Johnnie Walker Blue Label Blend of Rarest Scotch Whiskes

Pros: More complex and flavorful than any single malt I've had to date. Possesses remarkable character.
Cons: Pricey; limited availability. Incomprehensibly snubbed by "single malt only" disciples.

I spent this past Friday evening, and most of Saturday, at a conference held at the luxuriant Ho tel Du Pont in Wilmington, Delaware. I had been looking forward to the conference for weeks, and my anticipation had ...

Pros: Exclusive, delicate, balanced, a true hero of blended scotches
Cons: Price (and creeping higher), its still a BLENDED scotch!

In the world of Scotch, JW Blue is the clear winner for carrying the image of the most popular, well known, top-of-the-line Scotches. Most people think of it as the rarest, most expensive and probably least-likely-to-drink scotches around. I'm writing...

Pros: Complex, smooth, prestigious. An eminently drinkable Scotch.
Cons: Perhaps the price, but then... the price is what characterizes the prestige.

How I came to finally try the much-lauded Johnnie Walker Blue is an interesting story. I'm an American living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and I periodically visit my favorite bar in the city, a posh bar in a delightfully fancy restaurant in an ...

Pros: a solid-tasting blended scotch
Cons: $180 for a bottle of scotch indistinguishable from JW Black

I had a sample of the much-praised Johnnie Walker Blue Label a few nights ago, as a digestif after a steak dinner. I must say, I don't see what all the fuss is about.

I should have known from the restaurant's drinks menu that they...

Pros: Your ego needs it
Cons: Your wallet doesnt agree.

I parted from whiskeys a long time ago, when I discovered the super premium tequilas, specially extra aged ones. Johnnie Walker has always been a close friend of my tastebuds, but until now, the Black Label was on top of the preferences chart.

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Pros: Smooth, silky, spicy, strong
Cons: Expensive, Expensive, Expensive, don't tell the wife

I am not a fan of Johnnie Walker products generally. I prefer single malt Scotches, my favorite Scotch being Oban. I like a complex flavor with a nice finish, a strong bouquet, and I don't mind paying more for the quality.

I had a taste of...

Pros: Twists and turns that cascade over the palate for a quarter hour after a sip.
Cons: Too few opportunities to give it it's due time to work it's magic.

Well, last night after I finished some work in the garage, it was still kind of warm in the house so I decided to grab a little glass of the Blue and sit on the deck (a co-worker picked up a bottle at the Amsterdam Duty Free for me last week and I hadn't ...

Pros: Smooooooo.....th
Cons: Price

This is very good as far as blends go.. I had to sample it to see what all the fuss was about. It is smooth and rounded, with some nice sweetness and vanilla but has little or no charm or uniqueness, it is fairly big as far as blends go but to me it is...

Pros: aroma, body, smoothness, character, bottle
Cons: Price, availability

Of course I am going to write about the drink named after me!

After attending a Johnnie Walker tasting at the Harvard Club in Boston, I had the privalege of trying all of the labels. In the beginning of the tasting I sampled black on the...

Pros: It is Smooth.
Cons: It is too expensive and not smooth enough!

Okay. Let me start by saying this is something I would have never bought myself. My husband's boss, upon learning that I only drank scotch, gave me a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue Label for my birthday. As I do appreciate Johnny Walker Black Label on...

Pros: Smooooth; great nose; no bitterness whatsoever
Cons: Expensive; Often hard to find

Once you've had Blue, you can never go back. That's how I feel after my latest brush with the Blue a few weeks back. A friend received the Johnnie Walker sampler collection has a gift so we were presented with black, gold, and blue all at the same...

Pros: For those serious
Cons: Beware of potency

In the gallant name of "Scotch" Johnnie Walker has to be one of the top of the list..Previous siblings of, per se, Johnnie Walker Blue would be Red label and Black label, all in all it is a most acquired taste. Only a true Scotch drinker would...

Pros: flavor, bouquet
Cons: US price

I'm a long time single malt drinker, and I previously thought blends were swill. However, I was intrigued by the West Wing episode where this drink was portrayed as per ambrosia.

JWBL is everything it was cracked up to be. I won't waste your time talking about the bouquet and unbelievable flavor. I will tell you I can't stop thinking about it, and I can't wait to get home from work for another small snifter!

That said, I don't think the US price is reasonable. I strongly recommend you get a friend traveling to Europe to pick you up a bottle at duty-free. If you don't want to commit (~$110), you can usually get a half-bottle for just 450. Enjoy!

Pros: Interesting, unique, obvious quality and balance.
Cons: Thin, weaker, and younger tasting than expected. Dramatically overpriced.

I typically drink Irish Whisky and single malt Scotch but do not consider myself a snob or purist. Thus I had to try this, the most commonly revered blend, to see what was on offer, and what JW Blue had going for it that had obviously convinced many of its merits.

Indeed, this is a smooth, and balanced, and rich spirit, but I was struck by the lack of texture and mouthfeel. It did not, in any way, taste even remotely as old as the hype and mythic status the Blue enjoys would seem to indicate. There were more than a few notes that I would have loved to tasted more of, but they were buried in the mix. The nose did not compare to a lot of single malts I enjoy, most far less expensive.

This would be a lovely blend and spirit that I'd likely drink more of, if it cost half as much -- because it tastes like it should.