Johnnie Walker Blenders' Batch Espresso Roast

I have no clue what I just consumed. Is this whisky? Is this breakfast? Is this dessert? Another blended expression from Johnnie Walker, this time the Espresso Roast, which aims to replicate espresso coffee, and I suppose it succeeds. I'm not a coffee enthusiast. It's not that I dislike coffee; rather, I'm a chaotic individual, and a single cup would be like adding fuel to a fire. But let's discuss "the whisky." This is a blended Scotch, bottled at 43.2% ABV. It has a dark tawny color, which I suspect is artificially enhanced. On the nose, it's harsh and somewhat peculiar. Burnt cocoa, coffee. The aroma of alcohol, acetone, and grain is prominent. It's a bit off-putting. Like medicinal alcohol for wounds. Tiramisu dessert; far too much plain alcohol, reminiscent of moonshine. Butter from young grain whiskies. There are notes of raw coffee beans and cream from a creamy coffee cup, but the excessive alcohol prevents full appreciation. It strongly evokes a tiramisu dessert. With a second sniff, a cream aroma emerges, precisely like that found in tiramisu. The nose improves with time. There's an orange aroma present, but it's odd and inconsistent. On the palate, it's standard. Coffee, salt; raw coffee. Bitter cocoa. Grain whisky. The second sip is akin to taking a bite of tiramisu, but it then becomes spicy, like oak spice, not unpleasant but it feels young. Following the third sip, a rapid caramel taste appears and quickly fades. The finish is intriguing. It's like a coffee cup on the palate. Precisely like an actual cup of coffee; bitter. Also salty. In summary, this is an unusual dram, more akin to a liqueur than a whisky. I doubt anyone could finish a bottle, and it might only be suitable for occasional cocktails. My rating is a highly unbalanced 78 out of 100.

I shared a bottle of this with a friend at a year-end party here in Taiwan, so my review will be basic. However, I noticed notes of chocolate, caramel, roast, and spice as we enjoyed this dram.

Notes of coffee, with a mellow character.