Whisky Review: Johnnie Walker Green Label

Johnnie Walker Green Label

Category
Blended Malt.

Age Statement
15 years

ABV 
43%

Format
750 ml

Closure
Cork stopper.

Nose (undiluted)
Splendid!  Luxuriant!  Floral!  Bouquet of apple and cherrie blossoms.  Nice honey sweetness.

Palate (undiluted)
Honey, peanut brittle, marzipan and baklava with a swirl of peat, dark red sherry and a flourish of smoke. Delightful briny water and peat (Talisker and Caol Ila for sure!) flourishes against the honey background.

Finish (undiluted)
Long.  Lingering subtle waves of sweet peat that mingle with Swiss milk chocolate.  Nice accents of black pepper, Kosher salt and bergamot teas.

Green Label, a blend of four great single malts, is superior to a lot of 10 and 12 year old single malts out there on the market.  Do not fear the 'blended malt' moniker somehow being inferior to 'single malt.'  Cragganmore and Linkwood are honey and syrup like malts that pair with the peat, lemon zest and surf brine of Caol Ila and Talisker.  These are all great single malts on their own, and when combined together here, deliver a complex and delightful taste.

When they relaunched Green Label in 2016, the bottling I had was rather flat in taste.  Just a boring honey Speyside style.  Now, a year later, it appears the Master Blender and team have spiced things up with what I suspect is a lot more Talisker and Caol Ila in the mix.  Vast improvement.

Highly recommended!

Cheers!



Jason Debly

Finally! A Review of Johnnie Walker Green Label!

Finally, I have acquired a bottle of Johnnie Walker Green Label that has been temporarily re-launched in Canada and the United States.  Special thanks to Mike for asking his mother to pick me up a bottle while she was recently in Florida!

As you will recall, a couple of years ago Diageo decided to stop producing it for the Canadian and US markets.  However, it was still quietly sold in Korea and a couple other places around there because it had such a strong following.

So, why the re-introduction which may be temporary?  Here is my theory:  Maybe Diageo stopped selling it in Canada and the US because sales were weak.  It was priced around the entry level 12 year old single malts, and so consumers were opting for those products while operating under the mistaken assumption that a single malt is always of superior quality to a blended malt.  Or maybe Diageo thought with an expanding market in China, Russia, India and other countries that they could make more money simply selling the single malts individually that make up Green Label.  This  blended malt is composed of four single malts: Talisker, Cragganmore, Linkwood and Caol Ila.

So, why the change of heart?  Sales of single malt have been weak as of late.  Bourbon, Canadian and Irish whiskies are eroding market share once held by single malt Scotch.  Don't take my word for it.  Read about it here:

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/apr/01/scotch-whisky-exports-decline-sales

http://www.wsj.com/articles/scotch-whisky-gets-left-out-of-the-party-1427922058?mod=e2fb

So, if Cragganmore, Caol Ila and Talisker are not selling well in Ukraine, Russia and China, maybe its time to start blending them into Green Label to sell off the excess stocks of those wonderful malts?  I dunno why Green Label is really back, but in any event, here is my tasting note:

Price Point
This is priced around the same as many 12 year old single malts.

ABV
43%!  Nice to see that Diageo did not tinker with the ABV.  A higher than normal ABV allows the drinker to experiment with a little water in the dram.

Nose (undiluted)
Apple blossoms, citrus notes, oak, malty and milk chocolate notes.

Palate (undiluted)
Heavier body than I remember from a couple of years ago.  Really coats the palate.  Wild spiced honey up front with considerable sweetness.  Maybe a little too sweet for my liking.  Soon thereafter malty notes appear with faint sherry and a flourish of gentle peat.

Finish (undiluted)
Not what I would call a sherried dram by any means, but there is a faint sherry note on the finish and the taste of bright red raspberries.  Maybe some cherries too.  Part your lips and inhale and the smoke comes, mild cigar smoke.  Davidoff?  H. Upmann?  Dominican Republic?  You be the judge.

. . .

Years ago I enjoyed JWG with a little water.  Specifically, one teaspoon to a double pour (1.5 oz) made the dram flavors more complex, so I just had to try that again.

