Johnnie Walker Tasting Collection

8 Johnnie Walker Whiskies & 4 Single Malts

Selected by Tasting Collection.

Johnnie Walker - Red Label

Blended Scotch Whisky

Introduced in 1909 and to this day bottled in the iconic square bottle that Alexander Walker had designed especially – even then plastered with the distinctive slanted label. Johnnie Walker has been the best-selling Scotch whisky for many, many decades. This Red Label is made from grain whisky and roughly 30 different Scotch malt whiskies. De single malts are balanced between de lighter whiskies from the Scottish east coast, and the rich and smoky malts from the west.

40% Vol.

Johnnie Walker, 12 Y - Black Label

Blended Scotch Whisky

Back in 1909 the Black Label was still called “Extra Special Old Highland Whisky.” Even then it carried a black and gold label and customers called it “…the one with the black label.” Johnnie Walker Black Label gets its complexity from blending about 40 different malt and grain whiskies from Scotland, some of whisky are smoky. Speyside single malt Cardhu is at the heart of this whisky. Caol Ila from Islay is also represented. All single malts used for this blend are at least 12 years old, and together they combine to form a smooth whisky with rich flavors of malt and peat.

40% Vol.

Johnnie Walker - Double Black

Blended Scotch Whisky

Double Black is made from Scotch single malt whisky from some of the leading Scotch distilleries. Every single malt matures in its own unique way, depending on the chosen cask, climate and location. It is the craft of the Master Blender to blend these malts into a cohesive whisky with a unique palette of flavors. Master Blender Jim Beveridge: “Double Black was created by building upon the existing Black Label, with enhanced smoky notes, and is aimed at drinkers that want to take their experience another step further.”

40% Vol.

Johnnie Walker, 15 Y - Green Label

Blended Scotch Whisky

Early on the Walker family started buying distilleries. Especially distilleries in the Scottish Highlands were sought after. Owning distilleries made it possible to guarantee a constant supply of single malt whisky, in order to produce blends of the highest quality. The Highlands scenery is varied, from some of the highest mountains in Scotland to long stretching fields of heather. There’s a large variety of micro-climates. Every Highland single malt has its own character. This Green Label is a blend of 12 leading Scotch single malts from the Highlands, and all are aged for a minimum of 15 years.

43% Vol.

Johnnie Walker - Gold Label Reserve

Blended Scotch Whisky

At the foundation of this whisky, are the notes of Alexander Walker II for a blend that was supposed to be released in 1920 in honor of the 100th anniversary of Johnnie Walker. But the supply of the 15 Scotch single malt, needed for this blend wasn’t available, because of WW II.The same thing happened in the 1950s, when Alexander II's successor created the Extra Special Old Reserve, based on the notes in the notebook. Even then, the aftermath of WW II prevented greater distribution. A little while ago it was decided to finally release this exclusive blend, at the heart of which is Clynelish, a Scotch single malt from the far north of Scotland.

40% Vol.

Johnnie Walker, 18 Y

Blended Scotch Whisky

While searching the Highlands for the best distilleries, Johnnie Walker encountered de Cardhu distillery in Speyside, where they produce a silky-smooth whisky with a sweet and subtle smoky flavor profile. John made Cardhu Scotch single malt into one of the signature whiskies for his blends. Only a limited number of the best casks are used for the Platinum Label, 18 Y. It’s an intensely soft and subtly peated blended whisky, made from Scottish single malt and grain whiskies that have aged for at least 18 years.

40% Vol.

Johnnie Walker - Blue Label

Blended Scotch Whisky

Johnnie Walker’s flagship whisky! This blend of 16 of the rarest Scotch single malts is an homage to the art of blending, perfected by father John Walker and son Alexander. It is a very limited whisky, which is why every bottle has its own individual number. The whiskies have aged for an exceptional amount of time, often in former sherry casks. Rich malts from the iconic Isle of Islay are at the heart of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. The result is a sublime, smoky and tasty whisky.

40% Vol.

Johnnie Walker - White Walker

Blended Scotch Whisky

Inspired by the terrifying “White Walkers” from the popular HBO series Game of Thrones, whisky expert George Harper – together with Johnnie Walker’s master blenders – created a whisky that centered around to Freezing North from the series. Clynelish, a distillery from the Scottish Northern Highlands, is an important component of the blend. The “Striding Man” is outfitted with armor and weaponry inspired by the army of the Night King. Keep your bottle in the freezer, and “Winter is Here” will appear on the side of the bottle.

41.7% Vol.

Caol Ila, 12 Y

Islay

Caol Ila was almost completely demolished in 1969 to make room for a newer, more modern distillery, which opened in 1974. The Caol Ila spirit ages almost exclusively in refill casks. This 12-year old Scotch single malt features a powerful flavor profile. On the nose and palate, the complex, smoky character shines. This whisky is at the heart of all Johnnie Walker blends, but also comes highly recommended for whisky drinkers that prefer the iconic Scotch single malts of Islay.

43% Vol.

Cardhu - Gold Reserve

Speyside

Cardhu comes from one of the oldest of the Speyside distilleries, which have nestled in foothills near the River Spey for 200 years. The Cardhu Master Blender has carefully selected casks to create a mouth-wateringly sweet malt whisky with a quietly spicy finish. Gold Reserve is fruitier and warmer than the classic 12 year old, its initial sweetness is cut by crisp orange zest followed by a subtle mineral dryness. Cardhu Gold Reserve is a great choice as a sweeter aperitif.

40% Vol.

Clynelish, 14 Y

Highland

In the north of Scotland, not far from the small town of Brora and coast of the North Sea, stands Clynelish distillery. It was built in 1968 and stands right next to the former Brora distillery – which closed in 1983, but was founded from 1819. Clynelish matures in bourbon casks and is mainly used for blended whiskies. This Scotch single malt is a signature component of Johnnie Walker, 18 Y Gold Label. Only a few percent of production is released as single malt: a robust Highland whisky with a subtle smokiness.

46% Vol.

Glenkinchie, 12 Y

Lowland

The distillery was once named Kinchie, but is known as Glenkinchie since 1837, and is situated not far from Edinburgh – resulting in the nickname “The Edinburgh Malt.” Whisky from the Lowland region is known for its light and floral character. After comprehensive testing, the Classic Malts distillers unanimously decided that 2 years of extra aging in American oak gives Glenkinchie a richer profile, without losing its essential Lowland character. This Scotch single malt is also used in many Johnnie Walker whiskies.

43% Vol.

We hope you enjoyed this Tasting Collection.

For more tastings and background information,
please visit www.tastingcollection.com