Review by: The Muskox
When I was writing up yesterday’s review and went to save it in my Johnnie Walker folder, I noticed this review sitting there and asked myself, “did I end up publishing that?” Turns out I reviewed this whisky last summer and promptly forgot about it! The rest of the review from here on is just my notes from the time. Important context: I had just been in Scotland.
Don’t worry, I didn’t waste precious dram time in Scotland on Johnnie Walker – this was part of my whisky group’s “Ghost Stories” tasting of whiskies from dead distilleries. The main events included Millburn, Caperdonich, and Littlemill, with this one thrown in as a blind to see if it could compete with the big boys.
Distillery: A blend of malt whiskies from Glenury Royal, Glen Elgin, Glenkinchie, Glenlossie, Inchgower, and Pittyvaich with grain whiskies from Cambus and Cameronbridge.
Bottler: Diageo.
Region/Style: Blended scotch whisky.
ABV: 43.8%. Cask strength.
Age: No age statement.
Cask type: Undisclosed.
Price: N/A, sample.
Color: Colour added. Chill-filtered.
Nose: Gentle and sweet. There’s a rich and fragrant apple note sitting right out front. Floral flavours, muscat grapes, dried currants, shortbread, toasted rice, and white chocolate. A very soft hint of ashy smoke in the background.
Palate: Light texture. Rich and toasty flavours of toffee and smores, with another slight hint of smoke here. There’s even a hint of old-bookshop mustiness to suggest that there’s some older whisky in here. Fragrant oolong tea and grapefruit pith.
Finish: Medium-short. Flavours turn darker here as the oak comes in. Burnt sugar, cooked dark fruits, toasted coconut, and a little rose.
Conclusion: In the context of the heavy hitters of the Ghost Stories tasting, this whisky absolutely did not hold up. Tasted by itself as the first dram of the night, it starts to show some character. The flavours that are here are tasty, especially that hint of something aged, and there’s very little to suggest you’re drinking a blended whisky. It’s just… so light. There’s not enough of anything. Even by the standards of lower-proof, blended whisky. It seems exceptionally mild. I won’t remind you of the price tag on this one. Glad I got to try it as a free bonus dram.
Final Score: 77.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 