Scotch Review: Johnnie Walker Blenders' Batch Red Rye Finish

Yeah, I know it's been a while since my last post.  What can I say?  Part procrastination, and part I dunno.  Anyhow, I'm back and a big thank you to those readers who reached out to me via email since my last post in May asking if I was alright.  Don't worry, this kid is alright!  Ok, are you ready?  Let's go and check out Johnnie Walker Blenders' Batch Red Rye Finish!

Diageo, owners of the Johnnie Walker brand, are always rolling out brand extensions.  Some are a success, some are not (e.g. Explorers' Club).  Blenders' Batch is another attempt by this multinational, billion dollar plus, publicly traded company to inject some excitement and spontaneity in to their well established brand.  And, how they have done that is by taking blended Scotch spirit, aged exclusively in first-fill bourbon casks, and then 'finishing' (fancy word for transferring to another type of cask) the spirit in of all things ex-rye casks.  I must say I was intrigued.  Scotch whiskies are usually finished in port pipes, Sauternes, and even Barbaresco (a mysterious Italian red).  So, when I heard Diageo had come up with the idea of a finish in red rye casks, I was interested.  Intuitively, I thought rye casks could compliment blended Scotch spirit that had been raised in ex-bourbon casks.

Launch Date
2016

ABV
40%

Closure
Metal twist off cap

Format
750ml bottle

Age Statement
None

Production Notes
A blend of three grain whiskies along with malt whiskies from Cardhu and the now defunct Port Dundas.  As I mentioned above, the spirit was aged in first fill bourbon casks before being finished for up to six months in ex-rye casks.

Nose
Apples, cinnamon, a floral sweetness and some caramel.

Palate
Honey crisp apples, caramel crisp, apple crisp, a citric note of grapefruit and orange is present and of course some spiced rye appears.

Finish
Oak, vanilla, spiciness with herbs like mint and tarragon, a wee grainy with some slight smoke.

General Impressions
I was really surprised by this blend.  Frankly, quite impressed.  I particularly like the influence of the rye casks on the spirit.  The rye imparts spiced rhubarb and a dry note.  Really like this for the price.  I would imagine it would perform well in a cocktail too!

Worth a try!  I wouldn't hesitate to buy again when low on funds.

Here's my YouTube video review of this blend:  

Thanks for your patience and I will endeavour to post more regularly!

Best,

Jason Debly

Whisky Review: Hankey Bannister 12 years "Regency" Blended Scotch Whisky

Winter has arrived in my part of the world.  Shoveling snow can seem like such a chore, but after I get it done, I like a nice blended Scotch to take the chill away.  A whisky that is not too complicated, expensive or needing my attention.

"Hankey Bannister" reminds me of other low end brands like "Passport" and "Banknote."  They try, in an unsubtle fashion, to appear to be the choice tipple of the affluent, but come off as looking cheap and about as classy as that old green bottle of Paco Rabanne cologne that sat in your Dad's medicine cabinet during your entire childhood.

I reached for a bottle of Hankey Bannister because, in spite of the lack of cachet and 'buzz,' (which I always try to ignore in the mainstream spirits press) I just had to know what such an old brand offered its current loyal customers.

You see, when I first got into drinking whisky and initially enthralled with it, it was the blends that hooked me.  Teacher's, Famous Grouse, Black Bottle and Islay Mist to name but a few.  To my palate at the time they were wonderfully smooth and not overwhelming in flavors that was the case with many single malts.  But with time, the quality of blends has been in decline (e.g. Black Bottle, Teacher's) and I also acquired a taste for the single malts.  So, I always have a had a soft spot for blends.

Price
Very reasonable for a 12 year age statement.

ABV 
40%

Chill Filtration?
For sure!

E150A
Yip!

Wood Management
Aged for 12 years in ex-bourbon casks.

Core Malts
Pulteney Distillery
Balblair Distillery
anCnoc Distillery
Speyburn Distillery

Grain Whiskies
Sourced from the Lowlands.

Nose (undiluted)
Soft, sweet, dandelion, vanilla, very subtle smoke.

Palate (undiluted)
Crisp honey, vanilla, gold oats and syrup, white cake bread, sweet barley and toffee.

Finish (undiluted)
Balblair malts and young grains contribute grapefruit notes but no bitterness.  A little hint of ginger and a nice puff of smoke at the very end.

General Impressions
I really like this blend! 

Takes me back to my first steps into whisky with good blends.  This is an impressive blend.  It is not complex, but I was not expecting any English garden maze of flavors.  However, there is a nice transition in flavors and texture.  At first sip it is sweet, but dries by the finish.  Initially it is sweet honey, but by the finish there is grapefruit and lime zest.

Reminds me a lot of Chivas Regal 12 years.  I would take this over that.

Maybe I should try Dad's Paco Rabanne now.

Cheers!



Jason Debly

Do I feel Lucky?

In the classic 1971 film, Dirty Harry, Clint Eastwood's character, Harry Callahan, utters one of the most famous lines in the history of cinema:

". . . you've got to ask yourself one question:  Do I feel lucky?"

"Well, do ya punk?"

My answer would be:  "Yeah!  I do because I received a great email the other day."

Here it is:

Jason,


Just wanted to drop you a quick line thanking you for being a beacon of refreshment in the otherwise pretentious laden arena of scotch reviewing.

Within the past month or so, I have delved into the wonderful world of scotch - primarily driven by the direction of my professional life (got tired of being the odd man out when it came time for a dram as my earliest memories of scotch was back in high school when me and a buddy sneaked some of his father's one night - needless to say it was a mess and I never had tried to recover from it).

As I started looking into the various distilleries, types, ages, etc - my eyes glazed, then went bloodshot trying to figure everything out. So I figured the best approach would be to read reviews... I figured that if I could find a "generally accepted" scotch that, that is where I should start.

Well, after reading, oh I don't know, about 150 reviews - all which used terms like "hints of silicone, leather, and blackmary (is that even anything?)" My eyes started to glaze over again.

I finally got a foothold after going to a local liquor store and speaking with an employee. He started me on a sample box of small JW black, gold, and blue. It took a while to get through them, but as I did - I found your blog and have used it as a rough guide and it has truly served me well. The reviews just plain makes sense and I seem to have a similar tastes. I now have a very rudimentary understanding of locations and distilleries and also feel that I am starting to appreciate all the varying subtleties that lay within the drink.

Now that I am about 6 different bottles in I am really starting to enjoy the process and more importantly the taste of scotch.

Thanks again,

Chandler
 
. . .
 
When I receive an email like that, I do feel lucky.  Hell, it "makes my day"  (to borrow another well worn Eastwood line from another one of his films: Sudden Impact).  It validates the experience I went through when I first started to develop an interest in whisky.  It is also exciting to meet someone who is starting to develop a keen interest in whisky!
 
I will receive an email of this nature every couple of months, which means that readers have a need for scotch whisky (and other whiskies of the world) to be de-mystified.  We are not talking rocket science here.  It's all about likes and dislikes . . . your likes and dislikes.  My aim is to get you to trust your own judgment! 
 
Read scotch reviews on the web and out of books, but if a reviewer consistently praises whiskies that you dislike, then stop reading his or her reviews.  Their tastes are not congruent with your own.  Find a reviewer's whose tastes match your's.  In my case, I find that I agree mostly with the reviews of the late whisky expert, Michael Jackson (not the late entertainer who needed a check-up from the neck up).  Conversely, I do not agree with many of the scotch reviews of Jim Murray, the world's current, best selling whisky authority.  Hence, I don't bother to read his reviews.  Mr. Murray is an enormous fan of the Ardbeg distillery.  Clearly, he enjoys the peat bombs.  While I like peat in scotch, it is not the most important aspect of the flavor profile. 
 
