JW Black Label

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

A friend of a friend bunkered a lot of JWB here in Japan back in the 70s and 80s during what is called the Bubble Economy. At that time is was viewed as a super premium brand and was very expensive. Now it is fairly inexpensive, maybe a little more than $20 US.

Ed

[OscarV]

A Persian friend of mine said in the Middle East you have to be careful when buying JWB over there because there are a lot of fakes.

The last one I had was about 8 years ago a friend gave it to me for Christmas.

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

I picked up a bottle the other day after reading this thread.

Nice smoke, not enough of it IMHO. Nothing wrong with the stuff really, but I was underwelmed.

Ed

[RoyalWater]

I can't quite decide whether I like Walker Black or Cutty Sark better. I buy Cutty though because it's under $20 but Walker Black is over $30. I like J&B best with soda but it doesn't hold up to Cutty or Walker straight. Maybe my taste is strange because most folks I know won't drink Cutty Sark straight.

[AVB]

Cutty is presumed to have the lowest percentage of scotch in it. I've heard as low as 15% so the blender must be hitting your flavor profile pretty well.

[Frodo]

Maybe my taste is strange because most folks I know won't drink Cutty Sark straight.

Cutty Sark is one of the few value blends that I actually have a good memory of drinking. Nothing too complex, but I did remember liking it...

[craigthom]

According to Michael Jackson Talisker is responsible for that sharp peaty note in JWB, and I'll take his word for it.

I've toured the Talisker distillery and was told that something like 80% of their output is put into blends. I think that's true for most distilleries. The trendy single malt market is relatively young and it still makes up a small percentage of what people buy.

Every blended Scotch, no matter how cheap, has single malts in it, and companies like Johnnie Walker aren't distilleries; they are blenders and bottlers.

[Joeluka]

companies like Johnnie Walker aren't distilleries; they are blenders and bottlers.

That's not really true. Diageo blends and bottle's JW. They also bottle these blends, Bells, Buchanan's, Black & White, Haig, Dimple(Pinch), J&B, Old Parr, White Horse, and several lesser know brands. Now all these blends are blended using Single Malts from Distilleries that Diageo owns and operates. They are Cardhu, Caol Ila, Talisker, Cylnelish, Cragganmore, Dalwhinnie, Glen Elgin, Glen Ord, Glenkinchie, Knockando, Lagavulin, Oban, Royal Lochnager, plus several closed distilleries.

Diageo can then in turn use all the different single malts they make to achieve all the blends flavor profiles. Most blends are owned by giant coporation's that also own distilleries too. IMHO I tend to consider these blends distilled and bottled by their companies. Diageo owns them all so it's all their Scotch.

[mier]

I prefer the green label,far better.

Eric.

[aarkwilde]

When I was a young teen I had a friend who's parents didn't drink at all. But they kept a few bottles in the house for company, and one was JWB. I used to sneak capfuls whenever it occured to me.

It's good stuff.

[jcusey]

Glenlivet is a classic Speyside single malt - little or no peat, and at least some of it is aged in sherry casks. Others in that vein would include Aberlour, Glenrothes, and Macallan; note that Macallan "Fine Oak" is aged only in bourbon barrels.

I realize that this is an old post, and I'm really not trying to be pedantic. However, one of The Glenlivet's claims to fame is that it is one of the few Scotches that is aged in 100% ex-bourbon barrels (at least the 12 year old version is; other versions may spend time in French oak casks or other types of barrels). Macallan's Fine Oak range is not aged exclusively in ex-bourbon barrels but rather a combination of ex-bourbon barrels, Spanish oak (Quercus robur) casks seasoned with sherry, and American oak (Quercus alba) casks seasoned with sherry. Mainline Macallan is aged exclusively in Spanish oak casks seasoned with sherry.

It is my recollection that the predominant flavoring whisky in JWB is Cardhu. I also seem to recall that the SMS purists decry the fact that JW uses up so much of the precious Cardhu for blending stock and releases so little of it as single malt. It is supposed to be a great whisky.

