Most people know I am an eccentric with a wide variety of eclectic interests and fixations, none of which are lucrative. Life coaches say: make millions following your passion in life! If I did that I would have a closet full of Saville Row bespoke clothes, every New Yorker magazine cover framed, all coffee table books devoted to Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, and a bank account far in the red.
Like the eyes of a cat fixed upon a bird chirping in a tree, my focus is often upon the weighty matter of good whisky. And so, at whisky festivals, line-ups at the bank, grocery stores, and anywhere else I happen to be, the most common question I get is:
What scotch do you recommend?
Without knowing anything about the person, other than the fact that they have no inkling of what they like, I respond authoritatively with the zeal of a megawatt smiling YouTube life coach:
Cragganmore 12 year old. Try it. If you don't like it, I will buy the bottle from you.
Money back guarantee always seals the deal! And you know what? I have never had to buy a bottle yet. You see, Cragganmore 12 is what I regard as the gateway drug of the single malt world. This Speyside malt with loads of honey, caramel, marzipan, the incredible lightness of clouds with a touch of smoke and a wee pinch of peat delivers satisfaction and that Day Tripper hook, that reels you back for one more sip. Works every time! So, when I spied the Cragganmore Distiller's Edition on the shelf at the store of my local purveyor of incredible lightness of being, I had to have it.
Now, I need to have a word with you about distiller's editions. When these are released it is usually a new twist upon the standard malt offering of the distillery. Often I have thought some distiller's editions are distiller's disappointment. The higher priced DE fails to impress and often just falls flat. The ABV is not even higher and chill filtration is still going on. So, what am I paying extra for? A different label and slightly different casks used?
So, I also had some trepidation when I purchased the Cragganmore Distiller's Edition (distilled in 2007 and bottled in 2019).
Cragganmore 'The Distiller's Edition'
Distilled in 2007.
Bottled in 2019.
Closure
Cork Stopper.
ABV
40%
Chill Filtration?
Yes.
Artificial Color?
Yes.
Wood Management
Here is the twist, what you are paying for: aging in port casks for an unknown period of time. I like port finishes, so here's hopin'.
Price
About 25% higher than the standard 12 year old release.
Nose (undiluted)
Fruit forward, raspberries, strawberries, very floral too, roses?
Palate (undiluted)
Spicy, rich red liquorice, velvety texture, full mouth feel, big body, weighty, black grapes, orange peel and a complex tapestry of caramel and maple sugar.
Finish (undiluted)
Medium length balsamic vinegar, pears, port wine, and a dusting of smoked almonds.
General Impressions
Wow! In spite of an ABV of 40%, this tastes heavier and more complex. Complexity abounds in the warm almond/cashew and maple sugar profile with a little smoke. Not too sweet. Such balance. I am really impressed. So impressed, I bought a second bottle.
I always seem to gravitate to whiskies with a port finish and this whisky is no exception. It is less heavy on the port notes than say Glenmorangie's Quinta Ruban, and instead offers a delicate/more complex port finish.
This bottle is a testament to how chill filtration and the use of distiller's caramel do not diminish the magic in a bottle.
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!
When I started drinking Scotch, I only liked what was smooth and generally sweet. Blends were the order of the day with a couple of ice cubes. Chivas, Famous Grouse, John Parr, Hankey Bannister and others. I couldn't fathom drinking Scotch with water in a ratio of 50/50 or something close to it. My melted ice was all the dilution I wanted. Anymore was a waste. I had seen it in movies from the 1940's and it baffled me. Scotch and that much water? I tried it then and thought it was terrible.
Pictured above is Humphrey Bogart on the set of The African Queen. A film shot in the African Congo where nearly everyone on the set got sick except for Bogie and director John Huston. Bogart explained their good fortune this way:
"All I ate was baked beans, canned asparagus and Scotch whisky. Whenever a fly bit Huston or me, it dropped dead."
In countless films from the 1940's Bogie is invariably in some night club or dinner club where the leading lady sings and then joins him for a drink: Scotch and water (sometimes Scotch and soda) in a highball glass. I was baffled how they could down that stuff.