Anyway, you get my drift.  If my reviews and recommendations miss the mark for you, tell me so, and stop reading them.  Find a reviewer who can provide a road map of sorts during the scotch whisky journey that you are a part of.  Don't let some snobby SOB (how's that for alliteration!) in your workplace or at the golf club make your purchasing decisions for you.  Have faith in your own judgment.
 
My only caveat would be that over time, it is very possible that your tastes will evolve.  Be open to other points of view, but not dogmatically accepting them.
 
Until next time . . .
 
Cheers!
 
 
Jason Debly
 
Photo Credit:  Screenshot from the DVD version of the 1971 film Dirty Harry, extracted from Harry's infamous "do ya feel lucky" monologue



Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Whisky Blogs - Unbiased or Spirits Industry Influenced?

Before I started this blog, I would conduct a little online research regarding single malts or blends that I was considering buying.  I am sure you, as I have, purchased a scotch or other whisky, took it home, poured a dram, had a sip, and quickly realized the purchase was a huge mistake. 

During my research, I quickly discovered that all single malts and blends are glorious.  None were bad, poor, weak, etc.  They were all just a great ray of sunshine.  How can that be?  Well, it can't be.  I can appreciate that I might dislike intensely a whisky that you like a great deal.  I have no problem with that.  We all have our respective likes and dislikes.  What I have a problem with are reviewers or sites with whisky reviews that praise all whiskies, finding no fault in any.  That, I say is impossible.  So, how do I explain this peculiar phenomenon?

Here's my theory.

Free Samples
A lot of the whisky bloggers are posting reviews of the latest releases from distilleries.  Some of these whisky releases are very expensive.  How do they do it?  Simple, they don't.  I mean they do not purchase the whisky.  They are supplied free samples by the distiller or more properly by the multinational company that owns them, and asked to do a review.  That's like Pablo Escobar handing a kilo of cocaine to Keith Richards and asking him for his thoughts! 

In my view, the trouble with free whisky samples is that it will taint the ability of the reviewer to provide an impartial opinion.  You can't be a little bit pregnant.  If I take a free bottle or whatever, there is a pressure on me to write a positive review or at least take a bad whisky and put a positive spin on it as much as possible or downplay what I dislike.  If a reviewer writes too many negative reviews, he or she jeopardizes access to freebies in the future, as well as invites to exclusive tastings, etc.

So, I asked a couple of these reviewers what their thoughts were and they said I was wrong.  They said that they could give unbiased reviews.  Hmmm.  I don't buy it.  When I posted comments on this subject on other blogs, the bloggers often deleted my comments.  If I posted a comment that I didn't agree with their review of a whisky, my comment got deleted.  There were some exceptions but not many.  All of this makes me wonder if some apparently amateur whisky blogs are not actually owned or heavily subsidized by industry players.  I wonder.  I also find it very interesting where one blogger seems to have multiple websites and presence on Youtube with respect to his/her reviews.  Why so many sites.  How about just one?  Are you in this for the money or for the whisky?

The Multinationals
Whisky is big business.  A multi-billion dollar business.  Marketing is extremely important to maintaining and/or expanding market share.  These multinational drinks companies have no problem supplying free samples to reviewers, inviting them to dinner, maybe paying their expenses to travel to a tasting or even be a consultant for one of their distilleries (it has happened to one reviewer).  It is perfectly legal for these companies to do that.  There is nothing wrong with marketing by whatever means.  I think they are trying to encourage "organic" marketing on the internet, create a "buzz" that causes people to buy their product.  Hey, that's fair for them.  I am a capitalist too.  Go for it! 

The trouble for you and I though is that we don't get the straight goods on the merits and flaws of a whisky if the reviews we read are by reviewers who lack impartiality.  So, when reading another blog or website, how can we tell the reviews or idiotic ramblings (especially true in the case of myself) are of a total outsider of the industry or a person who is very much a part of the industry or essentially "in bed" with the whisky industry?

Here are some tell-tale signs:

• Reviews of very expensive scotch or other whiskies that are beyond the wallet of the average consumer.  One blog reviewer was reviewing a bottle that cost nearly $1,000.00.;
• The reviewer is travelling all over the world to whisky tastings in the trendiest places and have the professional photos to back it up.
• The reviewer seems to review a different whisky for each day of the week.  Something the average joe cannot afford.
• The website is so slick that you think you are in the embrace of a used car salesman.
• There are no negative whisky reviews!!!!!!!!!!!! 

So where am I in all this?

Do I make money off this blog?  Ahh no.  To date, nearly a year online, Google owes me a grand total of $9.42.  I am not in this for the money.  Money is generated when a visitor clicks on the advertising.  For example, Amazon has an ad for whisky books on this blog.  If you click on that ad, I will earn around one cent.  Yup, you read that correctly.

Anyway, that is my rant for this evening.  I hope I do not sound to holier-than-thou or sanctimonious because that is not the intent.

Readers, if you read any review on this blog that you do not agree with, fill your boots and give me an earful.  I will not delete your comment.  The only exception is for libelous or profane comments.

Ok that is the rant for tonight.  Comments?  Please, I welcome them. 

Now, I need a drink!

Cheers!

Jason

P.S. I guess the bottom line is that you have to consider the perspective of the person writing the review.  What is their association with the whisky industry?

Copyright © Jason Debly, 2010. All rights reserved.

Grant's Family Reserve Scotch Whisky

If you take a look at most of the tasting notes I have posted in this blog, you will observe that I praise most of the different scotches. Reviewers of scotch, amateur (myself) and professional (ie. Jim Murray) tend to heap praise on every spirit evaluated. Trouble is, we may give the impression that it is all good. Not so! There are some dogs out there and the question for this post to consider is whether or not Grant's Family Reserve Scotch Whisky is one of them.

Whisky expert, Jim Murray, in his book, Classic Blended Scotch, described Grant's Family Reserve as "A stunner of a whisky, one of the most complex blends the industry will ever produce."

Ok, that is saying a lot. Too much in my opinion. It's one thing to like a blended scotch, but when you make statements like ". . . one of the most complex blends the industry will ever produce" you catch my attention. For me, Murray had thrown down the gauntlet and challenged me through his words. Me, being a big fan of blends, decided to try this blended scotch and see if it lived up to his high pitched praise. I had tried this blend in the past and did not like it one little bit, but in light of Murray's eloquent admiration of the highest order, which is trumpeted on William Grant's & Sons website (http://www.grantusa.com) I decided to second guess my earlier judgment and revisit this very popular brand (4th best selling blended scotch in the world).

Nose (undiluted)
Faint malty notes. Not picking up much else. Not overly inviting.

Nose (diluted)
Water added to this blend seems to accentuate the malty notes.

Palate (undiluted)
You need to take a big slug of this to get any flavor. Don't be shy. This is not a 25 year old single malt that rewards the tiniest of sips with an explosion of splendid flavors. Not so here.

Once you take the medium to big sip, you will be greeted by light/thin flavors of cinnamon stick, cloves, and nutmeg enveloped in an unmistakably grainy, unadulterated alcohol bear hug.

Drank neat, there is no complexity of flavors. I am dumbfounded as to how Jim Murray can say ". . . one of the most complex blends the industry the industry will ever produce." There's truly nothing here.

