Hello we’re back to regular reviews again, this time with something related to a review we posted a few weeks ago. It’s the Johnnie Walker name, but this time to complete your drunken bruises we’ve got the black to go with the blue. While this can’t measure up to his bigger brother by any means, it’s still a very good scotch and worth my time and yours.
You should know first off that this is DJ_Lvl’s scotch of choice, but since he doesn’t write articles (Note: the Wine Review happened pre-christmas) I the Buffalo am here to do what I love best – talk about Scotch. If DJ_Lvl were here though he’d point out how great Black Label is. To put it one way, Jameson is what he drinks for Space Basement, but when it’s time for The Genius Men (Who are far superior.) it’s time for Black Label.
My first Rusty Nail was made with Black Label when the bartender asked if I wanted to go up a shelf or Dewar’s. Since at the time I was in Scotland which uses monopoly money bills and valuable coins I went with the higher tier. When it went missing post-Lost Cosmonauts release party we were truly saddened. Not only had our trust been broken and DJ_Lvl was out $30 bucks we had lost a great scotch. Thankfully it was retrieved; however Justice’s handle of Bombay has been lost to us (we didn’t even get to review it). Therefore I ask please for a moment of silence.
~Moment of Silence~
While this doesn’t have the pomp and circumstance of the Blue Labeling it does a fine job of matching that taste to the price range it is set at. You just can’t go wrong here. You want a sipping blended scotch for under $40 – look nowhere else. However while my thoughts on the subject sound like something from the bottle let’s see what JW actually has to say themselves.
What they say: “We are determined to make our whiskey, so far as quality is concerned, of such a standard that nothing in this market shall come before it. Distilled, Blended & Bottled in Scotland.”
Short, simple, elegant, and though it’s cocky it doesn’t feel like wank. I understand that my mind is colored by the Blue Label scotch, but I really enjoy drinking this, and I’m a single malt kind of guy.
Taste: 7.5 – For a blended scotch this taste really great.
Aftertaste: 7.5 – Most felt improved upon taste, an iconic aftertaste reminiscent of the Blue Label we tried.
Burn/Smooth: 6.16 – This does burn, it’s not horrible, but still present.
Aroma: 6.67 – Good smell to it, but nothing that was really amazing.
Honesty: 9 – This was a unanimous solid 9 for a reason. From the text on the back, to the iconic bottle, and importantly the Walker name – Black Label is iconic, honest, and perfect. There’s a couple of blended scotchs out there that you can buy, but for this price range few top this.
Mixability: 8
On the Rocks: 8 – It really opens up the taste, and best of all kicks the burn that was there. We agree it’s improved over rocks.
Value: 5.17 – Not the greatest deal in the world, there are blended scotch’s cheaper than this, however this improves upon the taste of those cheaper brands. If you’re looking for a cheap mixing scotch for Rusty Nail’s and Godfather’s this isn’t really the place – however this is the next step up before you hit something like Chivas 18 year which is double the price.
Google Shop Average: $33
Website: http://www.johnniewalker.com/
Reviewer Scores:
William Henri Neve the IV: 7.5
Justice: 7.5
BuffaloJern: 7.5
DJ_Lvl: 7.5
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Metric Score: 50/70 |+| Metric Average: 7.14 |+| Reviewer Average: 7.5
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Final Thoughts:
We all agree it’s a very nice scotch (for blended) and that while we tried not to compare it to its big brother, it’s a solid scotch from the Walker line. It has earned that unanimous 7.5 from us.
