Overall rating
83.50/100
ratings
8
Whiskybase ID
WB66623
Category
Blend
Bottler
John Walker & Sons (JW&S)
Bottling series
Special Old Scotch Whisky
Bottled
1950s
Strength
70 (proof)
Label
"Red Label" on neck label - 70° PROOF - no bottle size
Added on
08 apr 2015 7:10 pm by DemetrisVrontis
Overall rating
83.50/100
ratings
8

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Whisky reviews for Johnnie Walker Red Label

One user has left a review for this whisky. Average rating is 83.50 points.

Read the reviews
  1. markjedi1 scored this whisky 86 points Connoisseur

    1958

    I must confess, Johnnie Walker doesn't appear on the menu at Whivie HQ all too often. And the Red Label doesn't exactly capture the imagination these days. But when Rony offered me a sample of the classic Red Label, I naturally couldn't refuse, because this stuff was bottled in… 1958! Yes, that is something I’m very happy to sit down for. Let me start by saying that I am very surprised by the color: unusually dark for Red Label.

    It starts on the nose as you might expect: OBE. I let it breathe for a moment to give the old bottle effect a chance to dissipate a bit. Underneath, there is a surprising amount of fruit, flirting with the tropics. Think orange, peach, apricot, and even a hint of kiwi. All of this presented in a leather pouch. Plus, there is a handful of hazelnuts included. I am very pleased with this.

    The first sip still has a metallic note, but once you get past that, you notice that this whisky is not only still very powerful but also fruity and spicy. Once again, a panoply of yellow and orange fruit and a lovely mix of cinnamon and clove. Leather. Jute. Slate. Slightly drying, to be sure. But very layered and surprisingly complex.

    The finish is downright long and smooth. What a pleasant surprise.

    It is often said that old blends are better than those of today. It is just as often said that this is not the case. Believe me, in this case, it is absolutely true. This old Red Label is a complex and pleasant treat. Thanks, Rony!

    Funny detail: I happen to be tasting it, I realize now, on Rony's 57th birthday. Happy birthday, man.

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  • Chocolate
    Chocolate
  • Citric
    Citric
  • Coal-gas
    Coal-gas
  • Cooked Fruit
    Cooked Fruit
  • Cooked Mash
    Cooked Mash
  • Cooked Vegetable
    Cooked Vegetable
  • Dried Fruit
    Dried Fruit
  • Fragant
    Fragant
  • Fresh Fruit
    Fresh Fruit
  • Green-House
    Green-House
  • Hay-like
    Hay-like
  • Honey
    Honey
  • Husky
    Husky
  • Kippery
    Kippery
  • Leafy
    Leafy
  • Leathery
    Leathery
  • Malt Extract
    Malt Extract
  • Medicinal
    Medicinal
  • Mossy
    Mossy
  • New Wood
    New Wood
  • Nutty
    Nutty
  • Oily
    Oily
  • Old Wood
    Old Wood
  • Plastic
    Plastic
  • Rubbery
    Rubbery
  • Sandy
    Sandy
  • Sherried
    Sherried
  • Smokey
    Smokey
  • Solvent
    Solvent
  • Sweaty
    Sweaty
  • Toasted
    Toasted
  • Tobacco
    Tobacco
  • Vanilla
    Vanilla
  • Vegetative
    Vegetative
  • Yeasty
    Yeasty