Johnnie Walker Blue Label Review

Country: Scotland

Brand: Johnnie Walker Blue Label

Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 40%

Colour: Amber/Gold

Nose: The Blue Label does not give its Aromas away very easily. Give it some time! First impressions are Peat, Smoke, Heather, Charred Oak, Tobacco, Leather and Grains. It’s like entering a Cigar Shop! After a while I get some Peach, Peanuts, Malt, Butter and Dried Fruits. I find some old Oak influence as well. Some of the whiskies in this blend might well be over 20 years. Hints of Wood Polish and Licorice.

Taste: Smooth but slightly Watery delivery. This should have been bottled at 43-46% ABV. Nevertheless, a good balance of Peat/Smoke, Honey, slightly Bitter Oak, White Pepper, Ginger, Caramel, Orange Zest, Licorice, Butterscotch and a Salty edge.

Finish: Middle-Long but on the dull side with Peat/Smoke, White Pepper, Cloves, Hay, Lemon and Salt. The Finish remains the weakest part of most Johnnie Walker Blends.

I added a couple of drops of Water and that gives you some more Floral tones on the Nose. It waters down the Palate though and does not materially alter the Finish. Therefore, my advice is to drink the Blue Label neat. Although I can imagine it would taste quite well with a bit of Ice.

Rating: 85.5 

Nose: 22 – Taste: 21.5 – Finish: 20.5 – Overall: 21.5

General Remarks: The Johnnie Walker Brand is owned since 1997 by the Diageo Group. The Blue Label is the Brand’s premium Blend that was launched in the early Nineties to try and recreate some of the early Blends of the 19^th Century. At the heart of this Blend we find Royal Lochnagar. Another 15 or so whiskies are used in the Blending process. All Bottles are numbered and come in a silk-lined Box together with a certificate of authenticity. I received a sample from my colleague Milton out of bottle nr. AY1 70223. The Blue is very expensive for a NAS Blend at around US$ 200, -. The packaging was updated in 2011.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: I’m sure this will not come as a surprise but I will write it down anyway. It can’t be denied that the Johnnie Walker Marketing Machine has succeeded in creating a worldwide hype around this Blend. Presidents and important businessmen love it. It’s being served at all important cocktail parties. Well, in my humble opinion the Blue Label is nothing more and nothing less than a very decent – but certainly not exceptional Blend and it’s way too expensive when compared to Gold and Green. And Green is the better Blend! Therefore, I would rather spend my US$ 200,-- on a great Single Malt!

Jan van den Ende                                                               October 14, 2012

The Royal Lochnagar Distillery near Balmoral

Glen Edward' s Pure Malt Blend Review

Country: Scotland

Brand: Glen Edward’s

Type: Blended Malt Whisky

Bottled by: Bardinet Group, Bordeaux

Age: NAS (Probably around 3-5 Years)

Alcohol: 40%

Colour: Dark Amber

Nose: Light in character. Young Oak and Harsh Alcohol form the Welcome Committee followed by some Malt, Brown Sugar, Hay, Nuts and Raisins. When nosing the rim of the glass I get a bit of Honey and a hint of Peat.

Taste: Slightly watery delivery with lots of Sugar and Spice and a bit of Malt. Not much else going on!

Finish: Short with Sugary Cereals, a touch of Honey, Licorice and White Pepper.

I added a couple of drops of water. On the Nose you get rid of the sharp Alcohol but other than that no big changes occur. Palate and Finish become slightly more smooth and less Sugary. Still, it doesn’t make a whole lot of difference. 

Rating: 74 

Nose: 19.5 – Taste: 18 – Finish: 18 – Overall: 18.5

General Remarks: It’s not easy to find information on this Malt Blend. It has a brother or sister that’s called Sir Edward’s, but that’s apparently a Blend of Malt – and Grain Whiskies. Owner of the Brand names is the French based Bardinet Group who also owns Glen Moray. This might give us an indication as to the Edward’s core Malt ingredient. It ages in Oak Barrels. Ah yes, the son of the owner of the Bardinet group, the late Paul Bardinet, is called Edward! The whisky is apparently distilled by Leith Distillers from Edinburgh, a daughter company of Whyte and Mackay. It is then shipped in bulk to France where it is bottled in Bordeaux by Bardinet. I bought my Glen Edward’s (same label as Sir Edward’s by the way) in the Duty Free Shop in Argentina. The bottle states that the whisky is aged and distilled in Scotland and mentions the name Bardinet , Blanquefort. The latter is a northern suburb of Bordeaux. Apparently there is also a 12 Years Expression of Sir Edward.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Okay

Conclusion: Drinkable but utterly boring. It smells and tastes a bit like a cheaper version of the Whyte & Mackay’s Special Blend. Coincidence? Who knows!

                                         
Jan van den Ende                                                     September 13, 2012

The Battle Between the Grouses

Hi Everybody and Welcome to the Whisky Paradise,
Today is a National Holiday in Brazil and I took the opportunity to revisit two of Scotland's best selling Blends, the Famous Grouse and her peated sister the Black Grouse. Although neither of them can be called spectacular, both are highly drinkable and affordable. I can see why they are so popular. I tasted both Blends resp. in late 2011 and early 2012. Now, during my my second tasting session, both scored slightly higher as I got additional flavour details that I didn't taste before. Therefore I updated the Tasting Notes on both Blends. Curious who won the battle? You can find them Notes here  The Famous Grouse and here The Black Grouse.