Nose (diluted)
Peat and sea air, damp Fall leaves, scent of gardening and getting caught in a light summer rainfall.

Palate (diluted)
The addition of a little water tones down the spiced honey and Graham cracker action, and in its place reveals some complexity. H2O definitely improves this whisky. It brings out to the forefront of the palate crystal clear spring water; takes the sweetness down a notch and in its place is some dray balsa wood with lime and blood orange flavors.  Key lime pie for sure.

Finish (diluted)
Part your lips and breathe and taste the smoke drying on your palate.  Oak, faint dry sherry and black pepper.

General Impressions
I have to be honest.  Johnnie Walker Green Label is not as good as I remember it.  It is a pleasant Scotch whisky priced on par with many 12 year old single malts.  Green Label is superior to some 12 year olds like Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Aberlour, but not say Cragganmore or GlenDronach (both of which I prefer to GL).

Green Label is now sweeter than it used to be and still lacking some complexity that it used to have.  It is less peated and smokey on the finish.  Where there was once a zing of peat drying across the palate there is now some very nice, but less dry key lime pie.  I wonder if the Talisker and Caol Ila components are in a lesser proportion to the older JWG.  It tastes like that is the case.

I remember it being candle wax or Swiss cheese dry on the finish with a truly impressive complexity that made me think this could easily pass for a single malt in a blind tasting.

Not anymore.  It is a a little too sweet and needs the water to lessen that trait.  But, even with the water, it is not as complex as it once was.  I am sure of this.  I clearly remember what it tasted like before and my blog posts about how great it was were not hyperbole.  It truly was incredible.  The bottle I find in front of me is good, but not incredible.  It is fair value and in terms of flavor is good as a few 12 year old single malts like Auchentoshan, Glenfiddich and others.  But it no longer rivals 18 year old single malts as it once did.  I am a little disappointed.  If you are looking for a similar honeyed profile in a blended malt (no grain whisky) I highly recommend tracking down a bottle of 12 year old Poit Dhubh.  Really fantastic right now and tastes a lot like JWG used to.

The flavors now are dangerously akin to syrup you put on your morning waffles.  Too sweet my friend.

There will always be some variability from batch to batch that is bottled, but the JWG of a few years ago was a show stopper.  Glenfiddich 15 years Solera, Cragganmore 12 and others that it once stood shoulder to shoulder with are now taller.

Cheers!



Jason Debly

P.S.  JWG is still a decent Scotch whisky that will serve as a fine gateway 'drug' to the Scotch whisky hobby.  Newbies will enjoy this very much.  The price is barely reasonable if you can buy it for $50.  It just lacks the over-the-top 'wow' factor.  The old JWG was drier on the finish, crisper leaving your palate feeling like a brilliantly weaved Persian rug.  You marveled at the complexity.  Now, JWG is much sweeter initially and through mid-palate.  The finish does dry somewhat, if water has been added, but not enough and noticeably less peat action.  It leaves your palate feeling like someone just laid some nice, pleasant, comfy, cushioned bedroom carpet.  Your toes feel good on it, but you don't feel special like when you walk over the Persian down in front of the fireplace.

Here's Johnnie!!!

No, not that Johnnie!

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.

Best Scotch Whisky of 2011

Santa is coming soon.  What will he bring you?  Santa, if you are reading this, please take note.

Over the past year, I reviewed a number of blends and single malts.  Who were the stunners that would make excellent gifts to good boys and girls the world over?

GlenDronach 15 year old Revival ($75)
This is a sherried dram.  Bursting forth with lots of frothy red fruit, blackberry, orient spices and tobacco.  Powerful, leaving a long taste of smoke and plums.  Highly recommended for the boys and girls who like sherried whisky.

Te Bheag Connoisseur's Blended Scotch ($35)
This is not a well known blended scotch.  Very hard to find in the US, but available in Canada and the UK.

Probably the best blended scotch whisky discovery in my opinion of the past year was Te Bheag (pronounced che vek).  It's reasonably priced and delivers great flavors of tobacco, peat and sherry, woven well, with no bitterness, bite or alcohol peeking through.  I was amazed by this blend and frankly I think it disappeared off my shelf in about two weeks!

