Johnnie Walker 18 Year

Ah, JW15, surprisingly good. So, the natural progression to an 18-year age statement makes me think I’m in for another treat. But there’s a catch. The bottle states “in pursuit of the ultimate 18 year old blend,” which I don’t really understand, but it does suggest the reintroduction of generic grain spirit. While adding grain from JW hasn’t been an immediate turn-off, I’m starting to grasp how much it dilutes and detracts from some excellent malts. So, I’m not holding my breath for this 18-year-old. Let’s check in with the marketing team: “An intensely rich Scotch that perfectly balances a trilogy of flavors and textures. It’s made with hand-picked casks aged for 18 years, with each passing season building layers of complex flavor. A whisky worth the wait. Drink it neat or on the rocks.” Excellent hand-picked, I’m so glad they weren’t feet picked. This sounds so vague and generic that I’m already disappointed with what I’m expecting. Oh well, here we go… Nose: Strongly cereal-driven with a slightly oily to viscous presence. Also present is a fairly noticeable raw ethanol burn. The nose feels woody with a little warmth from associated spiciness. I think it’s trying to be slightly smoky, but it comes across as smoldering wet, mulchy leaves. My nose is turning me away from whatever this is. Palate: A little thin with a borderline gritty texture, or am I imagining that? Malty with a little floral or herbal lift. Really subdued fruity flavors of sultana, mulled red fruit (think sherry cask), maybe some nutty oils. Smoke is probably there as a mixer for everything and I think it’s responsible for my initial gritty texture that feels earthy by the mid-palate. The ABV, while low at 40%, is fairly present but stays on the right side of warming. Finish: Long. Savory-sweet honey cereal, with wood-heavy sherry cask influence being the best way I can describe it. Odd. I had to go read some other reviews before finishing the dram. I figured I must be missing something; this is an AUD$149.99 18-year-old bottle, and I’m thinking it’s barely average. But I can’t find anything akin to the official review by a particular critic. Maybe I just don’t mesh well with this whisky. I’m a rank amateur, but I don’t think I’m that bad at this. I’m at the point where my initial feeling from the marketing description, generic and vague, is the right summation for this hugely underwhelming pour. It just fails to get going; the nose is disagreeable to me, the palate is like a limp handshake, and the finish is verging on being too heavily woody. What a mess. Boo. 402 reviews average out at 3.96/5; my score is 2.5/5. Am I an idiot? Perhaps not. I tend to discount scores without notes. Only 113 reviews have notes, but those still seem to average 4-4.25 at a glance. What is going on? Is it me, or is it the marketing teams genius? Take a formatively travel retail exclusive, make it available at regular retail, change its name from Platinum to 18, leverage people's tendency to equate age with excellence. AUD$150 for an 18-year-old sounds good. Must be good. Hold up... this is freaking Loch Lomond 18 all over again. Damn, Loch Lomond blows, gah! Enraged. Rambling rant over. I’m probably crap at whisky. [Pictured here with a white colored rock for a white colored label. This rock is an anorthosite from the Proterozoic Rogaland Province in Norway. At ~930 million years old this white lump of rock is an igneous (magma) intrusive that is composed almost entirely of the calcium rich plagioclase feldspar mineral, anorthosite. What is particularly cool is that this is the same rock type that makes up a large part of our moons surface.] Whisky taste #149 Johnnie Walker running scores Red: 2.0 Black 12: 2.5 Black Islay Origins: 3.5 Double Black: 3.25 Gold: 3.5 Green 15: 4.25 18: 2.5

Recently, Johnnie Walker updated the presentation for its Platinum Label expression, renaming it Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years. The liquid itself remains unchanged. This blend, created by master blender Jim Beveridge, features eighteen Scotch whiskies. He suggests that well-aged malts can become subdued, and the key to unlocking their flavors is a subtle addition of eighteen-year-old grain whisky from the Lowlands. He selected eighteen distinct whiskies, including Speyside malts like Cardhu, Glen Elgin, and Auchroisk for sweetness and elegance, Highland malts like Blair Athol for fruity complexity, and island malts for a touch of smokiness. I suspect Caol Ila and Talisker might also be in the mix. This expression, like many from the brand, has a light smokiness, complemented by sweetness and citrus for a balanced profile. Unlike Double Black (smoky) or Gold Label Reserve (sweet), this blend offers a more complex and sophisticated experience, prioritizing depth over immediate appeal. From the Cão Engarrafado website.

Stars: 3.5 - Quite good; sampled 100 ml and bought a 750 ml bottle This is very close to being outstanding. Like the finest blends, the individual flavors are discernible, yet they harmonize perfectly. Depending on the moment, I detect more of the Speyside sweetness (raisins, dates), Highlands dried fruit (apples, pear), island smoky peat, highly aged grain spirit (reminiscent of CB Hedonism), or a lengthy oak influence. This significantly surpasses commonly available 18-year-olds (Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Glenmorangie) in both taste and affordability. So why isn't this in my spectacular category? While I'm usually not particular about alcohol content, this desperately needs to be at 43% or 46%. This spirit whispers when it should announce itself. Tasting this alongside JW Green… Green remains the undisputed champion. Nikka WFTB offers a similar taste and price point, but also executes it better.

I found this upscale-looking JW at my local Costco. The price was reasonable, so I took a chance! Of the colors I've sampled, this ranks in the middle. Perhaps a bit like Blue, but without the higher cost. The aroma was light and unremarkable, with just a hint of apple and grain. The taste was where it truly excelled. A wide array of flavors including cereal, oak, vanilla, dark fruit, and gentle smoke/spice filled the palate. This sensation continued into a delightfully long finish. The alcohol presence was minimal and dangerously easy to drink. I believe JW crafted this blend exceptionally well. I suspect this bottle will be emptied quickly.

Nose: Mellow and unobtrusive, with notes of green apple and melon, complemented by a subtle honey sweetness and a whisper of smoke Palate: Quite delicate, featuring orange, lemon, plum, caramel, and malt and grain with a biscuity quality Finish: Brief, with a subtle smoky peat emerging alongside a spicy wood character and citrus notes Overall: This is an extremely sippable spirit, yet it falls a bit short in terms of impact; the flavors present are pleasant but the overall impression is too weak and subdued. While I can enjoy subtle, refined spirits, this leans too far in that direction for my preference. Frankly, it tastes like a budget spirit costing around £15, albeit with slightly more depth. A comparable spirit costs a third of the price and offers comparable, if not superior, body and personality.

This is my second experience with this brand after trying their black label, and while it may not appeal to everyone, it's certainly my preferred style of Scotch. The aroma is sweet, with caramel and a subtle spice. To me, the palate perfectly balances fruity Speyside characteristics with intriguing citrus notes and a whisper of smoke. The finish is longer than many others I've sampled, featuring a hint of smoky chocolate. I acquired a 1L bottle at a favorable price duty-free and intend to make it last. I'm still new to Scotch (this is only my seventh tasting so far), but this is unequivocally my favorite at this moment.