In Scotland there aren’t many trees, not none but few and far between. Certainly not enough for firewood for everyone to stay warm, but they had thick bogs of peat moss everywhere. Peat moss is a thick, potently-earthy smelling moss that was easy to cut out in long thick strips like sod you would get for your yard. They would roll them into logs that looked very similar to rolled up logs of sod you would see today. They would dry those out and use those to burn to keep warm in the winter. When they began to make whiskey using malted barley, they used the only thing available to burn to smoke the barley; peat moss. By the time shipping became more prevalent and the possibility of bringing in wood to burn to smoke the barley instead of the peat was available, the pallets of the Scots had already grown not only accustomed to, but very fond of the flavors imparted by the peat. Thus it’s remained the standard, as have many other old world practices in scotch whiskey, since the beginning. Often even down to the point of maintaining a very similar process to smoke the barley, and in some cases still shifting the barley around the floor of the smoke room by hand to smoke everything evenly, which is an incredibly taxing job and where the term “monkey shoulder” comes from, referring to the dipped posture a man will develop over many years in that hunched position using a shovel for many hours a day.
Kurt, being a man of earned wisdom, assumed the viewer would understand that even though everyone has their own opinion, that doesn't exempt their opinions from being wrong.
That's how I felt about the Red Label I had; it was like licking an ashtray. It really tasted like a stale cigarette. It may have been the worst whiskey I've ever had.
Trenton summed up Johnnie Walker perfectly. I’d rather drink a bottle of iodine with a used bandaid in it than Johnnie Walker. There is so much better scotch out there at affordable prices than Johnnie Walker.
9:03 Peat is just decomposed organic matter, so dead trees, plants, shrubs, grasses, etc. There are peat bogs all over the world, but especially in Scotland. There's a difference between peat bogs depending on where they are located. For example, peat from Islay is very medicinal because of its coastal influence. Peat from the mainland of Scotland does not have this medicinal character at all. So it all depends where the peat bogs are situated, what type of vegetation grows there and which influence the air or other factors has on them. The reason they started using peat back in the day was because it was cheap and readily available, that's all it was. The peat flavour gets in the whisky during the barley drying stage, where they use either hot air or a peat fire. The molecules in the smoke that comes off the peat fire attach themselves to the barley and stay attached during fermentation all the way through distillation, which makes for either a peaty or smokey flavour - which, by the way, is not the same. Some peated Scotches are more smokey than peated, think of Lagavulin vs Laphroaig. Lagavulin is very much smokey, Laphroaig is very medinically peaty. Maltings can influence the level of smokiness vs peatiness by either using peat that's more wet vs peat that's been dried out more. I say maltings because 90% (maybe even more) of the distilleries in Scotland do not dry/malt their barley anymore, they just buy it in according to their own specifications. I often read here that people don't want to try Scotch "because it's smokey/peated" but that's just not the case. There are plenty of distilleries that use unpeated barley - e.g. most of the Lowland and Speyside distilleries.
If you have the chance to visit Balvenie you’ll see the process in house during their tour. The also talk about the one week a year they use peat in the process. Fascinating stuff.
Historical note: Johnnie Walker Red was the preferred whisky of Winston Churchill. He drank it watered down throughout the day until he got to meals where he had wine and followed with champagne and 100 year old French brandy. At any rate, thanks for a look at the Johnnie Walker lineup. Have only tried the Red Label and that was probably 45 years ago.
@@jaysidman3856 Churchill drank whisky high balls throughout his work day, wine with meals, and brandy after them. I don't know when or how he drank Gin, but he probably did so regularly. It's hard to believe how much he drank.
"......your nosing and palate is not quite trained to my level at this point." at 18:11 should become an instant classic!!! Keep it up, I learn something every time from you two in the most enjoyable and entertaining way.
Great review boys! The Johnnie Walker Green is my favorite offering from them by far…but I’ve never tried the High Rye. Looks like I’ll be picking that one up soon. It’s always a treat to see Trenton suffer through these Scotch videos! Cheers!
SLB Classics 0:15 Trenton found his non-shmedium 2:10 Kurt trying to take it easy on Trenton with scotch tasting notes 2:27 Trenton appears to try and listen to whiskey for the first time 3:02 Trenton expresses his love of scotch being forced down his throat 4:28 Trenton gets lost and mesmerized by the aroma 5:02 Trenton may have found a scotch he likes with that tasting face 6:22 Faint marker aroma 7:28 Trenton tries black again, but shakes his head in disgust again 9:05 Trenton almost learns about where peat comes from but Kurt needs to do more homework 9:58 Kurt is assigning pinning comment homework to Trenton 10:07 “double black and double bad” 11:10 Trenton needs a pallet cleanser after the double bad 11:54 Trenton is now snorting the scotch 13:02 a Cedar wood sandwich 14:00 Trenton sneaks the first sniff 14:38 Trenton is so bored with the lack of depth of flavors he yawned 16:22 Trenton nearly reverse snorts the bland scotch 16:23 Kurt, everyone has there personal pallets, Trenton (hold my beer), I feel like I just ate a cigarette from the trash of a TJ Maxx, Kurt, I take back what I said your opinion is wrong 17:10 10,000,000 casks 😮 Kurt did his HW 17:48 it’s a good thing Kurt doesn’t play poker with his poker face 18:10 Kurt lecturing Trenton on how to nose despite his surgery 18:18 Trenton lectures Kurt on not picking up cask strength 20:00 Kurt can’t stop saying creamy, hopefully doesn’t curdle in the alcohol 20:26 Trenton is impressed by Kurt’s word “tempered” 22:32 Trenton is going to willingly buy his own scotch?!? 23:28 Trenton finishing strong with a great face wipe. Claims a bug went in his nose
Great review! I’m not really an expert whiskey drinker but my brother got me a bottle of Johnnie gold and I loved it, wanted to see what RUclips had to say about it. I’m enjoying your channel very much. You guys have good chemistry! Thanks for all these great reviews and tips.
