His & Her Reviews: her review of Johnnie Walker Blue Label

We’re closing out Scotch 101 Week with a review of maybe *the* patient zero bottle of the modern whiskey hype craze: Johnnie Blue. To rewind to the late 1980’s/early 1990’s, the liquor scene in America was dominated by gin and vodka. The Light Whiskey experiments of the 70’s had only served to debase the already flagging reputation of American whiskey, and the hangover of Disco-era cocktails and their sugary approach still influenced bar recipes.

And then suddenly large swathes of Manhattan-based bankers and brokers became obsessed with this blue labeled whisky bottle. Maybe it was a very early Don Draper cosplay, maybe it was the marketing. But whatever the reason, Johnnie Walker Blue Label hit NYC like a meteor and became the go-to prize of the Patrick Bateman crowd, and the rest is history.

The exact blend of Johnnie Blue remains a guarded trade secret, but Mortlach, Royal Lochnagar, Caol Ila, and Cardhu have all been suspected/reported down the years. For our tastes, we suspect Mortlach and Caol Ila are here in strength.

The Lovely Assistant’s review:

Nose: There’s this odd phenomenon, for me, in which Johnnie Blue smells like bourbon if you nose it in passing, with a generalized sweetness lacking a malt whisky’s typical earthy or smoky notes. As you nose deeper, more scotch flavors slowly emerge until you’re left with a strong caramel.

Palate: It shows some bite up front despite its 80 proof, before the alcohol fades into a silky smooth, softly layered sweetness. There’s then a slightly abrupt drop off before a collection of baking spice, cinnamon, and mint emerges like a delicate layer cake. There’s such a gossamer light touch in the construction of this whisky.

Finish: More warmth than flavor driven, but a friendly cinnamon note stays with you in a medium-long finish. It is a relatively straightforward final stanza though.

Summary: This is a subtle whisky. But it isn’t subtle in a nuanced way, it’s subtle in a subtle way. The flavors are more allusions to other, more unchained whiskies; it’s a collection of dreamy mirages. It’s entertaining without ever being challenging, if that helps.

Image courtesy of Jon who also writes on Low Class & High Proof.

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