The favorite of legendary British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Red Label, is the Walker line’s most inexpensive. Inexpensive doesn’t mean low-quality. Red Label has no age statement, but this blended whisky features a nose full of malt and lemon. Drinkers get hints of butterscotch and vanilla on the palate that finish with a satisfying smoke punch.
How does one drink Johnnie Walker Red Label? It’s a reliable sipper with a cube or two, but Red Label shines in cocktails and mixed drinks. Try it in a classic scotch highball, Rob Roy, or the ubiquitous scotch and soda with a chunk of lemon.
Aged for 12 years, Black Label is a step up in price and quality from Red Label. It is a worthy sipper, with smoke and stone fruit on the nose. Its palate features a healthy dose of oak and sweet honey, but what makes this blend unique is a noticeable but gentle peat expression Liquor Shop.
Black Label is a fantastic introduction to more complex single-malt sippers, but it’s a worthy bottle in its own right.
Johnnie Walker Double Black Label
The Double Black is like the wild, younger sibling of the classic Black Label. Like the classic, it’s crafted from 30 to 40 different Johnnie Walker options. What differentiates Double Black Label is the dialed-up intensity of the smoke and wood. While the classic Black Label is smooth and easy, Double Black’s palate and finish are a roller coaster. You’ll taste smoke, baking spices, and a wallop of menthol on the finish.
Johnnie Walker Green Label
Introduced in 1997, Green Label is where the Johnnie Walker labels grow more complex. Unlike the Red and Black Labels, Green is a blend of single malts aged 15 years. The mix contains no grain whisky. It is a pricey bottle but well worth it. The nose features deep toffee and hints of seawater. The flavors are complex, heavy on cooked apples and baking spices. The finish is long on intense wood and smoke flavors, rounding out a sipping experience that pairs well with a fine cigar.
