Blended
Scotland
Johnnie Walker Black Label has a long history. It dates back to the late 19th century when John Walker & Sons of Kilmarnock had three blends in ascending order of age and price: Old Highland, Special Old Highland, and Extra Special Old Highland. These had white, red, and black labels respectively, and were known by their colour. Then in 1906, the three blends were relaunched as White Label, a five year old, Red Label, a nine year old, and Black Label, a 12 year old.
While Red Label would lose its age statement and White Label disappear altogether, Black Label is still a 12 year old blend – though it did go through a phase without an age statement. Its prestige status was trumped with the launch of the super swanky Blue Label in the late 1980s, but Black Label has never lost its cache. Across the world today, a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label is a recognised currency and symbol of excellence.
The classic 12 Year Old Black Label is a blend majoring on Diageo’s Four Corners of Scotland distilleries Clynelish in the Highlands, Cardhu on Speyside, malt from Glenknichie and grain from Cameronbridge with a little smoke from Caol Ila.
Winter spice and treacle, hints of white pepper and a little citrus.
Rich and full with notes of wood smoke and dry spice, hints of barley and cereal with creamy toffee and a distinct herbal note.
Quite fruity and long with a note of sultanas and mixed peels.
Its unfair to see blue label superior to this GREAT whisky !!
I've got a bunch of whiskeys in my cabinet right now: Scotch, Japanese, Bourbons, single and blended; and so I enjoy all kinds of whisky. But I must say that whenever I come back around to this dram, I am always impressed! I forget how good it is because its not a flashy single malt scotch or Japanese. This is a great entry point period to the world of whisky. I will probably always have a bottle in my cabinet somewhere waiting for me to "rediscover" how good it is. Its not about the pedigree, its about the taste and Johnnie Walker Black has plenty of it!
The best drink ever
This is one of the truly best spirits available, it drinks like a much more expensive libation. Smokey, peaty, leathery, sweet, with notes of toffee and dried fruit. Best sipped neat or with a small chunk of ice. Absolutely smooth, tangy, peppery finish.
Love Jim beam but jw black label has a smoothness that cannot be matched. Great with coke.