Black Bottle Blended Scotch Whisky ($20)
Another blend makes Santa's list this year:  Black Bottle Blended Scotch Whisky.  Incredibly affordable at around $20, but damn impressive if you like peat and smoke from Islay to tickle your taste buds.  Sweet peat, gentle fire smoke of damp spruce tree branches by the beach on an overcast day.  Wow!

Highland Park 15 years ($72)
Highland Park 15 years was a discovery of mine in 2010, but I revisited it (click here) again in 2011.  Simply an expensive and brilliant shining diamond of a single malt.  This malt brings together what is magical about whisky in one bottle.  You have peat and heather, honey and toffee complimented by smoke.

Johnnie Walker Green Label ($50)
Sometimes Santa needs to give a gift that he is sure is a well recognized crowd pleaser that gives a taste of all the regions of Scotland.  Johnnie Walker Green is soft honey, drizzled over toast with lemon zest, sea spray and a hint of peat that always makes those good girls and boys happy on Christmas day!

Hopefully, we have all been nice and not naughty, so that ol' St. Nick will bring us something we can enjoy over the holidays!


Jason Debly

Johnnie Walker Green Label - A Vatted Malt that Beats Many Single Malts!

On Saturday night, I was at a local hotel bar with some friends.  I surveyed the menu of scotches available and noticed Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 years.  It is a blend of only single malts having a minimum age of 15 years.  Often this type of scotch is referred to as a "vatted malt."  It had been more than a year since I last had it, and a lot of readers had been emailing me my impressions of it.  I was enthusiastic in my email replies urging them to buy this great spirit.  So, I thought it was in order for me to try this scotch again to make sure that nothing had changed.  It lived up to my memory of it, and in fact reminded me that I have to buy a few more bottles.

It's a lovely scotch that for some reason does not have the popularity enjoyed by other blends like it's younger brother Black Label.  Not sure why this is the case.  Here's a theory: 

Johnnie Walker Green Label is priced in the same vicinity as many 10 and 12 year old single malts.  The typical consumer heads into the liquor store and will want to maximize value for money in a purchase.  Operating on the assumption that single malts are always superior to blends, he or she selects the 10 or 12 year old single malt over the vatted malt or pure malt scotch whisky, Johnnie Walker Green.  Accordingly, sales of this vatted malt are weaker than say Black Label that has no such single malt equivalent competition. 

There is some anecdotal support for my theory.  The liquor corporation that owns all liquor stores in my area has chosen to 'delist' (government speak for a halt on future orders) as they too believe customers are opting for the 10 and 12 year old single malts in the same price range.  Accordingly, I have started hoarding the remaining bottles available in my area . . .

 











So, who buys Johnnie Walker Green?  People who have stumbled upon it by accident or those who wondered what the other Johnnie Walker bottlings taste like.  That's how I discovered it.  Of course, there is also the category of customers who know Johnnie Walker Green to be better than many of the single malts at the same price point.  I think the company, Diageo, should consider increasing marketing of this wonderful product and maybe tackle head-on the assumption that 10 and 12 year old single malts are better.  Such a premise is often not true.  As you know, just because a scotch is a single malt does not necessarily mean it is better than a blended scotch, particularly this vatted malt.

Glenfiddich 12 years, Glenkinchie 12 years, Glenlivet 12 years, Auchentoshan 12 years and Glendronach  12 years are clear examples of single malts that pale in comparison to Johnnie Walker Green Label.  Green Label offers a nicer nose, and a greater complexity of flavors.  Just add a little water (ie. one teaspoon) to a shot to bring out the complexity of flavors.

Frankly, I think Green Label is better than Blue Label.

Diageo, if you are out there and reading this post, take note, this is one consumer that wants to see this brand marketed more heavily to ensure its continued existence.  My great fear is that one day Diageo may stop making this great vatted malt.  A marketing campaign with a logo like "Green Label - A Vatted Malt that Beats Single Malts!" or something to that affect would be great and effective in increasing sales and thereby enabling me to continue to enjoy this wonderful spirit.

Cheers!


Jason Debly

Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2012. All rights reserved.

P.S.  Diageo totally ignored my suggestion in this post and instead have discontinued this diamond of a malt.  I discuss this terrible development here.

