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Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old Reviews
- Distillery
- Johnnie Walker
- Style
- Blended
- Release
- Unspecified
- Age
- 12 Years
- Alcohol
- 40% abv.
- Region
- Scotland
- Bottled For
- Distillery
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The award winning Johnnie Walker Black Label remains as rich and smooth today as it was when Johnnie Walker's son and grandson were master blenders. It's been called "the Savoy, the Everest of deluxe whiskies" and outsells every other product in its category. That it has stood the test of time is a testament to the skills and determination of the Walker family and those who have inherited it's custodianship since.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Beautiful amber.
- Nose
- Silver tequila with underlying vanilla.
- Body
- Medium.
- Palate
- Light smoke. Not a whole lot going on.
- Finish
- Short and warm.
Decent blend, but hardly anything to write home about.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Dark Corner Poteen
- Color
- dk honey amber
- Nose
- smoke,oak,vanilla
- Body
- thin smoke
- Palate
- watered down smoke and oak
- Finish
- warm quick finish
expected a lot more after reading other reviews.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by AdmTom
- Color
- Medium amber, almost a burnt golden hue
- Nose
- Mild smoke, healthy earthiness
- Body
- A little thicker than most malts or blends I've tasted in my young Whisky-drinking life. Feels smooth as it coats your mouth.
- Palate
- This blend has a very complex flavor profile to me. It almost moves East to West across Scotland. The instant it hits your tounge it is very light and sweet like many Speysiders. It then moves to more complex floral notes, reminding me of the Highland malts I've tasted. It finishes as a mild Islay, with noticable smokiness and a reminder that you're drinking serious stuff.
- Finish
- Long, smoky finish. A mix of Highland and Islay influence, with lingering earthiness and mild peat/smoke.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- pale amber
- Nose
- Hospital smell
- Body
- NyQuil
- Palate
- Mentholatim mixed with whiskey.
- Finish
- The medicine taste lasts 20 seconds or longer.
Tasted like cough syrup.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Sideburns
- Color
- Caramel. I wonder if it's natural.
- Nose
- Some vanilla and oak. A little smoke.
- Body
- Medium body. Not syrupy.
- Palate
- Peppery. Reminds me a bit of Talisker. As it goes down, I can sense a bit of raisin and vanilla. Also a bit of smoke/peat. I like the dryness (again). I'm grateful that it's not too sweet.
- Finish
- Medium finish. The pepper and malt lingers for a short while.
So I'm doing JW Black right now. Not bad really. I wish it was peatier. I can taste Talisker. That peppery character. I like the dryness. Just more peat and I wouldn't drink anything else. It's a good "go to" dram. I'll drink this to prep for my Islays. Affordable.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Eye-lah Guy
- Color
- Medium to dark amber
- Nose
- Lively with hints of mixed fruit
- Body
- Medium
- Palate
- a bolt of fine grains, light oak, bananna almond, then oak char this particular tasting; somehow, this all balances out, becasue the master distiller knows his craft.
- Finish
- Long, warm, with heavier grains and sweet malt. Exquisite.
A go to blend of 40 whiskeys; complex and exciting, with multiple required tastings. It's $10 less than some single malts and in many ways, on par.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Raybin
- Color
- amber
- Nose
- musty
- Finish
- finish leaves a "rust" taste
not my favorite, not really a Scotch fan
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Dark amber
- Nose
- Grass cuttings and nutshells from Talisker, ditto the raisiny fruitiness that increases as the dram settles.
- Body
- Eucalyptus oil
- Palate
- Nutshells, wood, peat, smoke, giving way to raisins and other preserved fruits. None of the brininess of Talisker remains, nor does the pepper finish.
- Finish
- Short and woody.
The most famous whisky of all time and Winston Churchill's favourite drink. A standard-issue bottle to have, but surprisingly subtle when you get down to it.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Drunk&dangerous
- Color
- nice golden
- Nose
- sweet with small hint of smoke.
- Body
- oily, solid.
- Palate
- smooth with sweet smokey traces, really nothing special. at the other hand, nothing disturbing as well.