Palate (diluted)
I added a splash of water (ie. one teaspoon per shot) and was able to detect some creaminess in addition to the malty/cinnamon flavors present when drunk neat. The water lessened the grainy, alcohol soaked backbone of the flavor profile. Bottom line: Water improves this blend.

Finish (undiluted)
Almost non-existent. The finish is gone in a flash and while it lasts, it's mostly a grainy alcohol imbued couple of seconds.

Finish (diluted)
Strangely, the addition of water adds some body to this scotch that translates into a finish with more depth and even a richness to the aforementioned flavors than when drunk neat.

General Impressions
Served neat, this blended scotch tastes cheap mainly due to the alcohol hanging in the background like a groupie at a rock concert. How Jim Murray can praise this blend at all is beyond my comprehension. This is not a stunner of a whisky. It has virtually no complexity of flavor.

Served with a splash of water, this blend improves. Alcohol is toned down, the grainy character is still there but more tolerable, and there is a creamy richness that emerges. Does the addition of water transform this blend into a "stunner?" I think not. It still tastes cheap, but simply more tolerable. Maybe on a very hot summer's day with ice, it would be pleasing or as a base ingredient in a mixed drink.

Whether consumed neat or with water, there is no peat flavors. The constitutent single malts used are Speyside classics: Balvenie and Glenfiddich. You can taste the Balvenie, unfortunately, not enough of it. There is a great deal of grain whisky in this blended scotch, and that is not a good thing.

My lasting impression from tasting this on several occasions is that it Grant's Family Reserve is cheap, bottom shelf, blended scotch, that is not worth the low price charged. For the same price, there are significantly better blends out there like: Black Bottle, White Horse, Teacher's Highland Cream, Johnnie Walker Red, and Cutty Sark.

So how come this blend is one of the top world leaders in sales? I think the combination of the low price, a weak flavor profile that lends itself easily to mixed drinks results in it being a staple of bars around the world.

Anyway, you deserve better! Avoid this.

Cheers!

© Jason Debly, 2009-2013. All rights reserved.

Bushmills Black Bush

Bushmills Black Bush
I’ve always felt that Irish whisky never quite gets the respect it so richly deserves. What I mean is that people who go to the local liquor store in search of a whisky as a gift often reach for scotch, much like people who know little about wine automatically reach for French wine. Just as there are many great wines produced outside of France, the same can be said of great whisky being found outside of Scotland. Ireland is a case in point.

Bushmills Black Bush is one of a number of whiskies produced by the distiller, Old Bushmills Distillery, located in the village of Bushmills, in the county of Antrim, Northern Ireland. The claim to fame of this distillery is its age. It was founded in 1784 and needless to say with such a long history, they have perfected the production of fine whisky.

Irish Whisky versus Scotch
In general, the most obvious difference between Irish whisky and scotch is the lack of peat and smoke in the former. This is due to the lack of peat during the distillation process. There is an exception of course to this generalization, Connemara Peated Irish Malt has peat and smoke flavors.

Composition
Black Bush is made up primarily of single malts and the remainder with grain whiskies. The majority of single malts used in this blended whisky results in a rich dram with big rounded flavors of chocolate and malt that is memorable, but subdued at the same time.

No age is stated, but I am convinced that the whiskies making up this spirit are in the vicinity of ten years. There is a real depth of character to this whisky. While it is aged in former Oloroso sherry casks, it is not what I would characterize as a sherried whisky. A small percentage of grain whisky is blended to give it a sweet character. This is a sweet whisky but not overly so.

Serving Suggestion
This is too fine to use in a mixed drink. This is deserving of being consumed neat or with a little water or ice. This tasting note was based on a neat serving.

Nose (undiluted)
Restrained. No over-the-top aromas wafting up. Instead, nosing this whisky will result in the enjoyment of delicate, soft notes of malt, warm fruitcake and molten chocolate.

Palate (undiluted)
Smooth, sweet chocolate mousse introduction followed by a nuttiness, think of cashews and brazil nuts. Next comes some spiciness, but not to the point of being peppery. The spiciness rests upon a malty background mixed with some dark fruitcake. Really intriguing. This is medium bodied.

Finish (undiluted)
Medium to short finish. Chocolate mousse again, oak and soft spices combine to be gentle and never offensive. No bite on the palate. Nice, but relatively short lingering warmth of spice box upon the palate rounds out this taste experience.

Final Thoughts
Rich, mildly sophisticated, but not so special that you cannot properly enjoy it in the presence of friends in a pub. Put another away, you can drink this casually and marvel at its smooth yet gentle spices, without thinking I am wasting my money by not paying more attention to it. This is not Royal Salute, Johnnie Walker Blue or Ballantines 17, all of which cannot be tossed back casually in a pub, unless you are a billionaire. The very reasonable price of Bushmills Black Bush makes it accessible.

Black Bush is not very complex. The flavors are pretty obvious: chocolate, malt, hazelnut and caramel. For this reason, I cannot descibe this whisky as overly sophisticated. The flavor profile is not as simple as the Bushmills White Label, but not too great a departure either.

In conclusion, this is a great blended whisky that every whisky/scotch drinker should try. It's easy going, not offensive and great for social occasions. I would give this as a gift to the casual whisky drinker. If I was buying a gift for the serious whisky fan, I would not choose Bushmills Black Bush because the flavors roll out in a very simplistic fashion.

Cheers!

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

J&B Rare

I was at a wedding reception this evening and standing at the bar asked for scotch.

"Sure" replied the college kid. "I've got scotch" he bellowed over the din of people talking before the bride and groom arrived in the ballroom.

"What kind?" I asked, fearful of the response.

"Dunno, lemme check" the pimply kid replied, as I recoiled at the thought of what he might produce for a bottle.

He held up a bottle of J&B Rare. Never had it before, but thought I would give it a try.

"You want that with ice or pop?"

"Neat will be fine" I answered.

"Huh?"

"No ice, no pop, just pour me a double."

J&B Rare
"J&B" are the initials for "Justerini and Brooks." Giacomo Justerini was the original founder and Alfred Brooks bought the entire business in 1831. Royal warrants issued by the British Royal Family served as confirmation that this blended scotch was regularly supplied to the royal court.

Today, the J&B Rare blended scotch product is owned and marketed by the multination alcoholic beverage company, Diageo PLC. This brand is the #1 selling blended scotch in Europe and #3 in the world according to the Diageo website. Spain is where the greatest sales levels are. According to the Diaego website (Diaego.com), sales are up 15% in 2008.

Bearing in mind this level of wide spread popularity, I sat down at my table and tried a sip.

Nose
Faint peat and a little marsh salt air.

Palate
Sweet, light bodied, very faint peat, cinammon, more candied sweetness, like a couple of packets of Sugar Twin.

Finish
A little pepper, slight salty tang, a little tingle of the nostrils as the peat disappears very quickly leaving a pepper and sweetness on the palate. Not a great finish. This blended scotch flavor disappeared from the palate as quickly as it appearred.

General Impressions
For a blended scotch whisky that has been around for so long and having impressive worldwide sales, I was frankly expecting a lot more. This scotch is in direct competition with other economy blends like Johhnie Walker Red Label, Ballantines, Teachers Highland Cream and others. I would pick its competition over it everytime.

Why? Well, let me count the ways: Sickly sweet, cloying, no complexity. Adding water didn't help things. While it was a tad more malty with water, I also detected graphite on the palate much like putting a lead pencil to my lips. Not pleasant.