Johnnie Walker Green Label - A Blend of 15 yr old Single Malts

The vast majority of single malt scotch is produced for scotch blends. 80% of production is actually sold to companies that produce blends. However, whenever I speak to someone about scotch, they invariably turn their nose up at blends and insist that single malt scotch is superior. I think there is a lot of snobbery going on and little relation to the quality of flavour profile produced by blends. In fact, I have conducted some blind taste tests of blends served to such aquaintances, telling them we are sampling single malts and their praise is over flowing, until the truth is revealed and they are informed by me that they actually have been sampling high quality blends like Johnnie Walker Green Label or Ballantines 17 year old. They will grudgingly acknowledge it is good, but then start to ramble that they suspected "something was off" for a purported single malt. Nonsense, I say. For me, it is all about the taste and drinking experience. These scotch snobs think that the best scotch must be a single malt meaning that the scotch comes from one distillery only. Mind you, even such a single malt scotch is a blend of sorts. Specifically, it will be a blend of single malt scotches of different ages, but all from the same distillery. "Blended Malts" just take the blending process a little further by blending single malts from other distillerys.


In general blended scotch whisky is the combination of various single malt (varying in age) scotches with various grain whiskies (varying in age). The proportion of blends is usually 35% single malt and 65% grain whisky. Grain whiskies are cheaper to produce and are responsible for softening and even the sweet taste in scotch at times. In short, they take the harshness out of a single malt, and that is a good thing! But, too much grain whisky makes a blended scotch boring.  So, the task of the master blender is to find the right balance between the proportion of single malts and grain whiskys for that balanced, smooth yet interesting flavour profile.


Johnnie Walker Green Label is an interesting blend because it is a "vatted malt" meaning it is a blend of several different single malt whiskys with a minimum age of fifteen years, but no grain whisky is present. The principal single malts that go into this blend are: Talisker, Linkwood, Cragganmore and Caol Ila. Talisker is responsible for the smoke flavour, Cragganmore provides the sweetness and honey profile and Caol Ila provides the peat.The result is stunning.  It is approachable, smooth, interesting, attractive. 

Suggested Serving
If you are a novice scotch drinker and find the taste of scotch overhwhelming on its own, try an ice cube or two. The ice will slightly dilute the scotch, which will result in taking the burn one typically experiences when nothing is added.  Scotch connosieurs will scoff at the idea of adding ice, but if you want to enjoy a fine drink and new to scotch, add an ice cube or two.

On the other hand, if you are not a newbie to scotch, then you must try Johnnie Walker Green label with half a teaspoon of water to a standard shot.  The water opens up this scotch beautifully making it more honeyed, floral and complex.  I cannot over emphasize the importance of adding a little water to this magnificent dram.  Without water it is very good, but add the water and it becomes stellar.


Nose
Distinctly floral, coupled with malt and cookie dough, faint wisps of anise, peat and pipe tobacco.


Palate
Initially a honeyed dram, surely due to the core malt of Cragganmore.  Honey gently expands across the palate followed by vanilla, moving to a drying sea spray (I realize this is an oxymoron) and pepper corns across the palate.  I recognize this taste to be unmistakably Talisker.


Finish
Dry cinammon, restrained fresh ground black pepper and sea salt linger. A very long peppery/honey finish. Great length.


Final Comment
A very smooth, refined dram with some peat and smoke, but not overwhelming with a zing of pepper and sea salt on the finish. If you are looking for a dram that is not offensive but interesting, then look no further. Johnnie Walker is the best selling scotch in the world. In particular, its Red Label is a top world seller. This is probably due to the fact that the price is very reasonable.  Because Johnnie Walker is such a dominant player in the scotch market, I believe that it is the brand that some snobbish scotch drinkers love to hate. This is similar to the treatment of Microsoft by IT professionals. MS is the company they love to hate partly because it has been so successful.

Johnnie Walker Green Label is one of those premium blends that is just as good if not superior to many single malts (ie.  Glenfiddich 12 yrs, Glenlivet 12 yrs, etc.).


In any case enjoy!


Cheers!


Jason Debly

Psst!  I have a more recent review of this scotch here!

© Jason Debly, 2009-2011. All rights reserved.