Johnnie Walker Green Label
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
Abv: 43%
Blended with whiskies from Talisker, Linwood, Cragganmore, Caol Ila.
(tasting note from Dec 4, 2020)
This is a fun bottle – canโt buy it in NS! It has made a brief appearance here in the past two years, but it is not a shelf staple. On occasion I get my brother to import one from PEI when he makes the trek over. Having done just that recently, I was keen to rekindle my positive memory of this Whisky Noob favourite. This is a fresh bottle open review.
Bottle notes
“N: Vibrant and complex natural aromas of wood smoke, seashore, crisp cut grass and fresh fruit.
P: Intensely rich notes of peat smoke, pepper, deep vanilla and sweet fruits with hints of fragrant garden fruits, cedar and sandalwood, with a big Malty heart.
F: Long and spicy with honeyed sweetness, oak and light smoke.“
Nose
Gentle smoke to open the dram. Malt and cereal, with some fruit in there. There is a freshness on the nose. A lovely, light, fresh field sweetness. Wood smoke wafts in and out. Hints of pastry tickle at the nose, a fruity freshness sweetens the whole. With time, the nose evolves to that lovely apple pie, with the faintest hints of smoke curling about the crust. But, a fresh apple pie. Just newly in the wood fired oven, with still some time to bake. A seaside air of freshness comes to mind near the end of the dram. I am suddenly struck by the memory of Talisker 10! Slightly briny, salty dockside air.
Palate
Lovely fruits and a hint of toffee, some peat and smoke very understated but present. Even stronger apple pastry on later sips, smoked apple pie, fresh fields
Finish
Smoke rises and fades to tickle the tongue, sweetness fades, an oily finish. Memories of the nose.
Final Thoughts
Such a great, changing and interesting whisky. I did indeed feel as if I was taken on a tour of the source whiskies, with the freshness, the brine, the smoke. Without question this dram changes over time, and one could easily spend a half hour and more just tracking the journey on the nose. My memories of previous drams were honoured (smoke, grass and apple pie), but the maritime brine is a new dimension for me this night. Truly one of my favourite whiskies, a shame that I need to import it!
