Considered the most popular whisky brand on the planet, the best Johnnie Walker Label whisky offers the perfect blend for every taste and occasion. Some labels are smoky and earthy, while others are fruitier and sweeter.
The Johnnie Walker ‘core’ whisky range currently has seven distinct labels for your enjoyment, Blue, Red, Green, Black, Double Black, Gold Label Reserve, and Johnnie Walkers Aged 18 Years. In this article, I’ll be deep diving into each one.
Most Popular Johnnie Walker Label Whiskies
From the super smokey Double Black Label to the fresher and fruitier Green Label, each Johnnie Walker Label whisky has its own personality. Here are 7 of the best to consider.
1. Johnnie Walker Red Label
Overview
- Distiller: Johnnie Walker
- ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
- Country: Scotland
- Colour: Honey
Review
The pioneering blend introduced Johnnie Walker Red Label whisky to the world in 1909. This whisky is elegantly blended with different malts and grains sourced from Scotland’s east and west coasts.
This vibrant combination of bold and peated whiskies gives this label its deep flavours and signature kick. An excellent whisky all-rounder for whisky beginners and ideal for sipping or as a quality cocktail base.
On The Nose
The fresh, zesty scents of citrus fruits are warmed with cinnamon and smoke.
On The Palate
The aromatic opening combination of pepper-dusted citrus and spice brings sweet caramel and cinnamon flavours mid-palate. Drifts off in a long signature Johnnie Walker spicy smoked finish.
Best Served
Johnnie Walker Red Label is best served as a Johnnie & Ginger Highball with ginger ale and a dash of lime juice. A refreshing tipple to enjoy on a sweltering day.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
2. Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Overview
- Distiller: Johnnie Walker
- ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
- Country: Scotland
- Colour: Soft Gold
Review
The decadent Johnnie Walker Blue Label was inspired by the Old Highland Whisky crafted by Alexander Walker in 1867. Due to the high standards required for this whisky, selecting the perfect cask was extremely difficult, making this whisky rare.
Today only one in every ten thousand casks matches the strict standards and has the characteristics of producing this exquisite and premium blend of Johnnie Walker Blue Label for the connoisseur.
On The Nose
Mellow aromas of spice, vanilla, honey, and subtle hints of oak.
On The Palate
Caramel and dried fruits to start, with smooth flavours of vanilla and dark chocolate mid-palate. Smoky hazelnut on the finish with a touch of lingering honey.
Best Served
Enjoy the full complexity of all the different notes of this remarkable blend in a Johnnie Walker Gentleman’s Wager while watching the sunset with friends.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
3. Johnnie Walker Black Label
Overview
- Distiller: Johnnie Walker
- ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
- Country: Scotland
- Colour: Amber
Review
Johnnie Walker Black Label is made from expertly crafted single malts and grains, then aged no less than 12 years. This is one of Johnnie Walker’s bestselling labels, robust yet not quite as refined as the Blue Label.
Related: Jameson Black vs Johnnie Walker Black
On The Nose
Decadent scents of sweet tropical fruits and smooth, rich vanilla.
On The Palate
Rich, robust flavours of smokiness from oak casks are infused with sweet toffee, orange zest and spice. The finish is long with smoked peat and dried fruits.
Best Served
Enjoy the full-bodied flavour of Johnnie Walker Black Label sipped neat over ice or a classic Whisky Godfather cocktail with a splash of Amaretto.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
4. Johnnie Walker Double Black Label
Overview
- Distiller: Johnnie Walker
- ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
- Country: Scotland
- Colour: Dark Amber
Review
Johnnie Walker Double Black Label is, to my palate, a smokier version of the original Black Label. This is a must-try whisky, excellent as a sipper, and my go-to base for a smoky Old Fashioned.
Master Blender’s Jim Beveridge adds more distinctive whiskies from the West Coast, using the bases of the malty, rich flavours of Black Label. He matures the creation in heavily charred oak barrels to craft an iconic whisky full of intense flavours.
On The Nose
Smoky BBQ aromas collide with warm hints of vanilla and a discreet citrus kick.
On The Palate
The smoke and bacon flavours strike first. Mid-palate brings smooth wood infused with creamy sweet vanilla, only to round off with a medium finish of black pepper and more smoke.