I certainly agree that it's all personal preference. I have struggled finding Scotch that I actually like to sip, but that just makes the hunt more challenging :) JW products have been a little more approachable for me. I do like the blue as well. Just can't justify the price point. I think the most I have paid for any whisky is $190, but generally stick to the
@@Arminian100 Over hyped with marketing. I bought it 15 years ago for $100, but the cheapest now is $180. Too expensive for a blended low ABV whisky. There are better options well under $100. Single malts or blended mats above 46% ABV and non-chill filtered are by favorites.
Definitely a Scotch guy here... my line up would be: Green/Blue... the order depending on the day, then Double Black, Black & closing with Red. I have not tried the High Rye or that specific Gold Label. I will give the High Rye a try based on the video... you made it sound interesting regardless of price. If I see an 18-yr Gold I may hit that one too.
Hi Kurt, Kurt here... I was a huge Blue Label customer. I would typically buy it by the case. Because I work in international banking and my wife in international economic development, we entertained very regularly asian friends, colleagues and clients. Blue Label was a very easy beverage to serve up because of its inherent quality and smooth "elegant' style. That all changed about ten years ago when JW changed not only the bottle shape, but also the quantity (750 down to 700) and evidently the blend. The quality dropped off a cliff. Because I bought so much I was invited to the offical launch here in Australia. Upon tasting the new bottling I knew immediately the enormous drop in quality. The next day I bought up 10 cases of the old bottling. Today, if you want to taste what JW Blue Label was, you need to buy JW King George V. I refuse to buy the new version... its like dish water compared to the old. Very very sad..!
Never had the high rye, so appreciate the review! My take on the rest: Red - terrible Black - decent drinking scotch, but there are much better options at that price. Great in a cocktail. Double Black - same as above, good but not great; a bit more fun served neat than the regular Black Green - excellent, best of the bunch in terms of enjoyment/money Gold - good dram, but far below average for its benchmark Blue - decadent and lovely, could be a regular buy IF it was $100-150 cheaper. As it stands, you can get a much more exciting scotch if you're shopping at this price point
Great video. I think the Green Label is the best thing they make and I actually prefer it to the Blue Label when I've been given the choice. I think when you sit with it a bit longer you definitely pull more flavors out of it. Cheers!
My experience with Johnnies from this line up: Black - smells like acetone plus light smoke, tastes too sharp to enjoy sipping Green - smells of sweet fruits and wispy peat smoke, tastes sweet and spice and lovely to sip Gold - smells of sweet fresh fruits, tastes like nuts and is too watery to enjoy sipping Blue - smells of sweet ripe fruits and peaty whiffs, tastes sweet and nutty and good to sip If you want to make cocktails - buy the Black If you want to enjoy lovely sipping whisky with a whisky lover - buy the Green If you want to drink a lot of whisky neat in a party - buy the Gold If you want to shout out that you are rich - buy the Blue (60 dollars for the whisky, 140 dollars to tell people you are rich)
So in the past you have said that the leftovers go to the Infinity bottle. Do you have a separate Scotch infinity bottle or does it all go into the same bottle?
My favorite is JW Gold 18 year old, it's much better than the "Gold Reserve", or even the Blue! Yes, Gold 18 year old is back on the shelves in some stores. Cheers!
Another great episode. I put red ahead of black as well. Green and double black are nice. I've not had the others but will have to pick up the High Rye since Rye is my go to when I am not feeling Scotch.
Thank you guys for the nice comparison. To me the Green Label is the only one worth the money. It is about 40 bucks in Germany and to me it's a very nice blend. Never had a better blend in that price range, not even up to 80 bucks. I think it is not only better value for money than the Blue Label I also prefer the Green Label over the blue compared side by side without considering the price. I recommend the Chivas Regal Royal Salute 21 as an absolute premium blend (and still less expensive than the Blue Label).
Great episode. Today I learned that despite how I like a lot of the same bourbons as Kurt, our Scotch preferences are nothing alike! I like Black. Someday I'll try Double Black, but I struggle pulling the trigger when I'm at the store and it costs the same as Ardbeg Wee Beastie.
Peat is a moss that grows in low land marshes. over many centuries, the peat partially decomposes and compresses and becomes a fuel source when cut into bricks and dried. This fuel source is used to dry and stop the malting process of live, sprouted grains. Malting of grain is necessary to increase the starch levels in some grains to provide higher fermentable sugar content to the mash. Tthe smoky flavor of scotch comes from the peat fires used to dry the malted grains that comprise the mash.
I used to be a scotch drinker and had all but the rye. My favorite was Green but then I started finding it to have a medicinal flavor. The Red was okay for the price but not so good. I liked the Black and the Double Black okay. The others not worth the price and were rather dull. When the Double Black first came out it was only available in duty free with international flights, at least only where I could find it. Also, Green label was discontinued for awhile back 10-15 years ago. Supposedly, were unable to source some of the blends.
Great video guys as always, Trenton picking Red so high, still shaking my head over that one, but what do you expect from the young bucks. Lol Just wondering if you guys have reviewed W B Saffell yet, It's a wild turkey product. Thanks
Peat is from bogs. They dig the peat out in rows and let it dry. Once it's dry, they burn the peat and the smoke passes over the malted barley before the mash is made. This carries the peaty taste over to the distillation. If you'd like a slightly peated whisky, one that is good to start your peated journey on it's the Highland park 12. The nose is so lovely, and it carries over to the palette. Fantastic whisky, and one that I would say is the whiskey to try before any peated whisky.
Following my own taste buds, I like (not love) the Black Label. I don't buy it often, though. The Gold Label Reserve is as bland as it gets, and I detest the Double Black. The Double Black just tastes burnt to me. Never tried the High Rye or Green Label. I'll have to give them some consideration, especially the High Rye. I'll skip the Red and Blue. Cheers!
Great show. FYI, JW does not have Laphroaig in the blend. They use Lagavulin from Islay and Talisker from Skye, which are the main contributors to the peaty flavors.
Great video. I love scotch. I was late to the party when it came to drinking. Baptism by fire as friends introduced me to scotch, and Islay scotch at that! The first sip had a "band-aid, asphalt taste." (Laphroaig 18). Well, several years later, scotch has become my drink of choice. Have been venturing into bourbon more recently. Your channel has been my primary source of information. Trenton, you are probably thinking betadine in regards to the topical antiseptic. That has a brown/orange color. Iodine has a deep purple color. I prefer single malt offerings over blended. This was a great review of the JW lineup.