The bottom line is: I don't like this. Too sweet! Simple, no complexity of flavor, no smoke, in a word "boring." It's like drinking several packets of Sugar Twin and Splenda mixed with alcohol and a cinnamon stick.

I visited the J&B Rare website. The website has the logo "Start a Party." And that is appropriate. This is a party drink to be used as a mixer. I suspect with soda, this could become a refreshing drink. The site recommends mixing with ginger ale or cola. I am sure taking such action would result in a decent party drink. Disguise that scotch with some pop and you have something you can down pleasantly and get intoxicated on quickly. For those of us who enjoy our scotch on the rocks, a little water or neat, we should pass on this.

By the way, at the wedding, a waiter, attempting to keep the tables free of dirty glasses and dishes, scooped up my partially finished glass of J & B Rare, probably thinking it was just the remnants of a full glass of gingerale. Normally, I would have strenuously objected, but in this case, I just smiled at my good fortune. I knew my little sample of J&B would soon find an appropriate final resting spot, as it is poured down the drain.


Cheers!

© Jason Debly, 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Johnnie Walker Ad, Beirut, Lebanon

I love this ad!

This photo was taken in Beirut, Lebanon a couple of years ago. Lebanon, as you probably know, is a country that has seen a lot war. The destruction of lives and buildings is inescapable anywhere you look in Lebanon. Nevertheless, the people are optimists and a local design company that did work for Diaego (the company that owns the Johnnie Walker brand) came up with this great ad. It tells the Lebanese, despite the fighting, wars, destruction, "Keep Walking."

This is pure genius advertising when you can convey a powerful message that is inextricably bound up with your product. No wonder Johnnie Walker is enormously popular in Lebanon. They should run this ad in Israel and any country touched by war or terrorism.

Cheers!


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

Woodford Reserve - A Great American Bourbon!

Bourbon - A less than stellar reputation

A lot of people shudder at the thought of having a drink of bourbon. This is understandable because a lot of what is available on the market tastes like rubbing alcohol distilled by some unclean mountain boys out of The Deliverance for the sole purpose of intoxication. Sipping some bourbons involves submitting to a burn down the throat, headed to the stomach and immediately you have to fight the urge for it to bounce back up from whence it came.In general, Woodford Reserve departs from such negative experiences. I say "in general" because it is a distillery which has been plagued with chronic quality control problems. Specifically, one hand crafted batch (each batch is numbered) can be divine, while the next belongs with its bretheren in the previous paragraph. Please understand that not every other bottle is flawed. I am just highlighting past issues with quality of production. I believe the distillery is keenly aware of this issue and is addressing it. So, bearing that in mind, if you sample this bourbon and you find it flawed, then consider taking it back to the store and exchanging it for another.This bourbon we can drink today has a long history (don't they all) that starts back in Versailles, Kentucky in 1812. Bourbon is an uniquely American invention and Kentucky is the state that put it on the map. In fact, the Woodford Reserve distillery is one of nine of the oldest in Kentucky and the US for that matter. It hasn't always operated under the name of Woodford Reserve, that is a recent development of 2003.Anyway, lets move to the most important topic, the taste!

Nose

Vanilla and charcoal

Palate

Lots of vanilla! More charcoal, spice and ginger accompanies, sweetness (but not too sweet) that flows towards a floral finish. There is a "burn", slight, not too bad, but rather characteristic of bourbon. If this is an aspect that bothers you, the solution is ice, couple of cubes takes the burn away. A complex arrangement of flavors that can appropriately be described as sophisticated and rich. I initially tried this bourbon at a whisky tasting and days later, I was still thinking about. So, I bought a bottle and enjoyed a very refined drink of complexity I never imagined was possible from bourbon.

Finish

Oak and rye linger on the palate in a highly refined manner.  Please note that when you first open the bottle, there may be a unpleasant burn lingering in the throat but this should become less of an issue after a couple of weeks open.

Impressions

I have had Woodford Reserve on several occasions. What I have noticed is that the quality can vary depending on the "batch." Each bottle is numbered. Some batchs are very good while a flawed bottle can be a little off or even dreadful. I have tasted perfection in one bottle and poison in another. It is not just me making this observation, reviewers on other sites like Whiskey Magazine's website have threads that note quality variation issues. Of several bottles purchased, only one was flawed. I would not allow this quality assurance issue dissuade you from purchasing it.When its good, it is great. When its bad, it can range from tolerably flawed to an impossibly metallic, copper burn of a dram.My suggestion is that if you buy this bourbon, make sure that you can return it if it turns out to be flawed. You are probably wondering why I would recommend this bourbon in light of the above comments about quality consistency issues. Well, the simple reason is I believe the distiller is tackling the problem and the risk/reward ration makes it worth it if you can return a flawed bottle. How will you know if it is flawed? It will taste metallic like it sat in a copper vat too long with an awful burn across the palate and down the throat upon swallowing. When its a good bottle, it is something to behold.  Another drawback is the price. It is a little high compared to others. I think there is a value for money problem.  Competitors like Knob Creek and Maker's Mark are the same price but better over all.  So, in conclusion, if you like bourbon or know somebody who does, this might be an interesting alternative to the traditional mainstream bottles you or your friend usually go to. It also happens to be the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby!

Cheers!

© Jason Debly, 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

P.S.  I have an updated review available at this link.

Old Pulteney 12 yr old - Single Malt Scotch Review

Much Public Acclaim

I bought a bottle of Old Pulteney 12 yr single malt Scotch tonight because I had read a lot of positive comments about it on a couple of whiskey website forums that I participate on. Moreover, Jim Murray, whisky authority, wrote that this whisky is "unashamedly excellent and deserves so much more recognition around the world." I had to decide for myself whether or not this single malt scotch is deserving of such praise.

Nose (undiluted)
Briny maritime air, restrained sweetness, rainfall, damp evening lakeside air, soft wood smoke, smooth peat.

Palate (undiluted)
Salty taste of the foaming sea, lemon rind, rosewood, a hint of Ocean Spray Cranberry Cocktail, faint oak.

Finish (undiluted)
Short but interesting. Notes of bacon, mackerel, kippers but rhubarb too, ginger and lemon again.

General Impressions

The lasting impression of drinking this is that of sea water. Just not very interesting. Simple in a word. It may be somewhat intriguing for some in terms of this sea salt based flavor profile which finishes with some lemon and a cleansing saline zest.  Not what I would call a complex single malt. This whisky is decent and reminds me of what comes out of Scapa.   Frequently on sale and that is when you want to grab it.

In terms of the praise for this scotch, it is not deserved, and I think Mr. Murray was given to a little hyperbole when he described this whisky as "unashamedly excellent." It's 'good' but not 'excellent.'  The flavors offered up are different than what is encountered in most other single malts, but, as I said above, the problem is that it is not complex and at times one thinks they are just drinking salt water out of the bottom of a beached boat.

P.S.  While I am not a huge fan of this single malt, one of my regular readers is.  Adam's positive review is available by clicking here. 