I have read a few biographies of Winston Churchill and one of them stated Mr. Churchill liked to start his morning with a splash of Johnnie Walker Red, a tiny amount and then fill a tall glass with water. He would sip it all day. Humphrey and Winston were no poster boys for drinking in moderation and I am not suggesting to follow their example whatsoever, but both seemed to be adherents to Scotch and water, like many people of their time. This evening, I chose to also heed the words of Winston from his time spent in India:
"The water was not fit to drink. To make it palatable, we had to add whisky. By diligent effort I learned to like it."
Well, I am not in 1890's India, and I suppose my tap water is potable, but I am going to mix my water with whisky and see what happens.
I had a heel of Johnnie Walker Red sitting on a shelf that looked forlorn amongst all the tall and distinguished single malt bottles and pricier blends.
I poured 50/50 water and Johnnie Red plus a couple ice cubes. Let it set a moment and took a sip.
It wasn't bad. Not great, but what I enjoyed was the cloyingly sweet notes of the Red Label was gone. Now, it was not sweet, but rather an evergreen or spearmint bitterness that reeled me in for more sips. The flavour was not bad. I was doing paper work for an commerce venture that is the reason I have not been posting lately, and I found this drink was a nice companion. Not needy like a high school girlfriend, but just a pal hanging out.
I must say that as I get older my tastes in whisky have evolved which may be contributing to my new found enjoyment of the occasional whisky and water. I no longer value sweetness and smoothness in a whisky. The water added to a cheap blend will take away the sweetness or other overpowering qualities and replace with a softer and even aromatic flavour profile. I am liking this! Maybe Bogie and Churchill had it right or maybe I am turning into an old man like them.
20,000 bottles released to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the distillery.
Price
Varies widely, but in New Hampshire I paid $60. Reasonable but I have seen some very high prices elsewhere in excess of $100 (not reasonable).
Wood Management
Aged exclusively in refill bourbon casks. No ex-sherry casks involved.
Nose (undiluted)
Without water, the aromas that lift out of your glass are delightful. Minty, hickory wood, seaside bonfire, hint of banana and lemons too. Add water and these aromas are blurred.
Palate (diluted)
You really have to add some water given the 48% ABV. With a little water you will get big time salt, loads of hard, coarse salt, custard and of course smoke and peat. There are green minty notes with wet wood smoke too.
Finish (diluted)
Dry zing of black peppercorns, dry ginger, camphor, menthol and phenolic notes abound.
General Impressions
This is a bold expression from the Lagavulin distillery that serves up lively peat and smoke, lemon zest and banana, plus some wood char. It is really comparable in taste to Ardbeg 10 or Laphroaig Quarter Cask.
Lagavulin 8 years is a youthful, robust peat bomb in a glass. Do not think of this whisky as a younger version of Lagavulin 16 years. They are very different whiskies.
Definitely peat and smoke fans of Islay malts will enjoy, but if Islay malts are not your cup of tea, then probably best to avoid this expression and opt for something that is gentler like an easy going blend (Islay Mist, White Horse, etc.). Personally, I prefer a more refined taste of the 16 year old Lagavulin, but that is a different malt all together given the aging in sherry casks and much older malts.
"Yesterday, my boss swung by my office and told me to come see her."
Keith paused, let out a triumphant belch, crushed his can of Schlitz upon his blue jean thigh and then continued.
"I was thinkin' . . . ahh shit, not the Lara Croft saga again."
Earlier this year, he had pinned to the gray fabric partition of his cubicle, a movie poster of the fictional video game character, the voluptuous British archaeologist/explorer, who passes her time ducking poisonous blow darts while trekking through ancient, dangerous tombs and ruins. His white pressboard cubicle bookshelf was also adorned with Lara Croft figurines striking feisty action poses with big guns drawn, firearms that is.
Have I also mentioned he is 46 years old, a genius software coder, who lives in his mother's basement, and is my one of my best friends? And, what does this say about me? Leave that for another post.
Anyhow, to Keith's utter bewilderment, someone in the office took offence to his cinematic poster and action figure selections. HR invited Keith to a windowless meeting room where they laid out the complaint. In response, he invoked nonsensical freedom of expression arguments. He also protested, in vain, that no one complained about his Star Wars figures: bikini clad Princess Leia entwined with Jabba the Hutt.