Best Served
This expertly crafted whisky’s full depth is best enjoyed in a timeless Old Fashioned stirred down with sugar and a dash of Angostura bitters served on ice for a sophisticated sipper.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
5. Johnnie Walker Green Label
Overview
- Distiller: Johnnie Walker
- ABV: 43% (86 Proof)
- Country: Scotland
- Colour: Pale Gold
Review
Johnnie Walker Green Label is, I feel, a different beast altogether. Fresh cut grass, fruits, smoked wood, lush vanilla, and sandalwood poise to delight your tastebuds, almost like a Japanese whisky.
Made from pure single malt whiskies, Johnnie Walker Green Label is blended using 15-year-old malts. These malts come from Speyside, Highland, Lowland and the Scottish Islands and rest in oak casks.
On The Nose
A delicate mixture of fruity, floral and earthy aromas with a hint of smoke.
On The Palate
Smoky malt, infused with the crackle of black pepper plus a hint of fresh aromatic cut grass. The finish is long with spicy, honeyed vanilla enveloped in smoky oak.
Best Served
To fully appreciate the multiple layers of Green Label, serve it neat with a rock or two of ice and perhaps a dash of water to fully release the lighter aromas.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
6. Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve
Overview
- Distiller: Johnnie Walker
- ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
- Country: Scotland
- Colour: Amber
Review
Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve replaces the Johnnie Walker Gold Label 18-year-old that came out in 1920 as a celebration of the 100 years of the Walker Dynasty and whisky blending.
Masterfully blended by Master Blender Jim Beveridge, this single malt is crafted around the Clynelish single malt from the Highlands region. It also contains whiskies from the West coast.
On The Nose
An aromatic bouquet of sweet honey, caramel, spice and wood.
On The Palate
Tropical fruits and vanilla upfront. Mid-palate reveals sweet, honeyed flavours infused with floral elements enveloped in spicy vanilla. The finish is subtly sweet and smoky.
Best Served
Best served as an Old Fashioned over ice with aromatic bitters and simple syrup to bring out the signature honeyed flavours of Johnnie Walker Black Label.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
7. Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years
Overview
- Distiller: Johnnie Walker
- ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
- Country: Scotland
- Colour: Gold
Review
Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years, proves the old adage that ‘all things come to those who wait’. This 18-Year old beauty is both aromatic and flavoursome plus far less smoky than the Black and Double Black labels.
This whisky is made using blends aged at least 18 years, and this award-winning blend comprises 18 different whiskies from all four corners of Scotland. Originally named the Platinum Label, it was later rebranded as Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years.
On The Nose
Rich tropical fruits, caramel, toffee, dark chocolate.
On The Palate
Opens with tangerine and spiced malt. Mid-palate reveals vanilla and almonds. The finish brings dark chocolate and a hint of cinnamon and smoke. Check out Glenfiddich 18 Year Old for something similar but less smoky.
Best Served
Another truly delightful blend from Johnnie Walker’s house that should be enjoyed neat poured over ice. As per my How To Taste Whisky Guide…try a splash of water to elevate this whisky’s rich, complex flavours.
Pricing & Info
You can check the latest pricing, product information, and order online.
Andrew’s Top Pick
Johnnie Walker Double Black Label Whisky
My Top pick is Johnnie Walker Double Black Label, as I love the depth and smokiness of it. Vanilla and woody tones also appear, as does a distinctive bbq/bacon flavour that is so moreish. Works incredibly well in an Old Fashioned cocktail too.
History Of Johnnie Walker Whisky
Everyone knows Johnnie Walker whisky and its slogan of ‘Keep Walking’, but there is more to it. It all started when John Walker was born in 1805 in Kilmarnock, Scotland, but lost his father as a young teen in 1819.
His Trustees sold the farm he grew up on to set him up in an Italian warehouse, grocery, and wine and spirits store in 1820. John started to sell spirits, including rum, brandy, gin, and whisky.
During those times, the blending of grain and malt whiskies was banned. John started selling his own blends of malt and grain whiskies according to his clientele’s requirements. Not having a brand of his own, he began to sell the blended malts under his full name, Johnnie Walker.
Conclusion
Johnnie Walker’s range started in humble beginnings in 1820 with a 15-year-old boy who had a head for business and has been passed down through generations to become a true icon of whisky today.
Each complex whisky is preferably enjoyed neat or in a classic cocktail such as an Old Fashioned. These elegantly crafted whiskies can appeal to a broader audience when mixed with some favourites such as soda, ginger ale, and coke.
Don’t forget the limited edition versions produced with some opulent whiskies perfectly blended and decanted in exquisite bottles that add more scope to the range.
Further Reading
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