This was really useful info. I have to fight my natural tendency to be a snob about blends in general, especially if there is anything like neutral grain spirits in them or anything like that. So I have never been interested enough to try any of the JW lineup. After seeing this, I see at least one I might actually try out. Thanks for the review...
Seeing Trenton’s slow evolution into a Scotch lover is the highlight of the past year+ watching and participating in the live shows. I knew we’d get him one day Kurt.
I've tried them all except for the High Rye and Double Black. I'm not sure I want to try the High Rye, I'm not a fan of rye. My favorite bang for the buck choice would be green.
I have seen some cask strength versions of Blue label but you have to look hard for them. Green is my personal favourite. I even have the King George limited release which is very nice also. IMHO you seem to pay for the exclusivity rather than it being better, the higher you go up the bracket.
I did a Walker tasting years ago (when they still had the age stated 18 gold), and their "claim to fame" as the taster put it was Walkers ability to paired with waters...when adding about a water cap to the green it opened up and completely changed to a different profile...and the gold (at the time) was also supposed to be kept in a freezer as the cold turned it into a almost chocolate malted bomb...just for what it's worth...I know the "purists" will hate me for this comment...
Johnnie Walker also has a "Select Casks - Rye Cask Finish" that is 10yr age stated. I had some recently at a work event. I have a co-worker who is a whiskey connoisseur, but detests scotch, and he loved it. It might be worth grabbing a bottle if you see it. I spotted it recently at the Minneapolis airport duty-free for $76. I'm not sure if it's a duty-free exclusive though. Also, thanks for the great content! I love the vibe you guys have. I'm trying to dial-in my palette, and I really appreciate your fun, informative, and comparative approach to your videos!
That's definitely a pretentious way of putting it. As if someone is only a sophisticated drinker if they enjoy lots of complexity in the taste. Blue is one of the smoothest and easiest drinking whiskys out there. If that's what someone is looking for, then Blue is perfect
Another great video I like johnnie walker I have double black ,gold reserve I have had a green label that I bought while on a cruise it was non age stated island green I have had blue also I would like to try the 15 year green and there 18 year old is now platinum label
I’ve had all but the High Rye. The 18yr Gold (Pre-Reserve) was my favorite. Best when kept in the freezer chilled. My Lineup would be: Gold, Black, Double Black, Blue, Red, Green (Rye Excluded). Johnnie Walker used to do tastings in Downtown Chicago that were fun to go to.
The one whisky missing is coincidently my favorite Johnnie Walker expression (and one of my favorite scotch whiskeys) - John Walker & Sons XR 21! I absolutely love it, but I can only get it from international duty-free shops. I've been holding onto my last few drops for a few years now until I can replace the bottle!
I'm with Trenton, I prefer the black way more than the double black. The black is to me is vanilla with a touch of campfire smoke, and that 12 year youngest age statement really comes through. I love JW black label
9:06 Peat forms in boggy ground from partly decayed vegetation. I *think* that it requires an acidic environment, but I'm not certain. The Scots and the Irish, for centuries, cut peat and dried it for heating and cooking. I believe there's a peat fired power plant in Scandinavia (Finland?), but as far as I'm aware the main use of peat today is drying sprouted barley, which is what makes a whiskey "peated." 🥃
Peat: a brown deposit resembling soil, formed by the partial decomposition of vegetable matter in the wet acidic conditions of bogs and fens, and often cut out and dried for use as fuel and in gardening. "cuttings are rooted in a homemade mixture of equal parts peat and sand"
Peat is a spongy material formed by the partial decomposition of organic matter, primarily plant material, in wetlands such as swamps, muskegs, bogs, fens, and moors.
Lots of bog in Ireland too, we still burn peat in our fires but its slowly and surely being banned. Lots of talk of what will distilleries do when the burning of peat is completely banned. Synthetic peat flavour anyone?
@@alecky1972 I have wondered when it would be banned and what the Scotch industry would do. My hubby is Irish and I'm a little also. I dream of visiting someday but age is catching up with me. I want to see Blarney Castle, which my 8th great grandfather was born. Cormac McCarty.
This was a pretty cool episode. I've recently gotten into whisky. I'd definitely love to see you guys trying some more scotches and Irish whiskey coming from the primarily bourbon perspective. Thanks!
Peated scotch takes me back to when I was 11 touring Ireland with my father. Although it was during summer, rooms that we stayed in had a similar smell.
To me, Blue tastes like a good Speyside Scotch, and Green like an average island Scotch. The problem with Blue is that one can get an equally good Speyside single malt for close to the price of Green. The island single malts blended into Green cost about the same as it, some a little more, some a little less, though Green is aged a few years longer than most of them: 15 years versus 10 or 12. Thus, I think Green is the only Johnny Walker blend that presents an appealing value proposition, making it the only Johnny Walker I'd consider buying a bottle of. It's been ages since I drank Red, all I remember is that I hated it neat. To me Black tastes like diluted Caol'Ila, I can kind of enjoy it by imaging it's Caol'Ila (one of my favourite single malts), but I only drink it at bars/restaurants with nothing better in stock. I've never had Double Black, Gold, or Platinum (the 18 y.o. one), and thus will say nothing of them.
Ive tried a few scotches. American bourbon and whiskey runs circles around scotch . I bought a bottle of that johnny walker high rye a couple of days ago and will try it later today
When peat moss is burned in the heating process, it leaves behind that signature smokey peat flavor. Not a real fan of peated whiskeys such as Laphroaig. The taste is often too overpowering for me. That said, of the lower end, I like the Black and don't really think it has that much peat flavor at all. Never had the Blue or Green -- will try the Green next. Thanks for this video!
Picked up the High Rye today when I stumbled upon it for half price. Absolutely phenomenal! Never been a Scotch guy. Nothing against it in any way. There's just other options I tend to put that money towards. With that said, I'll definitely be buying a lot more of this stuff. It's not like your typical rye whisky. It almost tastes like a slightly smoother White Label Jim Beam to me for very first split second (which I'm sorry but I personally love Jim Beam), but then it just takes a sudden complete 180 turn and you get the green apple and all the spice towards the end. This is a very good whisky that's flavorful enough to stand out, but also balanced enough that I can't picture any one single whisky drinker actually hating it.
