Johnnie Walker Blue Label

A little background

The Johnnie Walker Blue label. We have all seen this – in liquor stores way up on the top shelf. Whether you have been to an Indian wedding, Vietnamese Buck Night or had to buy a gift for a Chinese business associate, Blue Label seems to be a global currency for this sort of gift. Johnnie Walker Blue Label employs barrels form many Malts and Grain whisky – Apparently only 1 in 10,000 barrels are good for a Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Really? These are piled on the shelves of every Duty Free Store on the planet so there must be MILLIONS of barrels to choose from. So don’t let that influence your thoughts. This whisky contains a lot of Clynelish, Cardhu and Benrinnes which are exceptionally awesome single malts!

According to Johnnie Walker, Blue Label is best enjoyed alternate between sips of whisky and cold water.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Amber Gold

Nose

The Clynelish is apparent – that is a perfume and waxy smell, Floral and sweet. A tad of smoke, Not much peat but a tad of smoke. Cherry, fruity, slight spice – cinnamon, fruitcake (probably sherry influence) Earthiness, cocoa, chocolate. The nose is complex and very nice and pleasant. 

Palate

Distinct smokiness – Like a bonfire that has no flames and no smoke, just the charcoal and soot smell. Pleasant. Fruitcake, raisins, nutmeg, cinnamon – sherry element there. Dark chocolate, slight salinity and bitterness on the end of the palate and that reminds me of dark chocolate. Alternating water with sips – Please look at the conclusion why I believe they have asked you to do this.

Finish

Very short. Very shallow. No progression.

In conclusion

It does not say “no artificial coloring” – so the color is probably enhanced with caramel colourant. I also believe it is chill filtered. Why water alternating sips? I believe that they say this as the water acts as palate cleanser. So every sip feels like a new sip or close to it. The whisky does not progress – Good whisky or good single malts tend to progress within each sip, but this has no progression, Each sip is the same as the next – in fact without water alternating you find that it dulls in flavor a lot. 

Additionally, my main gripe is that it is 40%. Seriously now, 40%? You need to bump that to 43% to 45% for a ‘super premium’ whisky and marketed as such! Then this okay to good whisky might just become a great whisky. The Issue I have as well is that by making it 40%, you are essentially maximizing your volume and not consumer experience.