Purchase Price: $130
Location: Duty Free Shop of Royal Caribbean's Sovereign Of The Seas
I recently purchased a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label while on a cruise to the Bahamas, at $130 it was a "bargain". In most U.S. liquor stores you will find it priced between $180-$220. Even at my local Navy Exchange (tax-free) it costs $170. While I do prefer single malt scotch for the most part, I am not one of the "Single Malt For Life" Gangstas. There are many fine blended scotches, and Johnnie Walker is the best known brand worldwide.
Blue Label is the face of the brand, besides some very expensive ($2000+) collector's editions of Blue Label and the hard to find Johnnie Walker Swing. It is their top of the line whisky.
First their is the presentation of the bottle. Whether you buy Johnnie Red, Black, Green or Gold, you are buying it solely for the contents of the bottle. While the contents of Blue Label are superior, the packaging is a selling point as well.
As you can see in the photo I took above, Blue comes in a silk lined box, with a collector's book that tells you some info about the Walker family history, as well as the bottle you have just purchased. Each bottle is also individually numbered. Mine is Bottle No. LA 245147 JW.
Now onto the good stuff that is inside the bottle.
The first thing I noticed is that Blue has a very unique nose to it, as compared to the rest of the JW family. It has a bittersweet scent, but not an overpowering one. Many scotches will give your nose a bit of a burn if you inhale them very deeply, not so with JW Blue. It is really a nice bouquet. While I'm not yet skilled enough to find all of the different scents, I would describe it as smokey, peaty/salty and as odd as it may sound, a bit fruity. The peat and salt smell is soft and pleasant, for me it brings to mind Bluefishing on Long Island Sound with my grandfather.
JW Blue certainly lets you know when it has arrived, a strong burst of smokiness and a warmth that cant be equalled by the other Walker labels. It is a peaty drink, one that lingers. You will notice the aftertaste hanging around for a while longer than you may be used to with Black or Red label especially. I would say that is a good thing, when a scotch tastes this good I don't mind it reminding me of that fact for a few minutes.
This is one drink you will not want to cut with water, or drink on the rocks. Straight really is the only way to go. Cutting it with a teaspoon of distilled water did not add to it, as it does with some others. It really detracted from the straight side.
Overall I enjoyed JW Blue very much. Would I pay around $200 for a bottle of it? I would, perhaps on an annual basis. This is a whisky I wouldn't want to drink every day, it is really a treat to have the "best" of the blended, once a year is just the right amount for me....and my wallet. But really, while it is a good scotch, there are many more affordable ones I would recommend over it, the thing that adds to Blue Label is that it is actually a conversation piece. The slanted label of the Walker brands are easily recognized even by those who don't drink scotch, and the Blue Label is just rare enough to catch the eye. Good for the drink and good for the look, that's how the good folks in Kilmarnock market it, and they've been succesful for a reason.
Cheers
www.johnniewalker.com
