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.
On the nose it is peaty, peppery and citrusy. On the palate rich with oaky, peaty, citrusy and spicy nuances. Finish is long with peaty, fruity and caramel notes. It is one of the best 12 year old blended whiskies in the world and my personal favorite. However it does not smell and taste as it used be around 10 to 15 years ago. I think they use less Talisker in the composition now as the whisky is much less peaty. In addition the manufacturers seemed to have used older whiskies in the blend earlier as Black Label always felt like as if it were more matured than 12 years. But now the company have Green Label which is 15 years old vatted malt without any grain whisky in the blend. I think it is the reason more matured malts now go to the Green Label. However good whisky Black Label can be it is still distiguishable that it is not exactly what it used to be. Still I personally love it and think it deserves its reputation.
Re: “Whence The New Peat”, I have just bought a new-batch bottle of JWBL and maaaan, the peat is through the roof compared to previous renditions. I consider this a heavily Americanised blend, designed specifically to compete with the abomination which is American IPA. A few years ago, this whisky was...affordable but very well-balanced, sophisticated even. Now, it tastes more like bourbon than whisky. This does not happen by accident. I suspect that some heavily-charred oak is responsible and some millennial trans-atlantic focus group has wreaked havoc with a Scottish institution. First Grouse, now this. It is an absolute disgrace!
Beautiful smooth scotch. I picked up in my local shop this is the first time I've tried it an I love it.
I picked up a bottle on a road trip. I was looking for something else but the selection was limited. I didn't care much for the last bottle I bought over a year ago, but here I am. I will say this bottle is not bad at all. The flavor is more complex than I recall and the finish was pleasing. Maybe I lucked out. I may try another.
hmmm this is so good blended whisky it's spicy and smoky i love it :)