In any event, his employer proffered what they termed a 'compromise.' Either he make the poster and offending figurines disappear or he would be disappearing from the software company's payroll quicker than an arrow flies from Ms. Croft's crossbow.
"I still had Lara as my screensaver, and thought that maybe the boss was gonna whine about that."
His defiance reduced to a computer screen in sleep mode was not wise, and any attempt to warn him was dismissed with a wave of his pudgy mitt that clasped a fresh replacement to the recently compacted Schlitz can. He had moved on to Old Milwaukee.
"Turns out, it was not about that at all. She has a new idea for an app she wants me to work on. It had nothing to do with the Tomb Raider."
Keith seemed to be trying to conjure up another belch, but his gastrointestinal tract would not cooperate. Instead, my Chinese friend momentarily grimaced in effort while his lower lip quivered kinda like Jabba the Hutt.
"What's the app?" Roger asked while making braised Provençal beef.
We were in his sunny country kitchen and he was at his island gas grille expertly stirring sauce in one pan, and searing chunks of beef in another. Amidst the steaming pots and hissing frying pans, he would nonchalantly toss a dirty pot into the double sink from where he stood, a distance of about ten feet. He had worked in Brussels, Lyon and his native Lancashire, not to mention a few places in the New World.
"She wants me to develop a whisky tasting note app."
. . .
The braised Provençal beef was rib sticking fare of chunks of seared beef in a dark sauce that had duck fat, pre-glazed carrots, oven dried tomato, artichoke and turnip. Between this French dish, the tannic-of the soil red Bordeaux, and the crackling fireplace next to the kitchen table, I was listening without really understanding as Roger explained the recipe that Saturday afternoon in cold December.
Eventually, I could no longer follow the conversation of spices, repeated braising at certain intervals, the changes in pans, and oven cooking temperatures, to the point that my mind set sail on a river of Bordeaux and eventually came to the shore of whisky apps, no doubt inspired by Keith's tale of self-inflicted workplace woe. And then a thought came to mind. Maybe I should rate them all and let you know the best whisky app available.
. . .
The Best Whisky App of 2016
Here at Jason's Scotch Whisky Reviews, I and my team of testers (Keith and Roger) have spent the past month downloading every available whisky app onto our respective smartphones and computers in hopes of discovering the best whisky app for you. I am happy to report that after surveying the marketplace, paying close attention to cost, availability, absence of software glitches, and a multitude of other performance metrics, we can report with authority that the best whisky tasting notes app is the:
"Whisky Bottle"
Whisky Bottle
Every whisky app has its strengths and weaknesses. What we were particularly impressed with was how well the Whisky Bottle performed in areas where wifi was not available. The display performed consistently. Software updates were never a concern. The label on each single malt Scotch bottle we tested provided us clear, easy to understand text, the name of the distillery, age statement, ABV and capacity (e.g. 750 ml). Now, we must admit the font chosen by some brands took a little bit of getting used to, like take for example the bottle pictured above. The "Dalwhinnie" script was a little different and not as simple as say the 16 point Times New Roman font that you might see on other bottles like say Johnnie Walker Black, but with a little time and possibly a libation or two, we were able to adapt.
Because we did not need wifi or a data plan to operate the Whisky Bottle, that meant it was very mobile. Park benches, even in the rain, were no problem. The interface display, namely the label did degrade somewhat during testing in a heavy downpour at a local park. The ink on the label did seem to run a bit, but we just moved to the trees and under those mighty branches, the display significantly improved. Plus it became more user friendly as the bottle was less slippery!
Software updates were naturally not a concern. No patches needed here. One's personal identity was not exposed to hacking, unless he downloaded too much of the Whisky Bottle content at the office Christmas party, and then started hitting on the waitress who happens to be his neighbor's daughter. Then a user's identity or reputation could be put at risk.
During our extensive testing we were comforted by not having to have access to an adequately charged smartphone to operate the Whisky Bottle. While USB power cords, adapters and electrical outlets were not needed, there was one accessory that was a must: the Glencairn glass. Without this user interface device, operation of the Whisky Bottle attracted stares from onlookers in restaurants, bars and the park we were in. This in turn drew the unwanted attention of the police, who unceremoniously pulled out handcuffs when we explained we were doing field testing.
