Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Brora

After over a 13-hour drive and being away for a while, I finally returned home. What a perfect time to sample this scarce and thrilling spirit. Nose: The aroma is quite rich, yet possesses a very distinctive character. It's remarkably mellow too. The richness isn't driven by peat, sherry, or robust malt. If anything, it's closest to malt from a highly unusual still, but it carries a rich, sweet, faintly tart scent of apple cider and apricot. There's a hint of butter-rich caramel cooked to 350F, a touch of a dry floral note (perhaps jasmine?), and also something subtly spicy. The more significant (but harder to define) aspect is the underlying funk. Mixed with all of that, I detect a bit of grass, a moderate smokiness, and a faint hint of something vegetal. Taken together, it vaguely brings Springbank to mind. Compared side-by-side, I maintain my comparison to Springbank 10 (from a severely oxidized bottle). The Springbank amps up the barnyard notes, while this has an oily richness and more fruit. As it airs out, the fruitiness diminishes. A bit of dry Clynelish waxiness emerges. Palate: This is strong and very engaging. The fruit is prominent, but it's less sweet and citrusy than anticipated. The fruit is more floral with a light vanilla overlay, leaning even toward minerality (yet still remarkably full-flavored). There's a rich, lightly smoky, faintly grassy, somewhat bitter layer that provides a nice balance and an interesting funk that's difficult to pinpoint. It's akin to an oily peat, but very subdued. If this is the Brora character, its mellow nature at this point, considering the distillery closed almost 40 years ago, makes sense. This spirit is certainly less smoky than Johnnie Walker Green and also more refined and smooth. I felt compelled to compare them as I had Green on hand, but I believe this aligns more with Blue, then perhaps Black or 18 (neither of which I have available). There's a trace of that mustiness I associate with Blue, but it's bolder here, better developed, and less like damp cardboard. It also has a presence that I found lacking in the standard Blue. The way that oily, funky flavor fills the palate and balances the fruity aspect is excellent. The more I sample it, the more the oily funk stands out, while the fruit recedes but remains to balance the dram. There might even be a faint hint of that Clynelish waxiness. Finish: The fruits largely vanish, though a light floral, vaguely mineral sweetness lingers. The overall richness persists, and I experience a light oiliness on my tongue for a considerable time even as other flavors fade. The oiliness combined with the sweetness at this stage gives a faint impression of buttery caramel. - Conclusion - There's a truly unique flavor profile here, and I appreciate it. It balances exceptionally well with the other elements of this whisky, creating a very enjoyable, subtle complexity. I truly savor the transition from fruity to oily and robust as it moves into the finish. It's a delightful progression and remains balanced throughout. Furthermore, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention how wonderfully smooth it is, especially when reviewing a variation of Johnnie Walker Blue. The oiliness effectively counteracts any potential wateriness that might accompany such smoothness. I would have guessed this was around 40-43% ABV based on its smoothness, but not in an unpleasant way. This is easily sipped and prompts thoughtful consideration. It definitely stands out among the many whiskies I've sampled. Without excessive direct comparisons, I'd rank this above my highly oxidized Springbank 10, which was a 19 when opened but might now be a 20. This is undeniably a significant improvement over the standard Johnnie Walker Blue. I've never grasped its appeal considering the price, but if they bottled this spirit, I'd be a loyal customer. Still, while this is considerably better than the standard Johnnie Walker Blue Label, I don't believe it's a massive leap beyond my bottle of Springbank 10. Rating becomes quite difficult at these levels as I have few others I've scored this high. This will fall somewhere in the 19 to 22 range. After considerable deliberation, I feel 19 is too low, as that's what I gave the Springbank 10, but I slightly prefer Springbank 12 at 22. This places this bottling in the 20 to 21 range. I've revisited all my 20s and 21s to find the right placement, and the truth is it could fit in either category. My initial instinct was a 20. I admire its complexity, but like many blends, it can occasionally seem a bit too understated. Looking at my rankings, however, I find this slightly more akin in quality to the median entry in the 21 bucket than the 20 bucket (and despite its subtlety, it's certainly not muddled), so I'm settling on a 21. My sincere thanks to a fellow enthusiast for sharing this bottle!

It's December 2020, and I'm concluding the year with a new whiskey each day, my own personal whiskey advent calendar. On Dec. 26, 2020, when a friend offered me a sample of “JW Blue Ghost and Rare Brora,” I was unfamiliar with those terms. To me, “JW” usually signifies “Dant,” and “rare” typically leads to disappointment. I only just learned while logging this that it's a Johnnie Walker product, essentially making this a blind tasting. I believe that was ideal for me because, although I've never tasted any Johnnie Walker whiskies, I've always assumed Johnnie Walker products were subpar. I consider it “The Jim Beam of Scotland.” I have no clue where this bias originated, and perhaps my general assumptions are still correct. However, I now realize I was mistaken, at least regarding this particular whisky, my first JW product. Many thanks to my friend for the JW! The aroma features grape musk, chalk dust, and lemon, followed by powdered sugar. Later, I also detected tangerine, strawberry, and chai tea, but those initial notes were more prominent. The body has notes of watermelon, lemonade, cherry, and green apple, with hints of milk and cream – all qualities I appreciate. The more concerning aroma notes (musk, dust, chai) are absent here. It’s simply juicy and delightful. Its consistency is thicker than I anticipated given those notes, so I suppose a fruit smoothie is the overarching theme. The finish retains some tart fruit, both in sensation and flavor, but also dissipates quickly with pure sugar. A slight bite on the finish is always a bonus. I'd describe it as serrano pepper. When you acknowledge that, you perceive a fresh vegetable taste, similar to bell pepper. Delicious. This is truly excellent. I'm struggling to find flaws, yet something prevents me from calling it perfect. Perhaps that's the JW effect. Still, even at the online price point I'm seeing, I would buy one if it appeared on a shelf. 'Tis the season. My whiskey selection is day-to-day, so if you're reading this and there's something readily available you'd like me to enjoy or endure this holiday season, please suggest it in the comments. Merry whiskey to all, and to all a beer flight!