Cardhu is indeed one of the principal flavoring malts that Diageo uses for Johnnie Walker whiskies, although I'm not certain of how much it influences the Black Label. (Diageo is trying for different flavor profiles out of the Red, Black, Green, Gold, and Blue -- it's not the case that Black is Red with more aging and so on; the actual blend will be very different for all of the various expressions). What happened is that Cardhu for some reason exploded in popularity in Spain a few years ago -- apparently, Cardhu and Coke was the drink to have there. Diageo couldn't keep up with the demand in the Spanish market for Cardhu single malt and still have sufficient stocks for blending, so they created something new: Cardhu Pure Malt, which was a vatting of a number of single malts, packaged and labeled in a manner very similar to the Cardhu single malt. This caused something of a scandal because of the inherent deceptiveness of the marketing, and the result was that Diageo had to pull the Pure Malt version of Cardhu and that the British government promulgated new regulations to prevent something similar from happening again. I have never had Cardhu; but from what I have read, it's a good whisky but probably not one of the universally-acknowledged classics of the genre.

As for JW Black, it is what it is: a very good, ubiquitous, utterly reliable blend. I wouldn't turn down a bottle of it, and I would happily order it in a bar if I felt like a Scotch and the bar's selection was dodgy.

[ACDetroit]

As a member of the walking man society I’ve been invited to a couple JW tastings in the Detroit area. The first was a walk with Black. Picture walking into a banquet hall (room) at a Ritz Carlton with tables and chairs set up for a couple hundred people. In front of each chair was a place mat with 5 shot glasses of Scotch, the 2 on the right and left were single malts with Black in the middle. It was very educational with a host narrated video and explanation of how these 4 singles was blended to make Black. I really found an appreciation for Black that night.

Second event was a tour of JW in Detroit and we tasted all the flavors if I remember correctly:

JWR (mixer) great with Ginger Ale, Soda etc

JWB (Neat, Rocks or Mixer)

JWG was in the freezer and served cold (just pure heaven in a glass). You could taste the honey comb in this scotch.

JWG comes from a rainy region and you can taste it in this bottle, I really enjoy the green and keep it at home.

JWB Tops them all IMO it's in the mid 2 hundreds in my area so I don't keep it but if you get the opportunity when out I would highly recommend it after dinner.

Sorry for the ramble as I'm not a scotch guy but Johnnie Walker has a great line up in many price ranges. Enjoy

Cheers!!

[bluesbassdad]

T.C.,

Do I understand correctly?

1. JW Black is a blend of only four malts (plus what else?).
   
2. Company reps divulged the proportions to all in attendance.
   
3. You found chilling improves the flavor of JW green label.

I seldom drink whisk(e)y these days, but there was a time when I regarded JW black label, which I always have on hand, as the scotch equivalent to Wild Turkey 101. By that I mean good-to-best value for my money and a good representative of the type.

However, JWB would never become a staple for me when I can get 1.75 L. of WT 101 for about the same price or a 750 of Wild Turkey Rare Breed for a few dollars more.

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[AVB]

JW Black is far more then 4 malts and grain but obviously I don't know what they all are. I've regularly heard it is up to 40 different whiskies.

For some reason JW Gold is suggested to be served ice cold, I have no idea why as it does nothing for me when it is cold like that.

[ILLfarmboy]

I prefer in descending order JW Gold, JW Green and then JW Black. I will say sometimes Green strikes me as better than Gold. Both are very good!

I can't see why anyone would want to drink them ice cold. But then again I'm not an "on the rocks" drinker. I think the cold temps blunt the flavor too much, especially with higher proofs. However, I do on occasion drink the cheaper (less pot still character) Irish whiskeys like standard Jamesons with plenty of ice. I let the ice melt quite a bit so it's sort of a whiskey and water with very little water.

[ACDetroit]

At the tasting held by JW they served the gold chilled and that was the first time I had had it. I found it very good. It frosted the glass as they served it.

The Black was made up of several blended whisky’s and 4 single malt scotches. We were able to try the singles first and then chalenged to find those flavores in the last glass which was JWB. If I can remember there was one that was quite fruity one was grainy, one char or smokey, I can not remember the fourth but the experience they walked you through was very cool. Each of these was served neat and you had a glass of water and a straw. The guide had everyone try each neat and then with a half straw of the water. It was very educational to see how a little bit of water can really open up the flavors that can be hidden by the proof or alcohol burn.