Armed with a Glencairn glass, one can operate the Whisky Bottle with relative ease and develop tasting notes very quickly in real time. A case in point, here is the tasting note produced by a bottle of Dalwhinnie when accessorized with a Glencairn glass:
Dalwhinnie 15 years Single Malt Scotch
Nose (undiluted)
Vanilla, apple blossoms, pears.
Palate (undiluted)
Apple peel, bruised apple sweetness, salted almonds drizzled with wild honey, lemon zest and barley toys.
Mid-to-Late Palate (undiluted)
Spices emerge, baking soda, thyme, rosemary and walnut.
Finish (undiluted)
Drying malt, pencil lead, graphite, white oak, balsa, part your lips and breathe and you will taste smoke and remnants of heather.
The Whisky Bottle, with Glencairn add-on, allows the user to draw their own conclusions and general impressions. We found this much more readily accepted by the user than to rely on someone else's opinion, or sorting through endless Facebook and Twitter feeds. With respect to Dalwhinnie 15 years, our testers had the following impressions:
Very sweet whisky that is devoid of sherry and peat. Fortunately, it does transition mid-palate to become dryer, but overall a pretty sweet dram. Newbies to whisky will certainly like this Highland Malt and prices tend to be good, so it is worth seeking out!
Cheers!
Jason Debly
P.S. If you don't like the Whisky Bottle app, as it is costly on a per bottle basis, try downloading a You Tube app and watch our review for free!
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:
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.
(please press play and then double click on video for full screen, and then double click once over in order to return to this post)
This advertisement resonates with me.
The voice-over is much like my own inner voice. The video montage of one guy's life is startlingly like mine.
Life for many of us starts after getting out of college with that first big city job, working in a slate gray, fabric lined cubicle, stirring your Lipton Cup-a-Soup or instant noodles at lunch time. From those humble beginnings, you might build a career, have a chance meeting on a busy city street with your future wife, get fired or downsized, get married, get promoted with the accompanying tintinnabulation of crystal whisky tumblers. The closing scene where our main character, who is a reflection of us, leaves the corporate job and heads down the tarmac to an awaiting plane to pursue his true passion, may have not yet happened for us, but it is at the center of our souls. The video closes with the narrator's words:
"Your entire life, all of it, leads to the next step: the chance to define yourself by where you are headed, instead of where you stand."
What a universal sentiment that pretty much sums up I and a lot of other working guys. Are we satisfied with where we are? Do we want to be defined by maybe the less than meaningful job, the morally challenged pinheads we sometimes encounter, the supervisor who has made a career out of being a tyrant of minutiae, and is totally incapable of seeing the big picture? Hell no! This ad is a message of hope for the dispossessed cubicle dwellers, who are capable of so much more.
. . .
Effective advertising should start by capturing your attention, and then establishing an emotional rapport. In this ad, it is done by telling an all-to-familiar story of venturing into manhood (accompanied all the way by Johnnie Walker of course). This promotional video avoids the mistakes of so many others by not trying to be all things to all people. Instead, it targets a niche market (middle aged North American guys) and makes an irresistible pitch that appeals to this particular consumer on a sentimental level.
Well done Diageo! This is more proof that Diageo are the undisputed geniuses of whisky marketing. I know I am being pitched to, and I am helplessly charmed by it.
The other day I was trying to figure out what Diageo (the world's largest multinational alcohol beverage company) was doing to their Johnnie Walker product line up. You know they have discontinued my much loved Green Label, but they have also been tinkering withGold Label.
Johnnie Walker Gold Label used to have an 18 year age statement. Not so anymore. The age statement has disappeared, and now it is Gold Label with the addition of the word "Reserve," but remains ablended scotch. They have also recently introduced "Platinum Label." It is the new 18 year old age statement blended scotch in the stable and priced in between Gold and Blue Label.
While web surfing on these weighty matters, I stumbled upon some unrelated and not so flattering stories about Diageo.
