Review #86 - Johnnie Walker Black Label
Black Label Mini-Series: Part 2 of 3
From Diageo we get our second 'Black Label' whisky - this is Johnnie Walker Black Label, a 12 year aged stated blend from one of the best-selling whisky brands on the planet. This is one of the biggest gateway whiskies into the world of Scotch - it's often the first one that people taste, due to its widespread availability in every bar, retail store that sells liquor, and many home bars.
As with most blends, the recipe of this whisky is a guarded secret, although we do have some general ideas of what is inside. Like most Johnnie Walker products, it's a blend of grain and malt whiskies, all at least 12 years old; it's rumored that there is a decent amount of Cardhu, Talisker, and Caol Ila included, though the peat/smoke influence is supposed to be relatively mild.
Johnnie Walker Black Label
Scotland - Blend
Current Locally Available Price: USD 33 (2023)
Age Statement: 12 Years
Strength: 40% ABV
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 2 times over 2 months; bottles at 100% and 50% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: The complexion is relatively light, a little thin with some honey and a hint of heather; we do get some orchard fruits like sweet green apple and orange citrus. There's some maltiness but also a bit of grain spirit, and then a light, sharp smoke begins to waft through, both peat and wood smoke. Overall, it's pretty rounded, and later we get some oaky cinnamon and vanilla.
Palate: The palate is a bit thin and watery, but there is some sharp cleaner spirit and a bit more smoke than the nose; that said, the smoke is a sort of strange, synthetic smoke. A number of citrus and orchard fruits: lemon, lime, green apple, or a more sour apple in general, and some pear. From the oak we're getting damp wood, barrel spice, and some sweetness from vanilla and cream; there's some honey as well, ending with white pepper and sugar cookies. It's a mellow, casual sipper overall.
Finish: Medium length finish, with milder orchard fruits and wood spice, a bit of black pepper as well. There's a significant sour malt note, though the overall experience leans a bit sweet. Lingering notes of white pepper, smoke, dry oak, and some spirit sharpness.
Final Note: This is alright, maybe a good entry to Scotch whisky because it isn't too bold, and surveys a few different flavor profiles with the mild smoke and some nice light fruits. It's lacking any real complexity or punch, though, and the palate especially comes off a bit weak. As for value, this is alright - it's relatively affordable, but not the cheapest, so its middling score is going to limit how great the value can be.
Our Average Rating: 5.3 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.55