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

Ballantines Finest - Blended Scotch Whisky

A Little History

Ballantines Finest is the oldest in the product line of this Scottish blender of whisky. It all started back in 1827, where an enterprising gentleman, George Ballantine, opened up a grocery store and started selling some whisky (not his creation). Eventually, he let his son take over while he set up an establishment in Glasgow that did feature his own blends. Within his lifetime he was supplying the Royal Family. Ballantines Finest that you can drink today is based on a blending recipe from those days.Today, Ballantines is very popular in Europe and Asia. In addition, Ballantines Finest has won some awards. In the International Spirits Challenge: 2006 Gold; 2005 Silver; and in the International Wine and Spirit Competition: 2006 Silver; 2005 Bronze. That said, generally, serious connosieurs of scotch do not like this blend because they consider it rather uninteresting, boring, bland. More about such observations later.

Suggested Serving

This blended whisky is so gentle and sweet that the addition of ice, in order to mellow out any roughness or burn that is common with cheaply priced whiskies, is not necessary. However, if you like a little ice, I would suggest a single ice cube.

Nose (undiluted)

Cheap and malty. No peat whatsoever.

Palate (undiluted)

Very sweet like a bowl full of Splenda or NutraSweet mixed with grain alcohol.  Terribly grainy.     

Finish (undiluted)

Smooth. No rough edges here. No burn or excess heat. Just horribly sweet, with bad malty flavors that fortunately disappear from the palate quickly but not quick enough from one's memory.

Add Water!
Tasted neat, this blended scotch whisky is too sweet and grainy.  Add a teaspoon of water and it will greatly reduce that grainy character and add a nice malty note to the flavor profile.  How much water?  Try a teaspoon to a 1 and half ounce shot.

General Impressions

On a hot summer day, this will work very well as a key ingredient in a mixed drink.  Alternatively, over ice it will prove to be barely tolerable.

This is bottom shelf blended scotch.  In that price range Ballantines Finest is a step above the likes of Whyte & Mackay, J&B or Jameson (no age statement). But that's not saying much.  This is nowhere near the best economy blend.  In the category of blended scotch (no age statement) Teacher's Highland Cream and Johnnie Walker Red are better buys. 

The chief defect that prevent this blend from being a decent one is due to a flavour profile that is far too sweet to the point of being like corn syrup and overall the flavour profile (very grainy at times), while interesting initially, soon can become boring for someone seeking intriguing flavours. For those who like a lot of peat notes in their scotch, Ballantines Finest will disappoint.  What it does offer is an inoffensive, very sweet/grainy dram that will serve as a gateway to great blended scotch.  If you are new to scotch, this may be pleasing to you.  Drink it, make notes and then move on to better stuff.  When you progress to superior blends (ie.  Teacher's, White Horse, Chivas 12, etc.) refer to your notes and you will soon realize how dreadful Ballantines Finest is.
Cheers!

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

Bushmills Original - Irish Whisky

Irish whisky can be distinguished from scotch due to the total absence of peat flavours. And for that reason, Irish whisky is always a nice diversion from scotch (Scottish whisky).

I first read about Bushmills in old adventure novels written by Jack Higgins, the author of "The Eagle Has Landed." Invariably, his novels had an Irish character whose choice drink was Bushmills. So, it has always been on my "list" (not a written one, but rather one occupying part of a scarce brain cell) to try. This year I stumbled upon it in the nearby liquor store and soon it found a new home in mine.

Suggested Serving
There are a number of ways to try this. First, by itself or "neat" as those trendy people dress in black turtlenecks in coffee shops would say. A drop or two of distilled water added can bring out some interesting flavours. Finally, an ice cube works too.

Nose
Hot chocolate.

Palate
A nutty flavour chased by maple syrup flavoured porridge, which plateaus into lightly sugared short bread cookie.

Finish
A little zing of dark chocolate and malt (think "cereal") that lingers ever so briefly.

Impressions
I like this and I can't imagine how anyone would not on some level. It is not strong, burning or medicinal like inexpensive whisky can be. The body is light, not complex, but nevertheless, enjoyable. This whisky is triple distilled which produces a very smooth dram. I keep thinking about the nutty flavour. This is great to serve after a heavy meal for those dinner guests who want to sip something pleasant but different. A great gift that will surprise the casual scotch/whisky or bourbon drinker.

If I were to voice a common criticism of this blended whisky, it would be the rather simple flavor profile. Not a lot of complex flavors going on here. This particular Bushmills offering is the "White Label" which is their most basic, entry level offering. Accordingly, it has mass appeal and offends no one. Great as an ingredient in mixed drinks or for the novice scotch/whisky drinker looking to put his/her toe in the great pond of the spirits universe. Finally, I just got this gut feeling that this is one the ladies would like too.

Cheers!

P.S.  I prefer Bushmills White label to Jameson's standard bottling any day.

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

Highland Park 18 yr old - Single Malt Scotch Review

I like whiskies of all kinds. Scotch, Canadian and American. I like bourbon too. But, of all the whiskies I have tried, Highland Park 18 year old is my all-time favorite. It presents a truly special whisky drinking experience that is best appreciated by someone who has spent plenty of time drinking other whiskies before happening upon this one.

The distillery producing this very fine spirit has been doing so for more than 200 hundred years in Orkney, Scotland. I will not recount the history of the distillery here. Go to the Highland Park website for a full history. After all, the purpose of my review is to describe what this whisky tastes like. So, lets move to the task at hand.

Suggested Serving
This is a fine whisky that should not have ice added to it. Ice will dilute the flavours and the complexity. If you drink all your scotch with ice, then limit the quantity to one or two cubes at the very most. You will still enjoy the complexity of flavors but will naturally be experienced a somewhat watered down version. Mind you, some people need the ice to ease any burn the whisky presents when swallowing. If you are a serious scotch drinker, serve this to yourself with a drop or two of distilled water in order to open up the flavours and scents.

Nose
An awe inspiring bouquet of peat, smoke, and flowers. You can take several sniffs and keep wondering what wonderful dram awaits your palate.

Palate
Rich, luxurious honey/toffee flavors interwoven with nuts, spicy cinnamon, pretzel salt and the perfect hint of peat fill the palate. A chewy dram drying towards the finish. No sharp edges here. No bite, bitterness or burn here. Peat is present but not overwhelming or dominating. It compliments the flavor profile only.

Finish
A big, rounded finish of lingering smoke, spices verging on peppercorns you would associate with a flavored rib eye steak, and more toffee. This lingers for a long time in the mouth long after the dram has been swallowed.

Final Impressions
You know that you are in the presence of greatness when drinking this very fine single malt scotch. It has won countless awards as the best scotch of this year or that. Now, you understand why. Share this with your best friend, your father, your mentor, during a fireside chat about what life means. Not to be served during happy hour or for the Super Bowl.

This is not cheap to purchase. You are looking at paying around $80 a bottle (750ml). But, remember that you are buying a very high end single malt scotch. In that realm, $80 is actually not that expensive. For example The Macallan 18 year old single malt scotch is substantially more and simply not as good. Johnnie Walker Blue (a premium blend) is nearly double in price, but again not as good. Glenfiddich 18yr old single malt is more in price and not better. So, you get the picture. This would be a wonderful gift to the man or woman who loves single malt scotch. If they have never had it before, it will be a treat that they will forever after be grateful. If they have had it before, they will recognize the time and thought you put into choosing this gift for them. Do not buy this for the casual hard liquor consumer. They will not appreciate it.

There is nothing negative to report about this single malt scotch. I would however caution readers that this is 43% alcohol and so drinking this should not be followed by any driving. One can get quickly intoxicated without the intention. It happened to me one night. I kept taking sips and before I knew it, I was certifiably smashed.

Cheers!

