At For Peat' Sake you are the whiskey expert. All of our whiskey reviews have been submitted by whiskey drinkers like you who want to help others by sharing their experiences. We encourage you to help us grow by signing up and reviewing the whiskey you drink.
Johnnie Walker Red Label Reviews
- Distillery
- Johnnie Walker
- Style
- Blended
- Release
- Unspecified
- Age
- Unspecified
- Alcohol
- 40% abv.
- Region
- Scotland
- Bottled For
- Distillery
- Buy Now $19.97 WineChateau.com
- Buy Now $27.97 WineChateau.com
- Buy Now $31.97 WineChateau.com
- see all offers
Johnnie Walker Red Label with its distinctive and exuberant flavors was created to be drank as a long drink -- a favorite choice for every day celebrations. It was originally known as Extra Special Old Highland Whisky and was introduced as Red Label in 1909 to suit a new generation of whisky drinkers.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Fyoder
- Color
- honey
- Nose
- nail polish remover
- Body
- thin, smooth
- Palate
- sour, bitter, salty
- Finish
- warm, long, simple.
Costs half as much as something good, and is half as good as something costing twice as much.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Jim Ruddy
- Color
- Warm Honey
- Nose
- A little peat, a little fruit, hints of malt
- Body
- A little thin, smooth
- Palate
- Malt and Grain, a little sweetness
- Finish
- Hot, some smoke, some peat
Not an offensive blend considering the price.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Mandrake
- Color
- Light caramel
- Nose
- Fusel alcohol and chemical burn.
- Body
- Thin and sharp.
- Palate
- Bitter alcohol.
- Finish
- Short and hot.
God this is awful.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Prosper
- Color
- carmel amber
- Nose
- acetone, solvent smell. Like rubbing alcohol. There is a slight smoky peat zing in the background
- Body
- thing, zingy and sharp
- Palate
- it tastes like it smells. Foul, somewhat sour.
- Finish
- short hot alcohol burn, Not much flavour (thankfully)
truly a horrid blend. It's surprising how bad this stuff is. The only real use I can think of for this stuff is as a mixer. The next step up in the JW line, the black, is a MASSIVE improvement and actually an enjoyable drink.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Heavy
- Color
- Full golden.
- Nose
- Wood, earthy touch, lot of alcohol, a bit smoky.
- Body
- Thicker nice legs, medium body, smooth.
- Palate
- Lot of peat, spicey (pine, dirt and damp)
- Finish
- Pretty short with peat and quite hot.
Well, what can you expect for that price than cheapish flavor, not completely balanced. It's drinkable, but not particularly enjoyable and still not the worst I've tried.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Fuel
- Nose
- Fuel
- Body
- Watery
Probably the most overrated drink ever.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Normec
- Color
- dark amber
- Nose
- malt ,peat ,oak ,vanilla ,orange ,black pepper
- Body
- smooth ,medium bodied
- Palate
- malty and honey sweetness ,fruity (apple ,orange) ,spicy (black pepper) ,peanut ,vanilla and oaky notes
- Finish
- short. oak ,honey ,peanut ,vanilla
just johnnie everybody know it
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Dark(ish) honey. wonderful pale golden.
- Nose
- Restrained: Fruit; earth: (hint of) peat. Toffee. Vanilla(ish).
- Body
- Thin(ish) but very nice with it.
- Palate
- Sweet-earthy-spring-automn-British-army-manouvres, Toffee. Faint vanilla.
- Finish
- Slow and mellow. Warming
Good. Sexy. Probably a good target for single malt snobs, but different animal so different rules. Very (too?) smooth. If it was more expensive would be better appreciated (but I won't complain!)
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Butterstotch
- Color
- amber
- Nose
- Smoky and Medicinal (in a bad way)
- Body
- moderate body and heat
- Palate
- Tastes like smoky listerine
- Finish
- The heat lasts a while and numbs your tongue. The smoke flavors linger
I feel like i wasted my money on this bottle. The name is recognizable but the taste is one that i want to forget.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- straw gold
- Nose
- faint vanilla honey, tender in it aroma yet strong and sharp in it own unique way
- Body
- moderate thick , warm and tender , more feminine than you first expected
- Palate
- bitter-sweet, honey and chocolate
- Finish
- moderate long , not so hot and faded away beautifully
a very sensitive taste that might be a bit harder to catch, great for it price ofcause would be my choice anytime of the day.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Vava
- Color
- honey golden
- Nose
- alcohol yet hid within was a caramel-like hoeny smell
- Body
- tender and moderate thick
- Palate
- bitter-sweet, very feminine in it own unique way
- Finish
- quite short but faded away beautifully
enjoyable in anytime of the day and great for it price
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by ColoradoDram
- Color
- Light amber.
- Nose
- Nondescript distilled youthful alcohol.
- Body
- A bit oily, but disappears quickly when mixed with saliva.
- Palate
- Some floral and sweet background.
- Finish
- None, then bitter aftertaste.
