Month: November 2017

Style: Rich and Spicy

Nose:

A simultaneous display of both sweetness and dryness here. Dried fruits and red liquorice wrapped around by robust peppermint. Plenty of dry spices laying around, complex overtone of white pepper, brass and meat stock. Honey drops bouncing off green tea leaves. Sweet, bit icy and meaty at the back.

Palate:

Delicate stewed fruits highlighted by more robust peppermint and dry spices. Double drizzle of honey and caramel over a stack of fragrant tobacco leaves. Chocolate sauce, earthy red liquorice, a brimming layer of honeycomb wax, barley sugar infused with bonfire peat. Brassy touch and fresh peppermint leaves. Vanilla cereal singing softly, finishes with a faint meaty track.

Finish:

Red strawberries, honey drop and deep malty notes. The waxiness lingers on for quite a while. Pretty nice.

Thoughts:

This does not feel like an upgraded version of the regular Johnnie Walker Blue Label, a very different beast, if you ask me. Quite rich and significantly louder. A wide array of elements carried by the powerful spice – young feisty malt leading the charge, sonorous earthy red fruits core anchors in the middle (I don’t know what’s the main malt here, but my money is on Talisker), a generous brush of honey wax from what feels like older cask(s) and several overtones high in the air… The complexities, and layering, on offer here are almost stunning. Maybe the spices are a bit too sharply cut here, but the flavours are delicious no doubt. A robust, splendid blend right here.

☆ [Recommended]

[55.8% • 2012 Bottled • Blended Scotch • Travel Retail Exclusive • No Age Statement • Cask Strength • Bottle Number: CE4 49375 • 8]

-Esmond

[43.2%・NAS・Bottled in 2017・Johnnie Walker Bottling・Limited Release]

Nose:

Muscovado syrup with a hue of Speysider grassy top note. The oomph of toasted coffee bean is understated with a vague seaweed-y peat note sipping out. The wee grain grittiness wears thin and it draws a soft gingery kick.

Palate & Finish:

Can pineapples with the charred oak note ingrained, the youthful Islay component provides a wee iodine note. This is followed by a wholesome blend of nutmeg, dark chocolate and earthy coffee ground, Sunday morning perhaps? Traces of peat and toasted nuts in the background as well.

Distant bushfire in the finish with a faint ashiness, brushed with chocolate sundae sauce.

Thoughts:

A rather inspiring profile with the complexity led by the deep roasted barley but I wish this could be more robust.

If they could bring out a higher strength version whilst keeping that balance, it’d probably be one of the most revolutionary releases Johnnie has brought out in a while.

✓

-Nicholas

Style: Delicate and Fruity

Nose:

Sweet pineapple unwinding over a thin line of pulled pork. Caramel sugar cascading with dry spices. A fragrant touch on bright tropical fruits, very nice squeeze of green lime which lunges from the back. Pretty well constructed aroma.

Palate:

A much fuzzier delivery on the palate. Vanilla milk clouding over tropical fruits punchbowl, papaya dices and coconut jelly in the mix. Fair bit of lime cordial floating over the cereal malt, a light brush of caramel syrup, it feels the rum characters have infused nicely into the spirit. Copper overtone, shattered dry spices snowing down – cinnamon bark, vanilla pod and star anise. Flavours quickly fading towards the end.

Finish:

Flavours fading rather quickly. Tropical fruits on a full retreat, vanilla switches to the drier side. An oatmeal tail.

Thoughts:

This is actually better than I first tried it. Some might find the delivery is too soft. Pretty laid back flavours, the rum character is pretty upfront, which is not always the case of rum cask finish. The spirit have combined with it to generate nice fruitiness – almost like a cocktail itself (while the whisky is actually designed for making cocktails). Clean structuring, maybe you can make a good highball out of it I guess. Not bad for a introductory whisky as well.

[40.8% • Blended Scotch • Limited Edition • Bottle Number: RCF1 04546 • x]

-Esmond

Thank you Johnnie Walker, Diageo Australia, Sweet&Chilli and Leo Burnett Sydney for the bottle.  

[40.0%・18 Years Old・Bottled in 2017・Johnnie Walker Bottling・General Release]

Nose:

The nose is on the approachable side, ripe fruits, marmalade with pear sweets and a light splash of grain spirit spices.  Just underneath lays a hint apple cider vinegar with the light creaminess and sandalwood interwinding together.  In the background, there’re traces of mineral water laced with a vague smoke.  The level of intensity maintains on the same level through out as the burnt toast reveals itself over time as does a matchstick box.

Palate & Finish:

Early entries from the raisins and sultana, it’s quite a sweet delivery defined by its fruity quality.  Notes of cream sherry in play here giving the dram a bit of texture.  Brown sugar and milk chocolate with a bit of sugar coated almond nibs on the backend.

Medium finish with a hint of cinnamon bite whilst being mildly gingery.  Apple crumble, minerals and chocolate dust sipping out.

Thoughts:

The new 18 is a pleasant drop with an easy-to-get profile. The minerals don’t really bother me although I do find the presence quite curious.

I can’t remember if it is too different from the now discontinued Gold Label Reserve or Platinum Label, however as a solid release the 18 is well suited as an everyday whisky and as a festive dram for all the thirsty distant relatives after a feast.

Thank you Johnnie Walker, Diageo Australia, Sweet&Chilli and Leo Burnett Sydney for the bottle.  It is much appreciated.

✓

-Nicholas