© Jason Debly, 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Review: Teacher's Highland Cream

I had heard about Teacher's Highland Cream as being an excellent blended scotch for years. Websites devoted to scotch had many threads with extensive discussions of this blended scotch. Personally, I was always skeptical mainly for two reasons. First, the price. It's not expensive at all. Secondly, its a blend. I would think to myself, "how can a blend be very good?"  So, I bought a bottle. And what a bottle it was.

Serving
Single large ice cube (also very enjoyable with a drop or two of distilled water).

Nose
Scent of dulse, seaweed and salt air wafting up. Impressive!  I visualize standing at a cliff face on a windy, overcast day in Scotland.

Palate
The taste is sea salt, smoke, very faint peat and iodine with a bacon/malt backbone.  This is a heavy scotch in the mouth, and many enjoy rolling it around a bit before swallowing.  Anise, black licorice and lots of malt round this blend out.

Finish
Lingering sea salt, dulse, malt and a faint echo of peat.  Teachers is a complex dram that offers a lot of different flavours to consider.  It will really grow on you as you become more acquainted with it.  If you are new to scotch drinking and enjoy a dram and wanting to avoid peat monsters, well try drinking this with an ice cube or two.  As the ice melts, it mellows out the drink and by the time you finish you will be very satisfied.  Teachers has been around for over 100 yrs and is in the top five best selling blends in the world. I can see why.

Teachers can be distinguished from other scotches because of its unusually high single malt content that runs a minimum of 45% of the content. Scotch blends are a combination of grain and malt whisky.  The latter contributes flavour while the former softens a flavour that otherwise would be very rough and biting on the palate. Accordingly, more flavour if you have more malt content.

Teachers has a rich flavour and grain whiskeys that soften it sufficiently such that it doesnt have the cheap bite that some whiskeys often have.

Great Price Point!
Another great point to consider is price.  I have drank many more expensive blends and single malts that cannot hold a candle to a tumbler of Teachers. So, don't be put off by the low price.  Part of the reason the price is reasonable is because the whisky's core is comprised of two single malts (Ardmore and Glendronach) that by themselves are not particularly popular on their own, (hence most production is for this blend) but when blended in this bottling produce a very popular flavour profile at an affordable price point.

Sometimes, a blend is comprised of expensive single malts and that causes the price of the malt naturally to be expensive. Johnnie Walker Black Label is an example, as one of its key ingredients is Talisker that enjoys high prices and wide spread popularity as a single malt. (If you like some peat and plenty of smoke balanced out with some caramel notes then try Black Label).

Looking for a gift for your father, brother, son, this is the ticket! They wont be disappointed.

Cheers!


Jason Debly

Note:  Since writing this review, the corporate ownership of Teacher's has changed, which has resulted in changes to one of the core single malts used.  I wrote about it here.  Accordingly, the review before you provides tasting notes for Teachers in 2009-2010.  If you can get an old bottle grab it!

© Jason Debly, 2009 - 2014. All rights reserved.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is the most expensive and presumably finest of the Johnnie Walker blended scotch product line offered by the multinational company Diageo plc.

The price is high. For the same price, you could choose from a wide variety of 18 year old single malts at half the price. Moreover, at the price of a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue, you could have a 25 year old single malt like Highland Park. All of this leads up to the question of: "Is it worth it?" Not an easy question to answer. I will return to it at the end of this post.

Marketing/Packaging

The marketing folks at Diageo plc are geniuses. The packaging of Blue Label is impressive and no expense is spared. The blue/green glass bottle rests in a satin lined box complete with a booklet about the scotch. The booklet advises that this scotch was blended with the aim of recreating the flavor profile typical of the 19th century blends old Mr. Johnnie Walker would have created. The bottom line is the presentation is impressive.

No Age Stated

The marketing genius of Diageo is exemplified by their ability to command such a high price for a blended scotch that makes no age statement. The website (johnniewalker.com) and the packaging advises that the rarest of the whiskies owned by Diageo go into this blend. So rare and old that some whiskies used in the blend come from distilleries that are no longer in existence. The implication is clear that some of the whiskies in this blend are more than 18 years old. I have not read on the Walker website, but elsewhere I have read that the ingredient whiskies include malt whiskies that are upwards of 40 yrs old. Certainly a claim that I would like to verify at some point. In any case, for blended scotch whisky to have no age statement means the distiller is free from the constraints of only working with whiskies of a particular age. Aged whiskies are better than young ones but only up to a point, in my opinion.

Serving Suggestion

This scotch is so smooth that there is no need to add ice or water to soften any rough edges. There are no rough edges. Even if you always drink your whisky with ice or water, I encourage you to at least try this neat. Pour a double into a whisky glass or crystal tumbler and take a small sip. A tiny sip. Once swallowed and the taste no longer lingers, have a sip of water to clean your palate.

Nose

Pull the cork stopper on this bottle, have a pour and nose your glass. You will enjoy scents of perfume, peat, smoke and fresh bread. Very nice. I compare this to the Gold Label and to my surprise, the Gold Label is considerably nicer on the nose. Mind you, in my opinion, the Gold Label has the finest nose of any scotch I have ever tried.

Setting

Your taste experience can be affected by what you ate at your last meal and how long ago that meal took place. My recommendation is that you try this scotch three or four hours after dinner, in a quiet place with a fireplace, a nice window to look out and consider the flavors offered up by this dram. I would not recommend eating anything with this fine scotch as the flavors of the food may conflict or dull the palate from the full flavor range offered by this wonderful dram. All you need is a quiet place, some privacy, a tall glass of cold water and a tumbler or whisky glass of this whisky.

Palate (undiluted)

I take a little sip and am surprised by how weighty this scotch is in the mouth. A medium to full body that rolls on the tongue while it is being savored. The initial flavor is very soft peat. I am surprised how much peat the flavor profile delivers. Smooth, rich, corona cigar smoke, a spice box with ginger follows against a malty background.

Finish (undiluted)

The sign of a great scotch is how long it lingers upon the palate once it is gone. Blue Label does not disappoint. Flavors of smoke, very restrained peat, malt, fresh chopped mint leaves, and faint peppercorns linger. Maybe a little echo of English Stilton cheese at the very end. The length of flavor is moderate.

What happens if we add a splash of water?
Add water and you will enjoy more complexity of flavors. Having sampled this both undiluted and with a little water, my preference will depend on my mood. The water (a little! like a teaspoon at the most to a shot) livens the flavors. You will taste more peat, carmelized onion and pepper. On the downside, the water takes away some sophistication. I know the last sentence borders on the meaningless, but that's the best I can do.

General Impressions

It's a decent scotch whisky that will not offend. 'Smooth' and 'rich,'  are words that come to mind when I think about it. No flavors are too strong, bitter or burn, even when consumed neat. I enjoyed this spirit, but have to say that I am not obsessed with it or its biggest fan. A word of caution here. I prefer scotch that is more honey, caramel, chocolate, nutty in flavor. In a word, I am a fan of the stereotypical Speyside scotches (Cragganmore, Glenfiddich, etc.). I am by nature, not an Ardbeg fanatic. For those of you who do not know Ardbeg, it's a peat bomb. Johnnie Walker Blue has an Islay component that dominates the Speyside whiskies that are also a present, but the domination is done in the most elegant way possible.

Is It Worth the Price?
In order to answer this question you have to first determine what it is being compared to? Ultra premium blended scotch whisky or single malt?

