Johnnie Walker Green Label
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
15yo
43% abv
£27
$58.20(CAD)
$60(USD)
Another from the famous Johnnie Walker dynasty.
The hierarchy of the Johhnie Walker family goes Red, Black, Green, Gold, Blue.
This malt mission began with Johnnie Walker Black Label and this week will see three others: Red yesterday, Green today... Which will be tasted tomorrow? oooooo....
So I explained the history of the company under the Red Label, and I am sure you can hear that tune, "one of these things is not like the other, one of these just doesnt belong..."
JW Green Label is a Blended Malt, or to be less confusing, I prefer the term VATTED malt making it NOT a 'blended whisky' like Grouse, or Teachers or JW Red. Ok, quickly...
Single Malt whiskies are 'single' cuz they are made from one particular grain(malted barley) and from one particular distillery (say, Springbank). They are made in copper pot stills.
Single Grain Whiskies are whiskies made from barley and/or maize, and/or wheat and made in big Column stills, Coffey Stills, or Continuous Stills.
Blended whiskies are made from one or more different single malts mixed together with one or more Grain whiskies.
Vatted Malt, Pure Malt or Blended Malt Whiskies are made from one or more different single malts vatted/blended together.
This whisky contains about 15 different single malts, but only four are mentioned on the package: Talisker, Linkwood, Cragganmore, Caol Ila.
TASTING NOTES:
Heavy, dense air about it, smells move from low to high, if you know what I mean. From a bottom of oak and humid sea air, whole peppercorns, malt, pecans, pears, to honey on top. Very impressive, confident.
Pungent and powerful, but a real ensemble, tough to pick out individual flavours. Some apple and toffee cake, some vapours of cherry wood smoke. Then things kick into bitterness. Big alcohol impression, too, that the experience doesnt recover from. Hard. May benefit from a bunch of ice. Or a shitty mood.
WITH ICE:
Gorgeous sherry sweetness on the nose, big heathery smoke and the bitterness completely goes away. Still not exactly my thing, but I think that ice makes nice. Eureka!
SUMMARY:
Loved the nose, big and exciting, lots of character. enjoyed the sort of waxy mouthfeel. But beyond that this dram lost its appeal. Spirit heat and bitterness spoil the possibility for flavour development. Perhaps it is just a moody dram and I just aint in the right mood. Will try with ice later.
When I tried with ice I realised this must be the way this dram is intended to be consumed. Probably great for a Rusty Nail.
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