Johnnie Walker The John Walker Blended Scotch Whisky (700ml)

The pinnacle of the revered Blue Label marque.

In a fitting tribute to its founder, the house of Johnnie Walker has launched The John Walker Blended Scotch Whisky, handcrafted from a small number of rare whiskies from distilleries that operated during John Walker’s lifetime. A very small quantity has landed in Australia.

Blended as a tribute to John Walker’s pioneering legacy, the arrival of this remarkable offering is an exciting moment for Australian Johnnie Walker enthusiasts. This takes the essence of Blue Label to an extraordinary level of rarity and uniqueness.

Sourced from nine distilleries, the whiskies used are a representation of what was available in John Walker’s time. They include the sweetness and softness of Cambus and Glen Albyn combined with the more powerful Mortlach and the elegance of Dailuaine creating a unique, structured blend with a refined smoky finish. The whiskies come together for a second and final maturation to marry the blend in a 100-year-old wood cask. Each single barrel batch (no two batches will ever be exactly the same) fills just 330 individually numbered, hand-blown Baccarat crystal decanters. So many big characters, malt and grain, smoke and richness, all held together in harmony and controlled balance with stunning smoothness.

Other reviews.... The pinnacle of the current Johnnie Walker range, this is a rare, inimitable blend of just nine whiskies. It exudes the aromas of ripe bananitos, whole mango, satsuma, vanilla seeds, barley awns, butter biscuits, and crystallized pineapple. The supple grain sustains indulgent, characterful malts creating a weighty, smooth mouthfeel. I’m smitten by the vanilla creaminess, burgeoning deep fruit layers, how it swells with a satisfying snuffbox smokiness. A beautifully styled blend delivering a captivating, sensuous experience. (330 bottles only) 94 points
- www.maltadvocate.com, reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2014)