- Finish
- faints away quite fast
black label is something i call benchmark scotch < solid foundation of good whiskey but bit dull and without attitude. 69 as its good solid whiskey to drink, but really lacks character.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Blablubb
- Color
- medium amber, orange
- Nose
- Light smoke,light Hospital smell
- Body
- Full bodied.
- Finish
- long smoky finish
really enjoyable, stands out in this price range
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- A bit of the orange side of honey
- Nose
- Light smoke, lighter earth, faint cotton candy
- Body
- Smooth but whole
- Palate
- Alcoholic, earthy and faint smoke. A bit of water brings balance. Sweeter on the next sip, and the next.
- Finish
- Short finish, smoke as you exhale, then clean.
This was surprisingly good. Not a knock-out punch like Islay malts, but very nicely balanced and smooth. Also affordable. Very good default sipping whiskey.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Deep Gold, Chestnut
- Nose
- Caramel, smoke
- Body
- Full bodied, oily
- Palate
- Oiliness gives way to smoky peat, vanilla, toffee
- Finish
- Long and warming, spicy flavors
Not quite Laphroaig but a very enjoyable blend.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by ColoradoDram
- Color
- Medium-light amber.
- Nose
- Oxidizing metal (like a handful of old coins), nondescript flowers, fruit, and smoke.
- Body
- Very oily and creamy grab on the tongue. Medium-full bodied.
- Palate
- Tasty balance of fruit, flowers, pepper, and light smoke. The malt is almost lost here.
- Finish
- Peppery, medium length, medium warmth. Balances smooth and dry well.
This is a really good and consistent blend. If you just don't know what you're in the mood for (and you're not seeking to discern any complexities in a single-malt 'tasting'), then happily pour the mix of 40 that the malt masters at JW picked to bring the kitchen sink of fruit, flowers, smoke, nuts, oak, dry, creamy, smooth-finishing scotch called Black Label. I've tasted some my parents opened 20 years ago and it's as consistent as a 2008 bottle at my house.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Heavy
- Color
- Deep golden.
- Nose
- Oak, sherry, some leather or plastic notes, but nothing unpleasant.
- Body
- Good medium thick legs, smooth, but watery.
- Palate
- Oak, leather, spicy (ginger mostly) and fruity (orange peel and plums). Warming.
- Finish
- Medium-long, spicy, a bit salty. Pretty warming
This is my most often choice. It's probably the best in its price category. Simple, but truly nice blend.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Mandrake
- Color
- Warm amber
- Nose
- Darkly fruity, raisins and currants. Caramel and a hint of smoke.
- Body
- Medium body, a bit watery.
- Palate
- Blackcurrant and wood, lighter notes too. Apple and a bit of heather.
- Finish
- Slightly abrupt and not particularly well integrated. Fruity notes, hint of smokiness.
Surprisingly good blend, a massive step up from the Red.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- amber
- Nose
- burnt raisins, smoke, rich fruit
- Body
- chewy , smooth and silky.
- Palate
- raisins again, fruit, very chewy, medium smoke, perfect balance.
- Finish
- long with some bite of peat and fruit.
This is the best blend money can buy. Brilliant balance of so many layers.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
Review by Dr.Whisky
- Color
- The way orange chocolate fudge tastes
- Nose
- Sweet, apples and honey, soft brown pears, custardy cream smell, cakey, lively and fresh in the nose. malted barley and a good whisky smell. Not necessarily a peatiness, but a definite burnt or toasty character about it.
- Body
- Has a grainy assertiveness that keeps you on your toes. Tingly and warming like good ballet.
- Palate
- Subtle and constantly changing in the mouth. Starts really sweet, but a nice sweet, like kissing rather than talking about kissing. Moves into oaky territory, winey and grapey with leafy breezes of herbal tastes. Slowly developing long finish of smoky clothes sweetened with a body spray of vanilla, apples and honey.
- Finish
- Pleasantly sweet for introductions and then takes you on a pleasant ever-developing flavour ride. Long finish.
I like this stuff. Innovation in blending passed down through generations. Clever opportunism. Marketing genius. Branding and re-branding. Skill to be able to constistenly blend a tasty whisky for over 150 years. Put it in a sexy bottle to decorate our shelves and you have a world-class knock-out blend. "Maybe" at full price, "yes" on offer, "of course" at duty free (crazy deals in the middle east!!!).