Compared to other very high end blended scotch whisky, 'no,' it is not worth the price. The peer group for ultra-premium blends includes: Royal Salute, Ballantines 17 yr old and Chivas Regal 18yrs and 25 yrs. Johnnie Walker Blue is a weak player in this group, probably the weakest.  Chivas 18yrs and Royal Salute are both priced lower but offer up superior, more fragrant flavors than the Blue Label. At this level of likes and dislikes it's fairly subjective. If you like peat and smoke to dominate the flavor profile, Blue Label might be your choice, as it is stronger than the others. However, if you like the classic Speyside flavors of honey, cinammon and caramel, you should opt for Chivas 18, 25 and Royal Salute.

If you compare Blue Label to single malt scotch, it is definitely not worth the money.  There are several single malts which present greater complexity of flavors at half the price! Which ones? Lagavulin 16 yrs, Glenlivet 18 yrs (add a little water), Cragganmore 12 yrs (add a little water), Dalwhinnie and Highland Park 15 or 18 yrs (great neat or with the addition of a splash of water) to name just a few. All of the aforementioned single malts are at a minimum 50% cheaper and offer a more intricate and pleasing flavor profile. If you visit the Johnnie Walker website, Blue Label is promoted on the basis of the "layers and layers of flavor . . ." (at the time of writing this post this was in the website. However, Diaego is constantly updating the site and so this comment about 'layers' may disappear in the future.) And this is where it fails when compared to the previously mentioned single malts. The single malts weave a tapestry of flavor that Blue Label cannot hold a candle to.

But if it fails the value for money test when compared to ultra-premium blended scotch whisky and single malts (which is kind of like comparing apples to oranges) then why does it enjoy such great success in terms of sales? Marketing.  Masterful marketing.  I think for many people, purchasing Johnnie Walker Blue Label is about making a statement:

"I am rich!"

"I spent a lot of money on your gift."

"I have a fat wallet and a very limited knowledge of scotch."

I have no understanding of the phrase 'value for money.'"

Conclusion
Price and value for money considerations aside, if you are looking for a smooth, inoffensive ultra-premium scotch, Johnnie Walker Blue Label will not disappoint, but it will not impress much either.


Cheers!

PS:  An updated review on Johnnie Blue is available by clicking here.

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

Review: Johnnie Walker Gold Label - An 18 yr old Premium Scotch Blend

Note:  The Johnnie Walker Gold Label 18 year age statement has been discontinued by Diageo (owner of the Johnnie Walker brand).  The 18 year age statement has been dropped and now the label of its replacement reads "Gold Label Reserve."  The following review pertains to the 18 year age statement bottling that has been discontinued.  If you find this discontinued bottling, buy it, as the replacement falls far short.  My Gold Label Reserve review can be accessed by clicking here.

Product Line Overview

The Johnnie Walker product line is easy to understand. Certain labels denote the level of quality of the relevant blended whisky. Red Label is the entry level offering, drunk by itself is a pleasant endeavour, and so, very suitable for adding soda or making mixed drinks. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the Blue Label, a blend of scotch whiskies up to 40 yrs of age, sourcing single malts of distilleries that are no longer in operation. In between these two extremes are: Black, Green and Gold labels. As you can see, the Gold Label falls just before the zenith of scotch blends, Johnnie Walker Blue Label. So, the question that arises: Is Gold Label that good? And the answer is . . . yes, it is. Very good indeed.

It was introduced into the market place in 1995. Little advertising on TV and in magazines in the US. Advertising is considerable in the Far East where Johnnie Walker enjoys a huge following. China, Japan, Singapore, Thailand are filled with ads of this scotch.

In North America, the price of Gold Label, I think causes consumers to opt for single malt over it. In any case, despite the lack of profile and advertising in North America, it is well worth discovering.

Gold Label Composition

The Gold Label is made up of a combination of grain and single malt whiskies having a minimum age of 18yrs in casks, prior to actual bottling. Remember scotch, unlike wine, does not improve with age once bottled. At the core of this blend are a number of single malts that are purported to be quite scarce. Specifically, Clynelish which is distilled from spring water that supposedly runs through veins of gold. I am frankly a little sceptical, and do not think that water passing by or through veins of gold will actually impart a distinctive flavor. Anyway, the bottom line is tha this blend is made up of high quality and obscure single malts. Diageo (the company that owns Johnnie Walker) is very guarded as to the contents of this blend. In my humble opinon, there are two reasons: first, they want to minimize competition; and secondly, there may be more grain whisky than people would expect, that if divulged might negatively impact sales.

Nose

I could nose this scotch for hours. There is so much there and you just know they spent a bloody fortune trying to get the scents just right. I am a guy who is not particularly concerned with interior decor or the color of my socks in relation to my suit, but this scotch, I am fascinated by the scents it gives. Its like sniffing a rose, and coming back over and over. Even my wife sniffed it and was shocked it was scotch. There is a lot going on, specifically, the scent of fresh bread, roses, and other flowers that frankly smell nice, but don't have a clue to identify. If this is a gift, your recipient will be impressed upon nosing this blend.

Suggested Serving

This is not to be drank with anything more than a drop or two of distilled water or a single ice cube. If you consult the Johnnie Walker US website, you will be advised to try the Gold Label by freezing a shot in a glass in your freezer for 24 hours. Dont worry, due to the alcohol content, it doesnt freeze, but it does thicken. A sip of this scotch that has been subjected to your freezer for 24 hrs results is a scotch that upon sipping, in a chilled tumbler, provides a concentrated dram of honey and heather. I tried freezing a shot in a tumbler and then sipping and must say I was impressed. I chased a sip with some milk chocolate and was in awe. It transforms from a scotch to a dessert liqueur almost.

Palate
This is a gentle, soft introduction to a sophisticated honeyed dram. The honey is presented libereally on the palate, but mixed in with notes of heather, rich cream, spicy cinnamon, zing of candy cane, faint reverberations of peat and whisps of smoke. A wrapping of flavors that can be truly called complex. There is no burn or roughness here. You know upon your first sip that you are experiencing a high quality blend of spice, honey, smoke and peat in a flavor wrapping like no other.

Finish
If you tried it after being in the freezer for 24hrs, the flavors will linger much longer than if served neat at room temperature. Frozen, you will swallow, and minutes later you will still be able to taste the honey, heather, peat and smoke in that unique envelope of single malts and blends. The warming affect of your mouth upon the chilled scotch is truly very pleasing and unique.

Served neat, the flavor remains upon being swallowed, but does not linger as long as when served frozen and in a chilled tumbler. I realize that it is outrageous to serve scotch after having been in a freezer for 24 hours but it does work in this case.

General Impressions

Johnnie Walker Gold Label is to be served on special occasions for people who will appreciate a complex, honeyed, refined and very smooth dram. If you graduate from university and your parents choosing to serve this, they are on the mark. If you are in the bar at 2 am and contemplating taking a leak in the dumpster outside with your college buddies, you have missed the mark by a wide margin.'Smooth' and 'honey' in a complex wrapping of flavor is what I think of when considering this scotch. The only negative comment I have is with respect to the tail end of the tasting or finish. I pick up some heather or mint that is a little off. It annoys me a bit, but I am being very fussy and only a couple of my connosieur friends agree with me on this point.

Cheers!

Jason Debly

P.S. A frequent question I get is what is the difference between Gold Label Reserve that is replacing Gold Label 18 year age statement bottling?