Somewhere there is Coke begging for the honor to be mixed with this blended scotch and ice. If you want an everyday 'drinking man's' blend, then shoot for Pig's Nose.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by MikePio
- Color
- Pale Copper, Pale Amber
- Nose
- Hints of Oak, Cherry and other slight fruity smells
- Body
- Light and lacking overall thickness
- Palate
- Fruit, Cedar, Alcohol, Spice
- Finish
- Nice finish, not harsh, leaves a pleasant taste for quite some time
A very nice Whiskey! I fell in love with the smell the first time, though the taste was not as riveting, regardless this Whiskey will have a place in my cabinet! Solid bourbon.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Golfer Bill
- Color
- golden amber
- Nose
- smokey heavy alcohol scent
- Body
- gritty, rough burning
- Palate
- a camp fire
- Finish
- short burning with a smokey tail
Suitable to mix only
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by THE DRUMMER
- Color
- light gold
- Nose
- inviting, vanilla, bakery drafts,lumber yards promising...
- Body
- smooth tolerable low in proof
- Palate
- Instant metallic flavor at the start, distorting surrounding flavors of vanilla, pastry, smoke, faint peat, drywall dust
- Finish
- quick decay of mild aftertaste, pleasant.
Just avoid. If it wasn't for the blast of canned food tin at the start, it would be a dependable cabinet grabber. The best blends you can get is Ballentines Finest and Johnny Walker Black. well priced to.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- Alcohol and nutty
- Body
- Thick
- Palate
- Alcohol is the strongest, but a little bit of nutty and spice.
- Finish
- Hot and long.
I have tasted JW Red Label side by side with Ballantine’s Finest, both blended whiskies and 8 years aged. A friend of mine was present helping with his opinions. Both of us reached the same opinion: Ballantine’s Finest was much better than JW Red Label. I can say that JW Red Label is one of the most overrated whiskies I’ve ever tasted. The alcohol taste is very present and the smell is very poor.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Drunk&dangerous
- Color
- golden
- Nose
- alcohol
- Body
- alcohol
- Palate
- alcohol
- Finish
- spirit coming up from your throat
i really dont underestand the popularity of this beverage... it has no interesting taste, everything is killed with strong sense of alcohol. for me it is hard to underestand how same producer produces black label and red label, as black label is totally ok whiskey. save yourself one mean hangover and get bottle of vodka instead.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Gold
- Nose
- Alcohol
- Body
- Alcohol
- Palate
- Alcohol
- Finish
- Alcohol
Whisky? i wouldnt even call it Whisky.. Since it's taste is very poor and only smells Alcohol.. please spare your money for something better
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Roggs
- Color
- Amber + 2
- Nose
- Mainly Alcohol. This isn't a nosing whisky. Star with Johnnie Black if you want to nose, french kiss, and make love to your whisky.
- Body
- A little rough. This is young whisky, it will burn your mouth, so drink it slowly.
- Palate
- Wood and Smoke, a little fruityness in the mix.
- Finish
- Weak finish, light peat and wood.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Jerzy
- Color
- pale amber
- Nose
- Smoke, alcohol, faint sweetness.
- Body
- Light bodied, water like
- Palate
- Follows the nose, smoke, alcohol, slight sweetness, maybe a hint of nutty vanilla.
- Finish
- Smoke and alcohol linger for a short period, warm but not harsh.
This is not a neat drinkers whisky. Pour it over a few ice cubes and you've got a decent dram. For the price it's worth keeping in the cabinet.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Reddish amber.
- Nose
- Simple, earthy notes with a hint of vanilla.
- Body
- Light body.
- Palate
- Slight peat taste, smoke, amber, dark fudge and vanilla. This taste does not linger on but fades as soon as you sip another.
- Finish
- Hot and heavy finish for an 80 proof bottle. Drink it only if you have nothing else in your disposal.
This is a sipper indeed. Grab your ice with this one. Add coke only if you have too.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Eye-lah Guy
- Color
- Light amber
- Nose
- Delicate vanilla
- Body
- Light, sunny
- Palate
- Sparkling clean taste of a Speyside malt, with clear grains giving way to the slightest oak char; solid balance
- Finish
- Warm and sweet with apricots and pears
Much superior to my last tasting, a solid blend with Speyside roots.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Den Ewout
- Color
- light gold
- Nose
- Alcohol.
- Body
- Thin, felt watery.
- Palate
- Alcohol. Reminded me of drinking jenever instead of whiskey.
- Finish
- Burn/Numbness in the mouth. Lacking aftertaste.
Awful to consume neat.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Anonymous
This whiskey is only good in coctails, that's all there is to it, nothing more my fellas; but even in cocktails I'd use a J&B Rare instead of JWRL.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Carmel
- Nose
- Medicine
- Body
- Thin
- Palate
- Medicine forced down your throat as a child.
- Finish
- Long and bad. I couldn't get a sip of coke soon enough.
Only good for a mixer. Probably not even that. It's horrible neat. I mean horrible.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Monaco
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- smells like a dirty bar
Agree with other reviewers, don't drink neat. Despite the value, not sure I'd buy again, even if just for mixing.
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Light amber. A bit of caramel is in here, especially considering how young all of the whiskies in here probably are.
- Nose
- Alcohol, grain, slight smoke and peat.
- Body
- Light.
- Palate
- Grain sugar, a small dash of peat, a puff of smoke, and some cheap malt. Seems to get grainier with time.
- Finish
- Short whisp of malt, pepper, and slight peat.
In the category of no-age statement, economy blended scotch, an okay blend. For a few bucks less, Teacher's and Black Bottle are superior buys, however.