Sorry for the vagueness it was about 5 years ago and many new bottles have passed since.

AVB good to see you here as well!!

[jwrussell]

Can't answer the poll because I haven't had any blends better than JW Black, but I haven't been trying any either. I like JW Black. If I want something different, I'm trying a Single, not a Blend.

[CrispyCritter]

JW Black, to me, is a solid, consistent blend - and it's available just about everywhere. I have certainly had better blends (such as Compass Box Asyla, or especially Campbeltown Loch 25yo), but those suffer from limited availability for the Compass Box, to utter non-availability for the CL25.

I have one last bottle of CL25, and it's not getting opened until I finish my also-irreplaceable Ardbeg 1977 - and that's very much a special-occasion pour! I could kick myself for not snapping up as many CL25 bottles as I could get when it was on the store shelves.

[whiskeyhatch]

I'd be interested to see what the folks across the pond say about this stuff. I don't have a lot of experience with blends. I drink single malts (particularly from the Islays). But I have had JWB and I like it a lot. I won't turn my nose up to a whisk(e)y just because it's a scotch, and I won't turn my nose up to a scotch just because it's a blend. JWB is good stuff. Maybe some day I'll be able to compare it to the Blue, Green and Gold.

[Vange]

For me, JW Black is good on the rocks. A bit tougher to take neat. JW Gold is I think the best of the JW products. JW Blue is very good, but VERY VERY smoky tasting and probably not for everyone. JW Green I had once and remember being unimpressed for a vatted malt.

[sku]

I think JWBlack is a pretty reliable blend to get at a bar or party where there is not anything more interesting being offered. I prefer it to Dewars, Cutty Sark and other comparable blends that are often offered side by side.

I don't care for JW Red, and I haven't had any of their other colors, though I might pick up a bottle of gold after reading Jim Murray's raves about it in his most recent Whisky Bible.

[bongoman]

"Each day I have some 6,000 whiskies to choose from for a social dram if I want one. And at least once a week I will sample a Black Label. While the single malt revolution continues unabated, it is a shame that whisky lovers do not use this as a yardstick. They will find that very few malts can match this for complexity. This is the Savoy, the Everest of Deluxe Whiskies: there is not a blender who would not give their right arm - or even their left one - for the recipe of this supreme whisky. The trouble is, even if they had it, they would then struggle to find the stock. It represents probably the best value for money of any whisky in the world.-- Jim Murray

That's some serious praise.

[Sijan]

I like JWB quite a bit. Talisker is definitely a strong influence in it; as a Talisker fan, I enjoy that smoke & spice element.

JW Gold is also very nice. And I also keep mine in the freezer. It was designed as a dessert/celebration whisky and the folks at JW even recommend serving it ice cold, then holding it on your tongue and letting it warm and release the flavors. I was very skeptical at first, but I have to say it is very enjoyable when served this way.

JW Blue is good too, but overrated and not worth the price.

[Gillman]

A business contact gifts me Johnnie Walker Red each year. I still have most of last year's and did a side-by-side with this year's. While recognisably the same brand, this year's was in my opinon much better, being softer and with less apparent grain whisky bite. Also, the current one had more depth and taste I thought, seemingly more of a Speyside note. As someone who admires good blending skills, the current bottling is a textbook example. Black label is good but I find it has a marked effect of its grain whiskies, and as was mentioned, needs ice to soften its edges. Gold is usually very good. Blue too but is in a different style and not as good as value.

I have always wanted to try Vat 69 which was the first vatted malt ever made. It is not available in Canada but I see it in the cerveserias in Spain where I am sojourning, so probably it will be essayed soon next to a cana (small draft beer).

I found the store which offers a broad range of spirits (the one I mentioned earlier on the board) but it has been closed due to the hloidays. I'll report more anon. I passed its barred windows and was wowed by a veritable wall of absinthes but of bourbon there was only "Marshall's" apparent. However I am sure other brands are within its precincts. We will see soon.

Gary

[Megawatt]

Just tried my first glass of Black Label last night. Now that I'm more accustomed to the smokiness, I found it to be quite pleasant, definitely nicer than I recall the red to be. I might buy a bottle while it's on sale, in fact...