I'm really looking forward to the month of October when I expect to receive around 30 miniature bottles of Scottish Single Malts. That means that, together with my stock here, I will have enough material for the rest of this year and 2013. Good news!

As always I would like to thank all regular and new visitors to the site. It's great to see world wide interest for Whisky and Classic Rock. In the last 24 hours we received visitors from Germany, Norway, Brazil, Yemen, the USA, Sweden, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Greece, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Morocco, Thailand, South Africa, Russia and Turkey. Thanks for your kind interest and feel free to come back anytime. You are more than welcome. I wish you all a very nice weekend. Enjoy it with a nice dram!
Saude!
Jan

Grand Old Parr 12 Years Review

Country: Scotland

Brand: Grand Old Parr

Bottled by MacDonald Greenlees, Edinburgh

Type: Blended Whisky

Age: 12 Y

Alcohol: 40%

Colour: Golden Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: First impressions are Malt, Oak, Toffee, Orange and a tad (Peat) Smoke. There is a light sour Rubber-like off-note suggesting the use of some Refill Ex- Sherry casks. In the background some Leather, Raisins, Pineapple and spices like Clove and Cinnamon.

Taste: Sweet Cereals, Malt, Brown Sugar, Pepper, Oak, Tobacco and Cinnamon.

Finish: Initially Sweet but Quite Dry in the end. Malt, light Peat, Pepper and a bit of Honey and Lemon. Licorice after a couple of minutes.

When adding a couple of drops of water you get more Malt, Toffee and Peat on the Nose. The Palate gets a little watery. The Finish starts sweet but some Licorice pops up and it ends up dry. You can experiment a bit with a few drops of water.

Rating: 79  

Nose: 20 – Taste: 20 – Finish: 19 – Overall: 20

Cragganmore

General Remarks: This blend is named after Thomas Parr, an Englishman said to have died at the age of 152 years and nine months. Thomas was renowned during his lifetime for his wisdom and maturity. He was interred at Westminster Abbey in the year 1635. The Blend was introduced by the Greenlees brothers in 1871. Today, the two main suppliers of Malt whisky for this Blend are owned by Diageo, namely Cragganmore and Glendullan. The packaging is very retro and the bottle is quite old-fashioned as well. South America has always been one of the main markets for Old Parr. In Western Europe this Blend disappeared in the 80's. The average price is around 35 US Dollars (April 2017)

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay (Score: Parr)

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Good

Conclusion: Well, I’m afraid you’ve heard and read this story before. It’s not a bad Blend but it’s a bit boring and utterly forgettable. It's quite inoffensive but I can’t really recommend it either. When you get a bottle, best drink it on the Rocks!

Jan van den Ende                                                                   June 17, 2012

Glendullan

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Country: Scotland

Brand: Grand Old Parr

Bottled by MacDonald Greenlees, Edinburgh

Type: Blended Whisky

Age: 12 Y

Alcohol: 43%
Miniature received as a gift from my parents in law. Thanks a lot! According to them it was purchased somewhere in the late 1970's or early 1980's.

Colour: Dark Ember/Copper (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Barley and Sherry are the main drivers on the Nose. This Old Parr needs a bit of air contact by the way as it only shows its deeper Aromas after a while in the glass. I find Cake baked using first class Butter, Straw, Sweet Cereals, Dried Fruit like Sultanas and Raisins, Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Pepper, Clove, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Toasted Oak and hints of Leather and tinned Pineapple. The Alcohol is not entirely integrated.   

Taste: Sweet, Pleasant and Malty with Toasted Cereals, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Toffee, Dried Fruit (Sultanas, Raisins, Figs), Straw, Honey, Toasted Oak, Orange, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and a hint of Tobacco. The ABV of 43% gives it just enough weight.

Finish: Middle-Long. Sweet at first. A little Dry and Oaky towards the end. I find Sweet Barley, Toffee, Dried Fruits, Honey, Orange - and Lemon- Peel, Toasted Oak, Menthol, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger and light Licorice.

This expression does not improve with added Water. Sip it neat. 

Rating: 83.5  

Nose: 21 – Taste: 21 – Finish: 20.5 – Overall: 21

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: When comparing these two expressions of the Old Parr 12 years I found that the basic Aromas and Flavours are not that different. The older expression benefits from the more adequate ABV of 43%. Still, there is one big difference between the two. The bottle that I bought in 2012 in Brazil is not bad but hopelessly boring and is better enjoyed over Ice. The old Expression that was bottled in the 70's/80's however is perfectly enjoyable when sipped Neat. I am fully convinced that the difference comes from the casks. In the new version I got Rubber and it probably had Sulphur as well but my Nose wasn't quite that experienced back in 2012. The result of indifferent casks. The old expression however probably used good quality 2nd Refill Ex-Bourbon - and Ex-Oloroso casks. As a result this 1970's/1980's Grand Old Parr 12 years is a very pleasant Blend. I've looked at some prices on line and you must expect to pay at least 250 US Dollar for a full bottle (April 2017). That's too expensive for what it offers of course. But without any doubt the Grand Old Parr 12 Years would have been one of my to-go-to Blends in the 70's. My score is 4 under Parr!  I was only drinking Beer and Wine at that time however! Isn't it a pity!

Stills at Cragganmore