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Johnnie Walker
Scotland
Blended
Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve is a multi-award-winning blend (lots of gold medals, appropriately) created by master blender Jim Beveridge to celebrate nearly 200 years of the art of blending. The Gold Label Reserve was relaunched in 2012 as a replacement for the popular Gold Label 18 and is made from whiskies across Speyside, Islay, the Highlands, and Lowlands.
It’s built around a core of single malt whisky from Clynelish, but also features spirit from the likes of Cardhu, Blair Athol, and grain whisky from Cameronbridge, all chosen for their sweet, honeyed qualities. It’s delicious neat but also mixes well, like in serves such as the bespoke Gold & Apple created especially for this blend (recipe below). Although we think for the best effect, you should drink it while singing Spandau Ballet’s classic ‘Gold’. That’s what we do.
Gold & Apple cocktail recipe
Prep time: Five minutes
Servings: Makes one serving
Ingredients:
40ml Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve
75ml apple juice
75ml soda water
An apple slice and/or a sprig of rosemary to garnish
Method:
Fill a Highball glass with ice then add 40ml Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve. Pour 75ml apple juice and then 75ml soda water on top, then garnish with an apple slice and/or a sprig of rosemary.
Honey and heather with thick caramel notes and a subtle nutmeg spice. Dried meadow flowers and a hint of fresh banana.
Smooth and succulent with a honeyed sweetness that's typical of Johnnie Walker. There's more to this though, the floral elements are quite prominent and there's a spiced sweet vanilla note too.
Long, sweet and toffee-like.
A typically easy drinking blend from Johnnie Walker, this will not disappoint fans of the style.
Was: £20.52Now: £17.90
creamy sweet, light smoke toffe with spice...very tasty.
Just to give an ideos of my taste. Im normally a Black label consumer and is my go to scotch whiskey. That said I have tried many whiskeys through the years and as good as some are it always seems to come back to black. I do however also consume some Jameson irish whiskey. Many whiskey connoisseur's would say Jameson is to whiskey what Bud is to beer. I would totally disagree with that. It just depends on the mood and atmosphere. Two totally different whiskeys of course. One more a party while the other more elegant. But the two serve their purposes very well. I am familiar with JW labels. Not a fan of red at all. Besides black I am a big fan of green label and Blue is one the smoothest whiskeys going imo. But that's too expensive and is the rare treat. Imo as good as it , its not worth 4 times the price of black. I think the over price of blue in itself creates a lot of a placebo affect in many folks that your getting what you pay for. It is one the better/best whiskeys I can sip. But the price point is just so darn high and does not imo quite fit it so correctly. Moving to this gold reserve. I find it something different. Not along the lines of any the other JW's. Many folks are finding that bad. however I find it quite pleasing. Silky smooth vanilla smoke is how best I describe it. Pleasant aroma , great taste , and although (vs the other JW,s) a very quiet finish that some describe as unsatisfying. But imo it is simply darn good. Not what the average red/Black/green/ even Blue label consumer might expect from JW because its just flat out different. But this doesn't at all make it bad. It just makes it unique but very pleasantly unique. I really do enjoy this......but....the price. That's a problem. Honestly its probably more worthy than the price of a bottle of Blue is. But again its unique and not going to be what many fans of JW will like only because its not going to be what they normally expect from JW scotch. But Im finding this different/unique label a real pleasant surprise. Its darn enjoyable to sip imo. Id be much more happy if the price point was much closer to Green (one my fav's) or even of course the Black. In fact if it was priced with the Black they just might just find a whole world of non traditional consumers come aboard. Picture it.....Black or Gold at same price point.....two very different lines yet equally enjoyed whiskeys from the brand. It gets 4 of 5 because of the price.
On the palate it is sweet, caramel, vanilla and floral nuances are dominant. Faint fruity and spicy nuances can also be noted. On the palate it is sweet, still caramel and vanilla nuances can be noted as of the palate. A little spiceness and faint oakiness can be nuanced as well. Very smooth. Finish is long with fruity and sweet nuances. It is a very good example of a meticulous study.
Typical brilliance from JW - they’re rather good at this blending thing - coming up with such individually tasty whiskies on an industrial scale is quite a trick. The Gold is lovely and smooth, floral, biscuity, herbal, sweet and spicy. Not a particularly long finish but lingers nicely.
I am a fan of the Walkers. I am working my way around the family. So far Mr Red was a great houseguest. Supirsingly sweet and pleasant company. Mr Black was a smokey delight, his eldar brother Mr Double Black was even smokier and equally delightful. Mr Gold came to my abode a guest the other day...what an unwelcome fellow he has turned out to be. I could go on about his uncultured manners, his roughness...but its quicker to say it tastes like rebranded Bells. Or even rebranded cheap brandy. Leave my house MR GOLD!