Here is an explanation from Diageo's Nick Morgan:

"The existing Johnnie Walker Gold Label 18-year-old and Johnnie Walker Green Label will begin to be phased out in the U.S. market during the summer of next year (the phase-outs will begin this summer in most other global markets). In their place, Diageo will introduce two new labels that have tested successfully in Asia—Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve (selling for around $63 a 750-ml.) and Johnnie Walker Platinum 18-year-old (around $110).

Diageo’s head of whisky outreach Nick Morgan told Shanken News Daily the revamp was meant to spread out the Johnnie Walker portfolio’s pricing in order to better motivate consumers to move up the brand ladder. “As we reviewed the brand offering, we found that the range wasn’t meeting consumer needs and providing the best consumer journey through the range as far as taste profiles and price points,” Morgan said. “Another reason for this change is to try and have, as far as is possible, a consistent range of prices and options for consumers wherever they go in the world—which, to be honest, we haven’t had heretofore.”

The new Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve is based on the same Clynelish single malt as Gold Label 18-year-old, but it has a less peaty profile and will sell for around $20 less. Removing the age statement from the Gold offering also enables Diageo greater flexibility in crafting the blend. Platinum 18-year-old, meanwhile, has a more intense, peaty Speyside character. The two new variants will sit between Black Label (around $40) and Blue Label (around $210) in the portfolio. “You can see how the ladder then stretches out,” Morgan said."

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

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.

Johnnie Walker Black Label - 12 yr old Blended Scotch Whisky

Johnnie Walker is, without a doubt, the most famous spirits brand in the world.  When people think "scotch" they invariably say "Johnnie Walker."  This is understandable in light of the fact that Johnnie Walker Red Label is the most widely available blended scotch whisky in the world.  It is virtually available in every country with the exception of North Korea and Saudi Arabia.  Well, actually it is reported the Saudi royal family are quite fond of it, but more about that later.

Now the question emerges . . . if it is so readily available, how good is it? Recently, critics had been whining about Johnnie Walker products as being not great or boring. You have to take such comments in perspective. This whining is similar to the complaints in the wine world with respect to Robert Mondavi wines. 

For the past 5-10yrs the wine critics have been beating up on Mondavi wines, but guess what? Mondavi also has monster market share and still produces a great value for money. I think there is a little bit of envy or resentment that a good product is readily available everywhere, and I think critics delight in finding some obscure winery operating in the foothills of Chile with an output of a 1,000 cases and declaring to the world that it is the best in its class. In such an environment it has been "fashionable" for critics to knock Mondavi wines and similarly scotch critics to bash the Johnnie Walker product line.  

The Johnnie Walker brand is produced by Diageo, a multinational company that produces a number of blended scotch whiskies (and at the same time owns a great stable of single malt distilleries).  Anyhow, blenders have closely guarded recipes and naturally the more expensive the single malts and grain whisky used, the higher the price. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Johnnie Walker Red Label, a blend with no age specified with respect to the component scotches used is the least expensive and the least interesting, but still easy going on the palate. The next step up is the Black Label. It is a big step up from the Red Label. This is due in part to a different recipe blend and the component whiskies. 40 different malt and grain whiskies of at least 12 yrs are used. The core of this spirit is the single malt: Talisker.

Black Label has been around a long time. It was first marketed by the son of Johnnie Walker. The son, Alexander Walker started selling it around 1865 under the label "Walkers Old Highland" until 1906 when it changed to "Extra Special Old Highland". That branding remained until 1909 when the "Black Label" title was introduced and has remained ever since.

Suggested Serving
This is a blended scotch that can be drank neat. It is not "rough" or "burning" like some poor quality scotch. 

Tasted neat, it will present the full flavors detailed below. However, if this is your first venture into the scotch world, try a single large ice cube and pour just enough such that 50% of the cube is covered. Let it sit a couple minutes and the melting ice will smooth any remaining edges or gentle bite that you do not enjoy or are unaccustomed to. Lately, I prefer a shot with a teaspoon of water. Just perfectly takes away a slight graininess that is evident when consumed neat. The addition of water makes it more complex! Try it.

Nose

If you have added an ice cube to this blended scotch, it will dull the aromas that it would normally offer up had it been poured neat. If ice has been added, it is hard to pick up any scent other than some faint peat notes. Poured neat is another story. Neat: A beautiful nose of vanilla, followed by gentle peat, sea salt air (as if I was standing at a cliff, facing the coast of the Atlantic ocean with its salty waters crashing upon the rocks below), and then finally floral in nature with a hint of fresh orange rinds.

Palate

The taste experience commences with smooth, sweet cinnamon, caramel, toasted almonds, brown sugar, malt (think Cheerios breakfast cereal), some spiciness, but not to the point of pepper, which evaporates quickly into clouds of subtle peat and smoke.

Finish

Very restrained peat with a flourish of smoke and grains of sea salt round out this scotch tasting experience. The flavor does not linger long though if you have added ice. Where no ice is added, you will enjoy some lingering sea salt, restrained black licorice, peat and smoke enveloping the palate in a silky, luxuriant finish. No burn and only the slightest of heat (in a good way) upon swallowing, as this is very, very smooth!

General Impressions

Johnnie Walker Black provides a very enjoyable scotch drinking experience. The flavor profile is sweet, but balanced by the peat and smoke, such that the sweetness does not dominate, as it does in other blends (ie. Ballantines Finest). Therefore, it is fair to say that this scotch is perfectly balanced. Nothing is out of place. 

It has been said by commentators and repeated on the Johnnie Walker web site that the Black Label is a standard that all other blends are measured against. And this is true to some degree in an informal sense. At least this is the view of serious scotch drinkers. The chief reason why is because it is (as I mentioned previously) virtually available everywhere and very good. So, when drinking other blends it is natural to consider whether or not they measure up to Black Label. Moreover, consider the comments of the scotch authority, Jim Murray:

"Each day I have some 6,000 whiskies to choose from for a social dram if I want one. And at least once a week I will sample a Black Label. While the single malt revolution continues unabated, it is a shame that whisky lovers do not use this as a yardstick. They will find that very few malts can match this for complexity. This is the Savoy, the Everest of Deluxe Whiskies: there is not a blender who would not give their right arm - or even their left one - for the recipe of this supreme whisky. The trouble is, even if they had it, they would then struggle to find the stock. It represents the best value for money of any whisky in the world."

Well worth the money. A deluxe blend that should be a part of any persons scotch collection. Smooth enough to be enjoyed by the novice, yet sophisticated enough not to offend the connoisseur! Indeed there are a few 12 yr old single malts that are not as good. While the price point is a little higher than most 12 year old blends, it is worth it. I am also impressed by the quality control. The consistency of flavor from batch to batch is probably the best in the industry. I highly recommend this as a suitable gift for the person you know enjoys whisky but unsure which one. Finally, the author, William Manchester, in his biography of Winston Churchill reports that this was the old man's favorite, but the ringing endorsement I always get a kick out of was from Christopher Hitchens:

"The best blended Scotch in the history of the world - which was also the favourite drink of the Iraqi Baath Party, as it still is of the Palestinian Authority and the Libyan dictatorship and large branches of the Saudi Arabian royal family - is Johnnie Walker Black. Breakfast of champions, accept no substitute." 

Cheers!

Jason Debly

© Jason Debly, 2009-2014. All rights reserved except for photograph of Johnnie Walker Black Label appearing at the top of this post.  The photograph was taken by James Calvey and it is used here with his permission.  No reproduction of his photograph is permitted without his consent.  Mr. Calvey is the holder of all copyright to said photo.  Check out more of his great work at his Flickr account.