Johnnie Walker The Gold Route Review

“Not All That Glitters Is Gold”

Country: Scotland

Brand: Johnnie Walker The Gold Route (Explorer's Club Collection)

Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 40%

Colour: Sundown/Golden Amber

Nose: I must admit I had expected more of the Gold Route. It's a Medium Light Nose with Grains, Alcohol, Light & Sweet Coastal Peat, light Cold Smoke, lightly Charred Oak, Dried Fruits, Nuts, light Spice, Toast, Ripe Bananas, light Citrus, light Honey, light Pineapple, Strawberry Yogurt, light Vanilla and a very distant hint of Raw Meat. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. 

Taste: Sweet but a bit Thin with Grain Alcohol, lightly Charred Oak, light Peat, Dried Fruit, Orange, Caramel, Licorice, Pepper, Mint and Lemon Zest.

Finish: Medium Long and slightly Thin with Grain, Alcohol, Light Earthy Peat, very light Smoke, Lemon, Pepper, Wood, Mint, Aniseed and light Licorice.  

I added a little Water and you get more Fruit on the Nose, mostly Pineapple and perhaps a bit of Mango. A little bit more Smoke and Toast as well. But Palate and Finish do not take the added Water very well. It's already on the Thin side as it comes.

Rating: 80

Nose: 20.5 – Taste: 20 – Finish: 19.5 – Overall: 20

General Remarks: The Johnnie Walker Brand is owned since 1997 by the Diageo Group. The Explorer's Club Collection is exclusively sold via Travel Retail and was introduced during 2012 and 2013 to honour the Johnnie Walker Whisky Traders who have always travelled the whole wide world in search of new adventures, experiences, flavours and aromas. The Trade Routes series include The Spice Road, The Gold Route and The Royal Route. Diageo's Master Blenders have tried to create Blends that reflect those voyages, stories and regions. The Gold Route I am reviewing today is inspired by the diverse Aromas and Colours from Latin America. The Gold Route weaves its way from Central America through the Andes, passing the Inca Pyramids and along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The whiskies used in this blend matured in Ex-Bourbon Casks. It costs on average 90 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Good 

Conclusion: Let me start by saying that the Gold Route is not a bad blend. But at its Price Level I had expected a lot more. For a luxury Blend it's too Young and too Grainy. I don't get many tropical flavours as well. Bananas and some Pineapple basically. I do like the Peat and Smoke in the Blend. It's there in the background all the time without ever being too present. Well done! And yes, I'm going to say it again. A luxury Blend like this NEEDS to be bottled at least at 43%. There's more than enough margin in the price to do that! I also tasted the Gold Route on the rocks and I liked it. But JW Black does that trick as well if you like smoky Blends and its Price/Quality ratio is much better! I truly admire the Marketing Qualities of the JW Blends. The idea to combine the Explorers Collection and Travel Retail is good and the presentation and packaging are absolutely beautiful. But in the end it's the Whisky that matters and in this respect The Gold Route fails to impress me, especially at its current price level.

Jan van den Ende                                                         November 16, 2014