• Hi Guest - Come check out all of the new CP Merch Shop! Now you can support CigarPass buy purchasing hats, apparel, and more...
    Click here to visit! here...

Johnnie Walker Pure Malt (Green Label)

AVB

AVB

Jesus of Cool, I'm bad, I'm nationwide
Joined
Nov 14, 2003
Messages
23,522
I hope to make this the first in a series of semi-regular reviews of the Scotches in my collection. With luck, this might pique some interest in trying some of the fine scotches that are available.

Johnnie%20Walker%20Green%20Label%2015.JPG


I just got a 1 liter bottle of Johnnie Walker Pure Malt (15 yo) also called Green Label today. This can be found at duty free shops but isn't available in the U.S. as a normal off the shelf bottle. The label doesn't say it is a single malt just that it is an "Extra-Special Highland Malt Whiskey" Most likely a vatted scotch that fits pricewise between the standard Black Label and the 18 yo Gold Label. Like all JW blends you can notice the presence of Cardhu as one of the main ingredients. Since I was smoking a Petrus Fortus Churchill with this I can't give a very good "nosing". I did find this to be a very smooth drink with a sightly sweet begining but with a very short after taste with just a hint of smoke and perhaps a trace of almonds but that might be interaction with the cigar. The flavor was gone in a minute after passing over the tongue and didn't linger like some single malts.

Overall, not a bad blend and certainly a step up over the black label but nothing that I would go out of the way to find, especially with the Gold Label being available at about the same price albeit in a smaller 750 bottle. If you see it in your travels and have the extra cash it will make a conversation piece with your scotch drinking friends but don't expect anything out of the ordinary.


UPDATE
This is now available just about everywhere in the US since I originaly did this review. I've since tried this a few more times without the cigar and it has improved immensely. The finish is longer and more complex then I reported above and without the cigar more flavors are noticed in the tasting. I'll now say this is an ACE :thumbs:
 
I gotta say I love the Black label, usu, two shots in a glass w/ ice.
might try thr green now.

:thumbs:
 
I too drink Jonnie Black on the rocks. Not often, but I seem to gravitate to it before any other scotch. I think Chivas is more refined, but I kinda like how the Black is rough on the edges and a little bullying. I was wanting to try it. Isn't there a blue bottle to go with the gold and green?

Emo
 
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is usually the top of the JW line-up but they have put out some limited bottles that, in theory, place higher. Johnnie Walker "Oldest" is one example. There is also the old standby Red Label but I won't be reviewing that one. Eventually I'll review the Gold and Blue labels but I can't say when that will be.
 
isn't the blue label ~$100?
would like to read the review.

might be worth a try someday, but extra $$ means extra sticks. (well, that and a Greyhound trip home for X-Mas)


:thumbs:
 
The JW Blue Label is about $170 (give or take) a bottle. Here In PA it goes for $178.08 out the door.
 
Appearently I am on Johnnie Walker's mailing list (a sign I drink too much? ??? ). I got a little packet of info today telling me Green Label is now being shipped to the US with a little form for me to order a bottle at my local retailer which is just a gimmick as far as I can tell.

So if you've been wanting to try Pure Malt/Green Label it looks like you will now have a chance without having to track one down from overseas.
 
Green has been available in the US for at least the last 6 months. Maybe they are trying to get more people to know about it.
 
And they said they wanted me to be one of the first to sample it. Those teases! :0
 
I happend to get a bottle for christmas. I take my liqours w/ 2-3 small ice cubes to open the flavor a little. I concur with the sweet short finish. After it passes the tongue, I and almost smell it on the rear top of my palate. It is almost more of a nasal scotch than it is a tasting one. It is definately a nice step up from the Black Label.

Emo
 
Wow, pulled up my first review here. I'm glad that you remembered and hope to see your input on some others too.
 
I started reading the first post, and was like "AVB's first Scotch review?". Then I got to the part about Gold Label which rang a bell :) Yes, I read the reviews!
 
On oldie that won't die.

I opened the bottle that Beefcube so graciously presented me at the Baltimore Herf. It's still just a good as when I did the review back in November of 2003.

Thanks Beef! :thumbs:
 
Just picked up a bottle of JW Green Label for Scot (cigardawg) and I to share at Patrick's (LC-Smoker) engagement party this weekend in York, PA. I usually drink Black Label on the rocks and am looking forward to trying this after reading your review AVB. :thumbs:
 
There was a very good write up on this scotch in Wine Enthusiast. I'll try to remember to bring the article and see if we are able to detect any of the flavors that the reviewers observed. Looking forward to it.
 
From the Wine Enthusiast’s Best of 2004 listing:

SUPERB (90-95)/Highly Recommended
Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 Year Old Pure Malt Whisky (Scotland; Diageo, Stamford, CT); 43% abv, $55. The preliminary aromas are an interesting mix of paraffin, toasted cereal and dried tobacco leaf; more minutes resting in the copita stimulate fragrances of summer grass, vegetable oil, light toffee and oak. Palate entry is off-dry and a touch toffee/nougat-like; at midpalate the oiliness/oakiness noted in the latter stages of nosing come to the fore as tastes of sweet butter, oleo margarine and black pepper vie for flavor dominance. Finishes chewy and a tad honeyed.
 
Man, I'm impressed. Do you have all of this material at your fingertips or have you memorized it. Thanks for the write-up, AVB. Now I can just print this thread. Hope you have a great time in Atlantic City.
 
I'm a big fan of the Black Label as well. I'm also kicking myself for this blunder:

A couple weeks ago I saw a 5 bottle sampler in the duty free shop. Each bottle was smaller than a 375 (maybe closer to 175 or 200 ml), and the package contained Red, Black, Green, Gold and Blue.

But like everything else in this shop (at the airport in Charlotte NC) it was way overpriced, somewhere around $80.00. But I've never seen it elsewhere and it may have been a good chance to sample the Gold and Blue, which I can't force myself to buy a whole bottle.
 
There are 2 different 4 bottle samplers that I know of. One has Red, Black, Gold and Blue and the other has Green intead of Red. They are 200ml bottles in a collector pack. Both can be found on ebay all the time for $60-100.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top