Love this episode! Scotch is fun with yall. JW Black is my peated mixer. What about an episode ranking the blended scotches? Famous Grouse, Monkey Shoulder, JW, ect.
I was just at the Johnny Walker facility in Edinburgh a few months ago and it was a lot of fun going through the place. They had tastings and when I tried the Blue label the person pouring said some people do say the blue is more of a mellow sip. I picked up a bottle of their Harris Tweed there that I thought was fantastic and you can only get it at that facility. The only problem is now I don't want to open it!
Johnnie Walker black was my VERY first whiskey experience. It was awful and I was turned off to whiskey for years as a result. I was so glad to learn that other options would taste so much better!
Agreed. Johnnie Walker black turned me away from Scotch for 12 years. Finally I was introduced to great distillers like Balvenie, Glenfiddich, and The Dalmore. I don’t go near Johnnie Walker.
My cousin got me a bottle of Black for my bday. It's pretty tasty, I get salted caramel up front with malted chocolate on the finish. Looking forward to trying a rob Roy with it soon, if my vermouth is still good.
Not sure if this was commented but they do make a Black Label Triple Cask that is finished in rum barrels. Though it is a duty free travel exclusive. They also make another travel exclusive Green Island edition.
The only johnnie walker i buy is the black and that is only for certain cocktails like the black watch. Other than that i only buy singal malts like Glenfiddich 18 and such.
Is Johnnie Walker any good? I've only ever had the Black, when that was the only scotch this particular bar had. I could drink it, but it won't be my go to scotch. Some of their others may be better, but I haven't tried them, or wanted to.
my experience so far with peated scotches: a. more smoke and less green peat - like that in the Johnnie Black b. no smoke and more vegetal peat - like that in the Johnnie Green and Blue, in Caol Ila (earthy) and Talisker (briny) i have yet to try c. heavily medicinal iodine peat - what they say about Laphroaig
Jonny walker does have an 18 year but it’s referred to as platinum and if I’m not mistaken is a Taiwan or duty free exclusive. Green label used to be travel exclusive but you can find them stateside now.
Here in the UK you can buy some single malts, on special offer in supermarkets, for £20 a bottle. That's less than Johnny Walker. Btw, the roughest scotch imo is Bells.
Kurt, if you get a chance grab a bottle of the celebratory blend. It’s a higher proof blend, I believe over 100 which lends to a more complex sip. Excellent imho
In Sydney Australia I drink more bourbon in winter. But in summer elegant scotch is hard to beat. Springbank 10 from Campbelltown is fantastic on a hot day as are some of the Highland presentations like AnCnoc. I love peat monsters and rich toffee style bourbon, as much as I like elegance. Not finding something to like from a Blue Label is hard for me to understand.
In Scotland there aren’t many trees, not none but few and far between. Certainly not enough for firewood for everyone to stay warm, but they had thick bogs of peat moss everywhere. Peat moss is a thick, potently-earthy smelling moss that was easy to cut out in long thick strips like sod you would get for your yard. They would roll them into logs that looked very similar to rolled up logs of sod you would see today. They would dry those out and use those to burn to keep warm in the winter. When they began to make whiskey using malted barley, they used the only thing available to burn to smoke the barley; peat moss. By the time shipping became more prevalent and the possibility of bringing in wood to burn to smoke the barley instead of the peat was available, the pallets of the Scots had already grown not only accustomed to, but very fond of the flavors imparted by the peat. Thus it’s remained the standard, as have many other old world practices in scotch whiskey, since the beginning. Often even down to the point of maintaining a very similar process to smoke the barley, and in some cases still shifting the barley around the floor of the smoke room by hand to smoke everything evenly, which is an incredibly taxing job and where the term “monkey shoulder” comes from, referring to the dipped posture a man will develop over many years in that hunched position using a shovel for many hours a day.
Thanks for the information
Peat isn't moss though. It's just partially decayed bits of plants and other organic stuff.
Nobody asked....
Actually, Trenton asked. 😬😬
Also they didn't use peat to smoke barley. They used it to heat it as that's how you malt grains. The smoke was just a byproduct
Kurt: Everyone has their own palate and their own personal opinions
Trenton: It tastes like a garbage can with cigarettes
Kurt: No
¹
No is the right answer
Kurt, being a man of earned wisdom, assumed the viewer would understand that even though everyone has their own opinion, that doesn't exempt their opinions from being wrong.
That's how I felt about the Red Label I had; it was like licking an ashtray. It really tasted like a stale cigarette. It may have been the worst whiskey I've ever had.
Trenton summed up Johnnie Walker perfectly. I’d rather drink a bottle of iodine with a used bandaid in it than Johnnie Walker. There is so much better scotch out there at affordable prices than Johnnie Walker.
Time Stamps:
01:50 - Red
04:25 - High Rye
05:52 - Black
08:38 - Double Black
11:18 - Green
13:55 - Gold Reserve
16:43 - Blue
Thank You!
God bless you
9:03 Peat is just decomposed organic matter, so dead trees, plants, shrubs, grasses, etc. There are peat bogs all over the world, but especially in Scotland. There's a difference between peat bogs depending on where they are located. For example, peat from Islay is very medicinal because of its coastal influence. Peat from the mainland of Scotland does not have this medicinal character at all. So it all depends where the peat bogs are situated, what type of vegetation grows there and which influence the air or other factors has on them. The reason they started using peat back in the day was because it was cheap and readily available, that's all it was.
The peat flavour gets in the whisky during the barley drying stage, where they use either hot air or a peat fire. The molecules in the smoke that comes off the peat fire attach themselves to the barley and stay attached during fermentation all the way through distillation, which makes for either a peaty or smokey flavour - which, by the way, is not the same. Some peated Scotches are more smokey than peated, think of Lagavulin vs Laphroaig. Lagavulin is very much smokey, Laphroaig is very medinically peaty. Maltings can influence the level of smokiness vs peatiness by either using peat that's more wet vs peat that's been dried out more. I say maltings because 90% (maybe even more) of the distilleries in Scotland do not dry/malt their barley anymore, they just buy it in according to their own specifications.
