like it! Need to sit down with it again.
Well one reader told me he saw it on the shelves in British Columbia and another saw it in the states. I can remember which state now. Maybe Illinois.
DeleteThis is great news! Thanks for letting us know your sighting.
A reader from Westchester New York here. I first saw Johnnie Walker Green about two weeks ago available for purchased on the website of a liquor store about twenty miles away in New Jersey. Thinking it was a fluke, I got so excited that I bought two bottles.
ReplyDeleteI asked about the mysterious JWG bottles (with twist tops, not corked like the old versions) to the owner of my local liquor store and he he remained dubious but promised to check in with his salesman. A week later he tells me that what we're seeing is the last of Diageo's remaining stock, and that it should last, and I quote, "another 6 months, but if you ask me it'll probably run out after only 4."
Anyway, he promises me that he'll get a shipment of it in about a week, so I'm going to buy another two bottles. Who knows, maybe if all of us JWG cultists start stocking up they'll reconsider bringing it back for a more extended time.
John
Thanks for the info! You and the other readers are far more informative than the response i have received from Diageo to date.
DeleteI wonder if they are simply getting rid of the remainder of stocks or tinkering with relaunching it. Time will tell. When you have a drink of it, let us know if it tastes as good as it used to.
Thanks!
Green Label has come available for purchase here in Winnipeg, so at the Winnipeg Whiskey Festival, which happened to be last weekend, I asked the Johnnie Walker rep about it. He told me that most of remaining Green Label stock was being sat on in Asia (as that market had previously purchased huge quantities of it), and Diageo had decided to buy up some of that stock to sell it in North America where the demand for it was great. He told me that Green Label remains discontinued and will be gone once whatever stock they have brought over is sold. Whether or not this is true, It gave me the opportunity to buy a bottle of Green Label for the first time, so I'm happy...
ReplyDeleteMatt
Well, if I see a bottle in my travels I will grab it too. If it is in Winnipeg, I imagine plenty will appear in Ontario as the LCBO is the biggest client of Diageo I believe.
DeleteJason,
ReplyDeleteBeen following you intermittently for a couple years or more, enjoy your blog, and relate to most of your reactions to the scotches I'm familiar with.
I saw your bit on Green Label (one of my favorites, too) reappearing in stores and tried to post a response on the blog, but am not certain my attempt at posting was successful - hence, this email.
Here's what I tried to post:
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It's at Costco in Southern California showing $57.99 regular price, on sale for $44.99.
Label says 15 years.
It's a screw top, with built-in pour piece.
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Keep up the good work, my friend.
-Pete
Excellent info Pete!
DeleteJason, Our local favorite pub owner in SoCal reports that the March inventory list from his Diageo supplier does show JWG 15y available. JK
ReplyDeleteClearly, the rumors are true. Johnnie Green is back and with the 15 year age statement. Apparently, no cork stopper but a twist off cap with a jigger in the neck. Long as the whisky is like it was before I do not care about the cheap cap.
DeleteMaybe if sales are strong, who knows, maybe, just maybe Diageo will bring it back permanently.
Thank you for this post, I have about 7 bottles that I had bought once I knew it was being discontinued. I did a quick search and found an online retailer here in the US selling it for only $50 a bottle. I quickly ordered two more and hope that they are the same quality as the previous ones. Thank you for posting about this, I check your blog every couple of weeks and so glad I did today!
ReplyDeleteJason, you should do a tasting comparing the old Green Label (the one with the cork stopper) with the new one and see if there is a difference in taste (hopefully not). If you do, please post your tasting notes here or email me and I will post them for you.
DeleteCheers!
Not available in Quebec or Ontario.. they (both the SAQ and the LCBO) actually had no idea of what I was talking about, and don't plan on having anything in the near future as its not on any of their plans. As for the guy who said its available in Manitoba, I have found it on their site, although at $69.00CAD for a 750ml bottle is isn't cheap. http://www.liquormarts.ca/product/johnnie-walker-green-label-scotch/750-ml I remember being able to buy it for around 50-55 before it got discontinued. Although it seems all the JW line up has increased reather dramatically in the last 3 years or so (JW BLACK at 55$ now ?!?!?!)..actually everything in the DIAGEO stable as well.. Lagavulin 16 anywhere in Canada is around 110-120$.. what is going on?!?!
ReplyDeleteLeone from Montreal
Jason,
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that many of the bottles of JW Green that have been appearing on store shelves in North America are from Diageo's "overseas travel retail" collection (originally for sale in duty free shops, I presume).
The label on the travel retail bottles of Green say, "The Art of Malt" (not "The Art of Pure Malt," as the original bottles did).
Of course, my real concern isn't with the bottle, but rather whether its contents are the same as before.
I'll be following this story closely, as the Green is one of my all-time favorite blends.
- Josh
Yes Green label is back some stores in Newyork city selling for $69.99
ReplyDeleteSome stores in NJ , USA selling for $49.99