Back in May of this year, The British Institute of Innkeeping held their annual awards dinner. Weeks in advance of the awards ceremony, a small Scottish beer company, BrewDog, had been selected by committee as "Bar Operator of the Year." Now, before I go any further in this tale, I gotta fill you in a bit about BrewDog because it has some relevance to a turn of events later in this tale. . . well, at least in my mind.
BrewDog operate a number of brew pubs in the UK. In addition, they also produce about 120,000 bottles of beer a month for UK and limited international export. Now, here is where it gets fun. If you visit their website (click here) you are greeted by some hilarious, pushing-the-envelope, serious bad-ass, wannabe beer bravado:
"BrewDog is a post Punk apocalyptic mother fu*ker of a craft brewery.
Say goodbye to the corporate beer whores crazy for power and world domination. Swear allegiance to the uncompromising revolution."
These guys got some serious attitude. Especially when you consider past and present titles of their various beer bottlings: Punk IPA; 5 AM Saint; Sink the Bismarck and my favorite . . . Trashy Blonde.
They also pulled a publicity stunt by releasing "The End of History" ale in beer bottles made from dead squirrels (formerly roadkill - I'm serious). Actually, they just put out a mere twelve bottles. Heh heh! I suppose, animal loving, Brigitte Bardot will not be a corporate spokesperson for them any time soon. I also guess when you don't have a big advertising budget you try by other means.
So, now getting back to our story. BrewDog attend the awards evening, a gala dinner, and await the trophy. At the dinner, Diageo people learn, for the first time, of BrewDog's imminent award, and one of them (a senior executive) threatens the event organizer that "under no circumstances" was BrewDog to receive the trophy. If they do, Diageo will pull all future sponsorhip of the event.
So, you might be thinking at this point why would Diageo executives care about such an award? You would be forgetting that Diageo owns a very respectable/world class stable of beers like: Guinness, Red Stripe, Harp, Kilkenny, and Smithwick's Ale. (They also own a piece of a bar that would qualify them for the award.)
I also happen to think that BrewDog take great pleasure in launching subtle jabs (recall "corporate beer whores . . .") at the likes of Diageo. So, I would imagine the last thing Diageo wants to see is an event it sponsors make an award to a competitor that does nothing but antagonize them and take the beer industry in directions it views with consternation (see The End of History ales above). My point is: there's a history between these two competitiors.
Any how, so what happened?
The announcer read out the award category and declared the winner was Diageo. A Diageo executive hopped up on to the stage and accepted the trophy, complete with engraved plaque which read: "BrewDog: Bar Operator of the Year." Meanwhile, BrewDog people and members of the awards committee stared in disbelief.
BrewDog did not take this turn of events laying down. They went public with the matter on their blog and provided a quote from the chairman of the award committee:
"Diageo (the main sponsor) approached us at the start of the meal and said under no circumstances could the award be given to BrewDog. They said if this happened they would pull their sponsorship from all future BII events and their representatives would not present any of the awards on the evening.
We were gobsmacked as you by Diageo's behaviour. We made the wrong decision under extreme pressure. We should have stuck to our guns and gave the award to BrewDog."
Senior Diageo executive, Andrew Cowan, in damage control mode.
. . .
So, you may be wondering why am I writing about a screwed up awards ceremony? First of all, I was shocked to read the stories. I mean we are in 2012!!! Isn't this the kind of dirty tricks, pseudo corporate Watergate type nonsense that doesn't happen anymore? Evidently not. Secondly, it reinforces my opinion that whisky award events are hardly independent/transparent evaluations of spirits, but rather just another opportunity for Diageo and other big spirits companies to promote their brands.
There is nothing wrong with marketing. Just don't lie to the consumer by claiming this bottle or that 'won' a 'gold' medal! Whisky 'competitions' should be replaced by whisky 'festivals' where companies present their wares and we, the people, celebrate them. Whisky critics, master blenders and learned brand ambassadors can chime in too. Some of those people we respect enough that we want to hear their thoughts. Festivals of this sort ultimately help the consumer, taste and decide for themselves! And . . . and the drinks companies benefit too by maintaining and hopefully expanding market share!