I often read here that people don't want to try Scotch "because it's smokey/peated" but that's just not the case. There are plenty of distilleries that use unpeated barley - e.g. most of the Lowland and Speyside distilleries.
If you have the chance to visit Balvenie you’ll see the process in house during their tour. The also talk about the one week a year they use peat in the process. Fascinating stuff.
I‘m pretty sure lots of people can’t tell the difference between smoke and peat.
Where I live we have a thing called Peat mummies. Thatll make a good whiskey
@@Staniii2360 understandable, but that just comes with experience
A highball of Johnnie Walker Black and Ginger Ale is the perfect Summer drink. For a neat pour it's got to be the Green label
Hear, hear!
JW Green is my favorite blended Scotch.
I think thats due to no grain in the blend
The Green Label is my favorite. It is just a blend of four different malt whiskies. So good!
I am not really a scotch guy but I feel like I want to try that High Rye now.
Yes! I was thinking the same thing
Agreed
Same
Its pretty good! That classic johnnie walker all around decent smooth flavor with a rye spice that goes really well together
I find it has a nice sweetness but not as smoky as the JW Black
Historical note: Johnnie Walker Red was the preferred whisky of Winston Churchill. He drank it watered down throughout the day until he got to meals where he had wine and followed with champagne and 100 year old French brandy.
At any rate, thanks for a look at the Johnnie Walker lineup. Have only tried the Red Label and that was probably 45 years ago.
Wasn't that Joe Willie's (Namath) favorite also.
@wolfgangvonscheisskopf545 I think you may be right. That's going back to the 60's. What was his bar, Bachelors II?
I believe Winston was a Plymouth Gin Martini man
@jaysidman3856 I'm pretty sure that if it had alcohol in it Winston would drink it.
@@jaysidman3856 Churchill drank whisky high balls throughout his work day, wine with meals, and brandy after them. I don't know when or how he drank Gin, but he probably did so regularly. It's hard to believe how much he drank.
"......your nosing and palate is not quite trained to my level at this point." at 18:11 should become an instant classic!!! Keep it up, I learn something every time from you two in the most enjoyable and entertaining way.
Great review boys! The Johnnie Walker Green is my favorite offering from them by far…but I’ve never tried the High Rye. Looks like I’ll be picking that one up soon. It’s always a treat to see Trenton suffer through these Scotch videos! Cheers!
SLB Classics
0:15 Trenton found his non-shmedium
2:10 Kurt trying to take it easy on Trenton with scotch tasting notes
2:27 Trenton appears to try and listen to whiskey for the first time
3:02 Trenton expresses his love of scotch being forced down his throat
4:28 Trenton gets lost and mesmerized by the aroma
5:02 Trenton may have found a scotch he likes with that tasting face
6:22 Faint marker aroma
7:28 Trenton tries black again, but shakes his head in disgust again
9:05 Trenton almost learns about where peat comes from but Kurt needs to do more homework
9:58 Kurt is assigning pinning comment homework to Trenton
10:07 “double black and double bad”
11:10 Trenton needs a pallet cleanser after the double bad
11:54 Trenton is now snorting the scotch
13:02 a Cedar wood sandwich
14:00 Trenton sneaks the first sniff
14:38 Trenton is so bored with the lack of depth of flavors he yawned
16:22 Trenton nearly reverse snorts the bland scotch
16:23 Kurt, everyone has there personal pallets, Trenton (hold my beer), I feel like I just ate a cigarette from the trash of a TJ Maxx, Kurt, I take back what I said your opinion is wrong
17:10 10,000,000 casks 😮 Kurt did his HW
17:48 it’s a good thing Kurt doesn’t play poker with his poker face
18:10 Kurt lecturing Trenton on how to nose despite his surgery
18:18 Trenton lectures Kurt on not picking up cask strength
20:00 Kurt can’t stop saying creamy, hopefully doesn’t curdle in the alcohol
20:26 Trenton is impressed by Kurt’s word “tempered”
22:32 Trenton is going to willingly buy his own scotch?!?
23:28 Trenton finishing strong with a great face wipe. Claims a bug went in his nose
Awesome job
Man I love reading your time stamp notes!
Great review! I’m not really an expert whiskey drinker but my brother got me a bottle of Johnnie gold and I loved it, wanted to see what RUclips had to say about it. I’m enjoying your channel very much. You guys have good chemistry! Thanks for all these great reviews and tips.
I feel like the green is the best product they have. I enjoy the double black as well. The blue is definitely not worth the price point
it's all a palete thing. I much prefer the blue over most of the others and usually keep a bottle on hand.
Definitely agree about green and blue.
I certainly agree that it's all personal preference. I have struggled finding Scotch that I actually like to sip, but that just makes the hunt more challenging :) JW products have been a little more approachable for me. I do like the blue as well. Just can't justify the price point. I think the most I have paid for any whisky is $190, but generally stick to the
If the blue was 100, it'd be a fair buy. It's a very good whiskey. It's definitely not 230.
@@Arminian100 Over hyped with marketing. I bought it 15 years ago for $100, but the cheapest now is $180. Too expensive for a blended low ABV whisky. There are better options well under $100. Single malts or blended mats above 46% ABV and non-chill filtered are by favorites.
I got a pour of the Blue label from my grandpa’s this Christmas. I really enjoyed it. An elegant sweetness with some light woody backing.
It's a nice whisky... It's just well overpriced. 🤷♂️
Definitely a Scotch guy here... my line up would be: Green/Blue... the order depending on the day, then Double Black, Black & closing with Red. I have not tried the High Rye or that specific Gold Label. I will give the High Rye a try based on the video... you made it sound interesting regardless of price. If I see an 18-yr Gold I may hit that one too.
