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.
Pre-80s bottle were a different animal all together. Now I rather spent a wee bit more for Monkey S.
Not smoky anymore and the grain whisky bitternes makes it almost undrinkable neat
It's gone downhill. Used to be more-ish and finely balanced. One drop of water would unbalance it. It was tantalising. One more sip and maybe it would reveal itself. Now the only mystery is, how did they go wrong? Not even a good mixer because the fragility is still there, while the quality is gone.
Not so good. recent bottles are not very good bland and too sweet lack the flavors of previous versions.
Still unwanted charcoal flavor in the background. Less sweet vanilla woody notes than before around 2016-17. Heres why, they even admit to reconditioning tired casks up to three times! It shows. Roast a barrel three times and you get an inferior product. Please compare to older bottles and you will see how the quality goes downhill so fast.
