Thursday, December 18, 2014

Johnnie Walker Green Label (15 Year)

This is the first Johnnie Walker blend I'm reviewing, but far from the first one I've tasted. In fact, it's pretty easy to make the claim that Johnnie Walker blends are the single most available Scotch blends in the world - you can find Red Label in virtually every bar, and over the years I've had (and will review) Red, Black, Double Black, Gold, and Blue Label. 

Green Label is my favorite.
Entirely made of malt (no grain whiskey is present), and with no whiskey younger than 15 years old, this is pure and delicious stuff. Their website claims it is made of four whiskies: Talisker, Caol Ila, Linkwood, and Cragganmore. This makes perfect sense on the tongue - it's smokey, salty, sweet, and very rich. A little bit of everything is tossed in the kettle, and the result is singularly interesting and enjoyable to drink.

Nose: Wood smoke. Smoke comes straight off the top, but it's thin and immediately underneath are juicy apples and pears. Letting it sit, the fruit grows more interesting as I get full, rich hints of chocolate, pepper, and flowers - a generalized and fragrant floral element. Heather? 

Mouthfeel: Thin but smooth. Silken, even. 

Palate: A wonderfully balanced taste - salted caramel, apple peel and pepper, coffee au lait, peat, and vanilla muesli. Nothing is too strong, nothing is overpowering, and any single element can be teased out without much trouble. Smooth as satin. Scarily drinkable. 

Finish: Long! Surprisingly long. Honey and pepper and barrel slats. Very smooth, and sticks with you. 

Verdict: Here is where things get sad. Although this is my personal favorite of the Johnnie Walker lineup, and highly recommended, Green Label (along with Gold Label 18 Year) has been discontinued. At least, I think so (?). The word three years ago (December 2011) was that Walker had stopped making Green Label, and the internet generally affirms this, yet I have had no difficulty finding it either domestically or abroad and some websites (including Wikipedia) maintain it's still available "through certain retail channels." Curious. One can only hope they reconsidered their decision and have silently continued to produce such a wonderful product. 

Link to the website for Johnnie Walker Green Label: http://www.johnniewalker.com/global/greenlabel/

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