Great Review! Love it when you guys do entire line ups or Distillery reviews. Keep them going
Hi Kurt, Kurt here... I was a huge Blue Label customer. I would typically buy it by the case. Because I work in international banking and my wife in international economic development, we entertained very regularly asian friends, colleagues and clients. Blue Label was a very easy beverage to serve up because of its inherent quality and smooth "elegant' style. That all changed about ten years ago when JW changed not only the bottle shape, but also the quantity (750 down to 700) and evidently the blend. The quality dropped off a cliff. Because I bought so much I was invited to the offical launch here in Australia. Upon tasting the new bottling I knew immediately the enormous drop in quality. The next day I bought up 10 cases of the old bottling. Today, if you want to taste what JW Blue Label was, you need to buy JW King George V. I refuse to buy the new version... its like dish water compared to the old. Very very sad..!
Good to know, I've got a bottle from 15 years ago and it was really nice, good to know I shouldn't bother replacing it.
Never had the high rye, so appreciate the review!
My take on the rest:
Red - terrible
Black - decent drinking scotch, but there are much better options at that price. Great in a cocktail.
Double Black - same as above, good but not great; a bit more fun served neat than the regular Black
Green - excellent, best of the bunch in terms of enjoyment/money
Gold - good dram, but far below average for its benchmark
Blue - decadent and lovely, could be a regular buy IF it was $100-150 cheaper. As it stands, you can get a much more exciting scotch if you're shopping at this price point
Great video. I think the Green Label is the best thing they make and I actually prefer it to the Blue Label when I've been given the choice. I think when you sit with it a bit longer you definitely pull more flavors out of it. Cheers!
The 18 yr white is a solid choice. It runs around 90$ around South Texas but a good drink.
JW Black and JW Green are my go-to's. Black goes great with a good cigar.
My experience with Johnnies from this line up:
Black - smells like acetone plus light smoke, tastes too sharp to enjoy sipping
Green - smells of sweet fruits and wispy peat smoke, tastes sweet and spice and lovely to sip
Gold - smells of sweet fresh fruits, tastes like nuts and is too watery to enjoy sipping
Blue - smells of sweet ripe fruits and peaty whiffs, tastes sweet and nutty and good to sip
If you want to make cocktails - buy the Black
If you want to enjoy lovely sipping whisky with a whisky lover - buy the Green
If you want to drink a lot of whisky neat in a party - buy the Gold
If you want to shout out that you are rich - buy the Blue (60 dollars for the whisky, 140 dollars to tell people you are rich)
Green Label is a phenomenal blended malt.
It’s like judging Jim Beam without having tried Knob Creek 12.
You often get what you pay for.
So in the past you have said that the leftovers go to the Infinity bottle. Do you have a separate Scotch infinity bottle or does it all go into the same bottle?
The High Rye was also a big surprise for me. Excellent blend. The Red is definitely dead last though haha
My favorite is JW Gold 18 year old, it's much better than the "Gold Reserve", or even the Blue! Yes, Gold 18 year old is back on the shelves in some stores. Cheers!
Another great episode. I put red ahead of black as well. Green and double black are nice. I've not had the others but will have to pick up the High Rye since Rye is my go to when I am not feeling Scotch.
Thank you guys for the nice comparison. To me the Green Label is the only one worth the money. It is about 40 bucks in Germany and to me it's a very nice blend. Never had a better blend in that price range, not even up to 80 bucks. I think it is not only better value for money than the Blue Label I also prefer the Green Label over the blue compared side by side without considering the price. I recommend the Chivas Regal Royal Salute 21 as an absolute premium blend (and still less expensive than the Blue Label).
Great episode. Today I learned that despite how I like a lot of the same bourbons as Kurt, our Scotch preferences are nothing alike! I like Black. Someday I'll try Double Black, but I struggle pulling the trigger when I'm at the store and it costs the same as Ardbeg Wee Beastie.
Peat is a moss that grows in low land marshes. over many centuries, the peat partially decomposes and compresses and becomes a fuel source when cut into bricks and dried. This fuel source is used to dry and stop the malting process of live, sprouted grains. Malting of grain is necessary to increase the starch levels in some grains to provide higher fermentable sugar content to the mash. Tthe smoky flavor of scotch comes from the peat fires used to dry the malted grains that comprise the mash.
I actually prefer the Green to the Blue and Green is what a quarter of the price?
I used to be a scotch drinker and had all but the rye. My favorite was Green but then I started finding it to have a medicinal flavor. The Red was okay for the price but not so good. I liked the Black and the Double Black okay. The others not worth the price and were rather dull. When the Double Black first came out it was only available in duty free with international flights, at least only where I could find it. Also, Green label was discontinued for awhile back 10-15 years ago. Supposedly, were unable to source some of the blends.
Great video guys as always, Trenton picking Red so high, still shaking my head over that one, but what do you expect from the young bucks. Lol
Just wondering if you guys have reviewed W B Saffell yet, It's a wild turkey product. Thanks
Peat is from bogs. They dig the peat out in rows and let it dry. Once it's dry, they burn the peat and the smoke passes over the malted barley before the mash is made. This carries the peaty taste over to the distillation.
If you'd like a slightly peated whisky, one that is good to start your peated journey on it's the Highland park 12. The nose is so lovely, and it carries over to the palette. Fantastic whisky, and one that I would say is the whiskey to try before any peated whisky.
i dont want my whiskey tasting of bog mud and seaweed
On my Birthday you did the review. Thank thank you.....I love you guys🎉🎉🎉
Hitchens on the black label: ‘the best blended Scotch in the history of the world… Breakfast of champions, accept no substitute’.
Following my own taste buds, I like (not love) the Black Label. I don't buy it often, though. The Gold Label Reserve is as bland as it gets, and I detest the Double Black. The Double Black just tastes burnt to me. Never tried the High Rye or Green Label. I'll have to give them some consideration, especially the High Rye. I'll skip the Red and Blue. Cheers!
Never noticed that the bottles get taller as they get “better”
I didn’t either until you just pointed that out😂
Great show. FYI, JW does not have Laphroaig in the blend. They use Lagavulin from Islay and Talisker from Skye, which are the main contributors to the peaty flavors.
Great video. I love scotch. I was late to the party when it came to drinking. Baptism by fire as friends introduced me to scotch, and Islay scotch at that! The first sip had a "band-aid, asphalt taste." (Laphroaig 18). Well, several years later, scotch has become my drink of choice. Have been venturing into bourbon more recently. Your channel has been my primary source of information.