Accordingly, I have not wavered from what I wrote two years ago about the International Wine and Spirits Competition. Another corporate marketing opportunity at best. I always disregard such awards and medals trumpeted by the companies that own various scotch whiskies because I know they are nonsense. Explore the IWSC site and see for yourself how many scotch whiskies won "gold."
Cheers!
Jason Debly
P.S.: I really like BrewDog's marketing approach. It is unorthodox, points a stick in the eyes of industry players, all the while having a lot of fun doing what they do. More power to them. Diageo on the other hand really need to clean up their act. In an unrelated matter they settled bribery charges in 2011. Click here to read the Wall Street Journal article about yet another tale of woe. By the way, it should be noted that Andrew Cowan (pictured above) of Diageo was not the senior executive who threatened the BII organizer. Mr. Cowan is the executive tasked with cleaning up this public relations mess. An unenviable position to be in for sure, but he will probably succeed if he looks to other good corporate citizens such as LLBean. While LLBean is not nearly as large as Diageo, it is a billion dollar company (privately held) with an impeccable reputation. They worked hard to achieve such a reputation and more importantly maintain it. They sponsor events in their field of commerce, but never have this kind of scandal. Mr. Cowan will no doubt examine how his company got into this mess and plot a strategic plan to prevent it from happening again. Of that I am fairly certain. Call it a gut instinct.
I have had this bottle of Glenkinchie Distiller's Edition (distilled in 1992 and bottled in 2007) for quite a while. I had been kinda procrastinating the task of reviewing this single malt scotch. Why? Just read my review of it's younger sibling, the 12 year old and you will know why. Not top shelf stuff by any means. About as pleasant to drink as a trip to the dentist.
So, with great trepidation I opened the box packaging, uncorked the bottle and poured a dram.
Nose (undiluted)
Sherry and strawberries. Maybe dark chocolate lurking behind a doorway?
Body
Medium bodied.
Palate (undiluted)
Initially sweet, high quality sherry that gracefully moves to velvety Marashino cherry. The initial sweetness gives way to dry, spicy cinammon sticks. Nice complexity.
Finish (undiluted)
Cigar & esspresso coffee. This finish is puckering dry. The crushed velvet texture of this scotch is memorable.
Add Water?
Yeah, you could amigo. But why? A teaspoon to 1 & 1/2 ounces makes it more winey, port like and sweet. For my palate, I prefer this single malt neat. The water also takes away complexity of the flavors. Don't do it! Just say 'no' to water.
Distiller's Notes
On the back of the packaging is the following marketing blurb:
"A special Limited Edition from hand-selected casks, double matured in elegant Amontadillo cask-wood chosen to compliment the whisky's sophisiticated balance between sweet and dry, this Distiller's Edition reveals a fascinating, complex and malty depth in Glenkinchie's lowalnd character."
Surprisingly, I find myself agreeing with the above passage. It is certainly sophisticated and there is great balance or what I would call great transition from sweet to dry. What makes me chuckle when I read the above noted packaging note is the reference to Amontadillo. I remember studying in high school The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe. Amontadillo and Amontillado are the same words for the same fine Spanish sherry that appeared in the aforementioned short story. In the story, the main character invites a fellow Italian nobleman to his wine cellar, located in catacombs, to taste some fine Amontadillo. Well, that's just a pretext to exact some disturbing revenge. I won't ruin the story. Read it here.
Edgar Allen Poe was a rascal who knew good sherry. The same good sherry that imparts great flavors in this Glenkinchie Distiller's Edition.
Price Point
Expensive. No doubt about it. It tests the limit of value for money, but in the end, the value is there. The high price is a testament to how good this single malt is.
Conclusion
What you will not taste in this malt is very much peat. So, if you are a peat freak, look elsewhere.
This Distiller's Edition is a huge step up from the standard 12 year old bottling. The two are very different. The 12 year old is bitter and sour while this Distiller's Edition is refined, beautiful use of sherry flavors and great complexity of cinammon and some chocolate too.
This is so good, I am going to buy another bottle. Great scotch for special occasions. Skip the 12 year old and buy this. Very good, high quality single malt scotch.
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.
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.
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."