I've never had a particular interest in Johnnie Walker, and have never felt inspired to explore beyond some less than compelling entry-level JW bottles, specifically, the Red, Black, and White Walker offerings. But I was excited to receive a sample of the Ghost and Rare Brora, courtesy of a friend. Not only is this well-aged (the primary component is whisky from the Brora distillery, which closed in 1983), but there's something almost mythical to drinking whisky that's a relic from a bygone age, sourced from a distillery that was boarded up years ago. Diageo is apparently re-opening Brora later this year, which will dampen the Brora mystique in my mind. But perhaps we'll get some great new whisky. The whisky itself was not a letdown. I found the nose to be very complex - sweet, fruity, and nutty, with multiple notes of each. The palate was complex as well. I will often say that a good blended whisky is well integrated. In this case, I found the palate to be layered. The top layer was spice, some wood and some heat. The bottom layer was creamy grain and sweetness. I've sometimes found drams that have this type of split presentation to be a bit off-putting, but in this case it works wonderfully. I often consume samples in two sittings - half one day and half the next, and it's not uncommon that I find something new or different on the second day. In this case, the nose and palate remained the same through both tastings, but the finish had a notable shift. On the first tasting, the notes on the palate quickly disappeared, transitioning to dry, woody and slightly bitter flavors. Not enough to ruin the experience, but not totally agreeable. On the second night, the top spicy layer made the same quick exit, but the sweet layer remained as the drier, more bitter notes emerged. It was enough to balance the finish quite nicely. All in all, quite excellent! Johnnie Walker will always be a producer of outrageous amounts of mass-market whiskies that I'll continue to pass over, but it's nice to see what the brand and Master Blender Jim Beverage are capable of. Thanks to a friend for a great dram and a cool ghost distillery experience!

It's been a considerable time since I genuinely sat down for a tasting. Holidays, illness (a head cold), and social commitments have all caused delays. Therefore, this is an ideal pour to begin the New Year from a tasting perspective. It's a truly rare pleasure that I won't hesitate to sample. It only truly comes alive after about ten minutes. Before that, it's flat and uninteresting. As it develops, tropical aromas of pineapple and toasted coconut emerge. Orchard fruits join in; overripe, peeled apples and pears with hints of vanilla, caramel, confectioners' sugar, and cinnamon. A touch of honey and lemon tea appears after significant time. These aromas gradually build and crescendo, creating a full symphony of notes. A sweet arrival, but not excessively so, with a soft, velvety texture and a medium body. Oak spices, tropical sweetness with hazelnuts and chocolate (reminiscent of Nutella). Sweet tea, honey, lemon. The palate concludes with sweet tea and a hint of wood spice and oak tannins, bittersweet chocolate, and ginger. This lingers for a medium duration. As I continued to enjoy exploring all aspects of this pour, balance was consistently evident. The volume of aromas was balanced. The flavors on the palate, though not as extensive as the nose (or perhaps I couldn't precisely identify them and missed out), were balanced. The finish is where I selfishly desired more, and it represents the dram's weakness. Adding a little water improves the dram and is recommended. Quite enjoyable and easy to drink. This whisky possesses a presence that can seem to slow time. Many thanks to a friend for generously sharing. [92/100][Tasted: 1/25/20]

Nose - Pleasant fruity & floral, sweet tropical fruit, nice spicy oak, a hint of leather & chocolate, pineapple/ripe plantain. Taste - Tropical vanilla, sweet dark oaky spice, sweet tropical citrus/light-fleshed fruit, rich waxy mouthfeel, slight chocolate bitterness, light bitter burnt toffee. Finish - Lingering light bitter spice, full mouthfeel, sweet dark chocolate-covered ginger spice, fresh light-fleshed tropical fruits (pineapple, starfruit, plantains, both ripe & unripe as there's a slight tannic/dry note). Score - 90/100 Final Thoughts - This had an absolutely amazing nose, managing to present both dark sugar and light fruit aromas simultaneously. This carried through to the taste, offering a nice contrast, all while featuring a pleasant rich mouthfeel that coated the palate. It was slightly dry on the back end and finish, akin to eating a very starchy fried plantain. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Perhaps Would I buy a bottle? - Unsure if I'd purchase another

This is what the standard JW Blue aspires to be. Add a few drops of water, allow it to rest and open up, and you will discover a wealth of aromas. You will detect wool and herbs. The initial taste is mineral, a bit earthy, with hazelnuts. There's also a surprising waxy character. That, along with the earthy taste, must be the Brora. This is an outstanding blend, offering complexity far superior to Blue. It rivals the high-end offerings from Compass Box. It is not inexpensive, and I have reservations about using Brora in a blend... but personal feelings aside, it is skillfully crafted, showcasing a multitude of aromas and layers of flavor.