Trenton, you are probably thinking betadine in regards to the topical antiseptic. That has a brown/orange color. Iodine has a deep purple color.
I prefer single malt offerings over blended. This was a great review of the JW lineup.
This was really useful info. I have to fight my natural tendency to be a snob about blends in general, especially if there is anything like neutral grain spirits in them or anything like that. So I have never been interested enough to try any of the JW lineup. After seeing this, I see at least one I might actually try out. Thanks for the review...
Seeing Trenton’s slow evolution into a Scotch lover is the highlight of the past year+ watching and participating in the live shows. I knew we’d get him one day Kurt.
I've tried them all except for the High Rye and Double Black. I'm not sure I want to try the High Rye, I'm not a fan of rye.
My favorite bang for the buck choice would be green.
I have seen some cask strength versions of Blue label but you have to look hard for them.
Green is my personal favourite. I even have the King George limited release which is very nice also.
IMHO you seem to pay for the exclusivity rather than it being better, the higher you go up the bracket.
I did a Walker tasting years ago (when they still had the age stated 18 gold), and their "claim to fame" as the taster put it was Walkers ability to paired with waters...when adding about a water cap to the green it opened up and completely changed to a different profile...and the gold (at the time) was also supposed to be kept in a freezer as the cold turned it into a almost chocolate malted bomb...just for what it's worth...I know the "purists" will hate me for this comment...
I had a lot of scraped knees and elbows as a kid so a hint of iodine would probably turn me right off. At least it's not mecurochrome.
Johnnie Walker also has a "Select Casks - Rye Cask Finish" that is 10yr age stated. I had some recently at a work event. I have a co-worker who is a whiskey connoisseur, but detests scotch, and he loved it. It might be worth grabbing a bottle if you see it. I spotted it recently at the Minneapolis airport duty-free for $76. I'm not sure if it's a duty-free exclusive though.
Also, thanks for the great content! I love the vibe you guys have. I'm trying to dial-in my palette, and I really appreciate your fun, informative, and comparative approach to your videos!
The best review of JW Blue I ever read was one sentence: "Johnnie Walker Blue is the Scotch whisky for people with more money than taste." :)
have you tried it?? it is superb
@@raycroal yep, many times. The Gold and the Platinum are much better and less expensive.
@@jamesking9807 i haven't tried platinum but for me there is no way that gold is better than blue, but lucky you if you think so
That's definitely a pretentious way of putting it. As if someone is only a sophisticated drinker if they enjoy lots of complexity in the taste. Blue is one of the smoothest and easiest drinking whiskys out there. If that's what someone is looking for, then Blue is perfect
@@cial67 it is outstanding, i tried it 15 years ago, and i am going to order a bottle this week i just hope it is still as good
So do you guys end up drinking the rest of the pours or do you guys just throw it in the sink after the camera cuts off? Just curious
Another great video I like johnnie walker I have double black ,gold reserve I have had a green label that I bought while on a cruise it was non age stated island green I have had blue also I would like to try the 15 year green and there 18 year old is now platinum label
I’ve had all but the High Rye. The 18yr Gold (Pre-Reserve) was my favorite. Best when kept in the freezer chilled. My Lineup would be: Gold, Black, Double Black, Blue, Red, Green (Rye Excluded). Johnnie Walker used to do tastings in Downtown Chicago that were fun to go to.
This was a great review......you didn't let me down. I truly appreciate this review. Going to find a Blue Label.
Interesting fact: Jack Daniel's is the number 1 selling whiskey in the world outselling both Jim Beam and JW.
Good, because it tastes better than both of them.
I have tried the first 4 and like them all, but my favorite is either the Red or High Rye.
Green Label often wins blind tastings within the whole lineup. I've only ever had the Black and Double Black.
The one whisky missing is coincidently my favorite Johnnie Walker expression (and one of my favorite scotch whiskeys) - John Walker & Sons XR 21! I absolutely love it, but I can only get it from international duty-free shops. I've been holding onto my last few drops for a few years now until I can replace the bottle!
I'm with Trenton, I prefer the black way more than the double black. The black is to me is vanilla with a touch of campfire smoke, and that 12 year youngest age statement really comes through. I love JW black label
9:06 Peat forms in boggy ground from partly decayed vegetation. I *think* that it requires an acidic environment, but I'm not certain. The Scots and the Irish, for centuries, cut peat and dried it for heating and cooking. I believe there's a peat fired power plant in Scandinavia (Finland?), but as far as I'm aware the main use of peat today is drying sprouted barley, which is what makes a whiskey "peated." 🥃
TBH, the Black Label tastes like an ashtray.... Will try Blue next. Wish me luck!
Fantastic review fellas! Never tried any of these and now a few of them are on my list!, 🥃
How can you taste test with cleaning your pallet between Drinks
Where are you guys located? Rockford?
I’ve had red, black, 18yr gold, and blue. All are pretty awful, IMO. I’d choose anything else.
Peat:
a brown deposit resembling soil, formed by the partial decomposition of vegetable matter in the wet acidic conditions of bogs and fens, and often cut out and dried for use as fuel and in gardening.
"cuttings are rooted in a homemade mixture of equal parts peat and sand"
Give me a good Kentucky Bourbon over any scotch any day. It may be the largest seller but not necessarily the best.
I’ve had blue and can say it’s not worth 250 dollars. Have had many scotches at 60 dollars that are much better.
Peat is a spongy material formed by the partial decomposition of organic matter, primarily plant material, in wetlands such as swamps, muskegs, bogs, fens, and moors.
This is ironically a very great video. The fact that he liked Red more than Blue makes so much sense. JW Red is highly underrated.
i've only had and have the red and black. I much prefer the red over the black. I guess I need to try the green and high rye now. Good Stuff fellers
I love when you folks review scotch. Fun episode like always.
Peat is a deep decomposed plant material, found in bogs/wetlands in Scotland of course, and also in Canada.
They dry the peat and burn it as fuel to dry the malted barley. Hence the smoky flavor that persists even after distilling.
Lots of bog in Ireland too, we still burn peat in our fires but its slowly and surely being banned. Lots of talk of what will distilleries do when the burning of peat is completely banned. Synthetic peat flavour anyone?
