Product: Johnnie Walker Green Label Producer: Diageo Approximate Retail Value: $50 for 750ml Category: Scotch Whisky Country of Origin: Scotland Reviewer: D. Kearney Sparano The F Words: Flavor – A complex mix of sweet and smoky. Feel – Soft and warm in the mouth. Finish – Smooth with a mild bite.

Rating:

Red, black, green, gold and blue, what do these colors represent? Are they twister dots? The color coded terror alert levels? No, they are the labels of Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky. All Johnnie Walker whiskies are blended; each label is, in a way, code for the quality of the blend one is buying. Red is the least expensive. It is a good blend, made from 35 grain and malt whiskies, being the least expensive though it is meant for mixing, as well as enjoying alone. Blue is the highest, premium blend. Each bottle is serial numbered and sold in a box lined with silk. This should be broken out for pretty much just weddings and celebrating newborns.

Green label is the happy medium between the two. It is blended from better whiskies and aged longer then black label, but not as many or aged for as long as gold. In essence, it is the perfect compromise for a scotch lover, slightly on the high end of affordable, but worth every cent. To be specific about green label, it is what is called a vatted malt. A vatted malt is simply a blended whisky made exclusively from single malt scotches. In this case, 15 individual malts with Talisker, Cragganmore, Linkwood and Caol Ila being the ones of note.

Each of malt brings a unique aspect to the overall product. According to the Johnnie Walker website, “Talisker introduces power and depth, with pepper and oak exploding on the palate. Linkwood brings a whole garden of fruit and woody aromas, touching it with finesse. At the heart Cragganmore, with its exceptional malty sweetness and delicate aromas. And the sweetly floral, gently smoked and very maritime Caol Ila gives green label intensity and complexity.” What should also be noted though is that green label is aged 15 years, but also some of the single malts that are blended have already been aged. For instance, the youngest Talisker is aged10 years and Linkwood is aged for 12.

Now I do not profess that my palate is able to discern all these notes and flavors. However, I will say that I am competent to know when something is good or not, and Johnnie Walker Green Label is very good. I first tried it neat (meaning with a bit of water). As any good whisky drinker knows, water helps release flavors trapped by the ethanol. From the sheer aroma, I know that this is a complex scotch. There is a wonderful mix of sweet and smoky flavors. One could equate it to a symphony, you might not be able to discern every instrument, but the harmony they create is true beauty. The taste does not disappoint either. The aromas that I detected carry through, rolling over my tongue softly ending in a smooth finish. There is a mild bite, but certainly nothing to grit your teeth over.  After the first sampling I immediately knew not to mix this scotch with anything. I sample it again with only two ice cubes. The ice does make a slight difference. There are still the sweet and smoky notes, but now the spiciness comes through a bit more and thus adds to the bite.

To say that I enjoyed this whisky would be putting it mildly. It is a complex flavor that is too good to be mixed with anything. At the same time, and thanks to its complexity, it is also appropriate for those like me, that don’t have expert palates. If there is one thing that would make it better, it would be just a little less of a bite. Recently I had Chivas Regal 18 year, which was so smooth you almost forgot you were drinking scotch. Johnnie Walker Green Label is not quite at that level, but it is close.