@@alecky1972 I have wondered when it would be banned and what the Scotch industry would do. My hubby is Irish and I'm a little also. I dream of visiting someday but age is catching up with me. I want to see Blarney Castle, which my 8th great grandfather was born. Cormac McCarty.
Why are they banning it? Not just getting banned but its running out.
This was a pretty cool episode. I've recently gotten into whisky. I'd definitely love to see you guys trying some more scotches and Irish whiskey coming from the primarily bourbon perspective. Thanks!
Peated scotch takes me back to when I was 11 touring Ireland with my father. Although it was during summer, rooms that we stayed in had a similar smell.
To me, Blue tastes like a good Speyside Scotch, and Green like an average island Scotch. The problem with Blue is that one can get an equally good Speyside single malt for close to the price of Green. The island single malts blended into Green cost about the same as it, some a little more, some a little less, though Green is aged a few years longer than most of them: 15 years versus 10 or 12. Thus, I think Green is the only Johnny Walker blend that presents an appealing value proposition, making it the only Johnny Walker I'd consider buying a bottle of.
It's been ages since I drank Red, all I remember is that I hated it neat. To me Black tastes like diluted Caol'Ila, I can kind of enjoy it by imaging it's Caol'Ila (one of my favourite single malts), but I only drink it at bars/restaurants with nothing better in stock. I've never had Double Black, Gold, or Platinum (the 18 y.o. one), and thus will say nothing of them.
Agree with you. Only one I'd spend my money on is the Green.
Blue is good but not worth paying a buck more than the Green.
Always have JW Green on my bar. Great blend.
Ive tried a few scotches. American bourbon and whiskey runs circles around scotch . I bought a bottle of that johnny walker high rye a couple of days ago and will try it later today
When peat moss is burned in the heating process, it leaves behind that signature smokey peat flavor. Not a real fan of peated whiskeys such as Laphroaig. The taste is often too overpowering for me. That said, of the lower end, I like the Black and don't really think it has that much peat flavor at all. Never had the Blue or Green -- will try the Green next. Thanks for this video!
Picked up the High Rye today when I stumbled upon it for half price. Absolutely phenomenal! Never been a Scotch guy. Nothing against it in any way. There's just other options I tend to put that money towards. With that said, I'll definitely be buying a lot more of this stuff. It's not like your typical rye whisky. It almost tastes like a slightly smoother White Label Jim Beam to me for very first split second (which I'm sorry but I personally love Jim Beam), but then it just takes a sudden complete 180 turn and you get the green apple and all the spice towards the end. This is a very good whisky that's flavorful enough to stand out, but also balanced enough that I can't picture any one single whisky drinker actually hating it.
Love this episode! Scotch is fun with yall. JW Black is my peated mixer. What about an episode ranking the blended scotches? Famous Grouse, Monkey Shoulder, JW, ect.
Monkey Shoulder is not a blended scotch. It is a blend of single malts. No corn mash in Monkey shoulder.
I've seen the High Rye but not picked one up. I might have to grab one now.
I was just at the Johnny Walker facility in Edinburgh a few months ago and it was a lot of fun going through the place. They had tastings and when I tried the Blue label the person pouring said some people do say the blue is more of a mellow sip. I picked up a bottle of their Harris Tweed there that I thought was fantastic and you can only get it at that facility. The only problem is now I don't want to open it!
Johnnie Walker black was my VERY first whiskey experience. It was awful and I was turned off to whiskey for years as a result. I was so glad to learn that other options would taste so much better!
Agreed. Johnnie Walker black turned me away from Scotch for 12 years. Finally I was introduced to great distillers like Balvenie, Glenfiddich, and The Dalmore. I don’t go near Johnnie Walker.
My cousin got me a bottle of Black for my bday. It's pretty tasty, I get salted caramel up front with malted chocolate on the finish. Looking forward to trying a rob Roy with it soon, if my vermouth is still good.
I'm thinking about getting into scotch what would you recommend trying first
Peat is when they filter the whisky through sweaty socks
Not sure if this was commented but they do make a Black Label Triple Cask that is finished in rum barrels. Though it is a duty free travel exclusive. They also make another travel exclusive Green Island edition.
I like Johnnie walker black label, I bought the. Double black and I didn't like it either 😂
The only johnnie walker i buy is the black and that is only for certain cocktails like the black watch. Other than that i only buy singal malts like Glenfiddich 18 and such.
Is Johnnie Walker any good? I've only ever had the Black, when that was the only scotch this particular bar had. I could drink it, but it won't be my go to scotch. Some of their others may be better, but I haven't tried them, or wanted to.
I'd be curious to see what your opinions are on the Jane Walker. Personally i think it's a decent sip.
Regular size shirt😂😂 love y’all guys !!
Love me some Jonnie Walker! Haven't had them all but I do like the Black.
I worked at a liquor store in Virginia for the past year and my abc store always had the gold 18yr in stock.
my experience so far with peated scotches:
a. more smoke and less green peat - like that in the Johnnie Black
b. no smoke and more vegetal peat - like that in the Johnnie Green and Blue, in Caol Ila (earthy) and Talisker (briny)
i have yet to try c. heavily medicinal iodine peat - what they say about Laphroaig
Jonny walker does have an 18 year but it’s referred to as platinum and if I’m not mistaken is a Taiwan or duty free exclusive. Green label used to be travel exclusive but you can find them stateside now.
Here in the UK you can buy some single malts, on special offer in supermarkets, for £20 a bottle. That's less than Johnny Walker. Btw, the roughest scotch imo is Bells.
Kurt, if you get a chance grab a bottle of the celebratory blend. It’s a higher proof blend, I believe over 100 which lends to a more complex sip. Excellent imho
In Sydney Australia I drink more bourbon in winter.
But in summer elegant scotch is hard to beat.
Springbank 10 from Campbelltown is fantastic on a hot day as are some of the Highland presentations like AnCnoc.
I love peat monsters and rich toffee style bourbon, as much as I like elegance. Not finding something to like from a Blue Label is hard for me to understand.
I had a Johnnie Walker Blenders wine cask bottle that was nice. Quite earthy and the wine fruits. 80 proof. Not too complex but a nice sip.
the smoking and peated is from using Caol ila in the blend