Johnnie Walker Green Label ‘180 cask’
This was a short lived special that took over the space marked for the old Green Label 15 yo on duty free shelves in airports around Asia and Latin America (and a few places elsewhere too).
As the blurb goes, only 180 casks were blended, so this is still a blended malt, or vatted malt as I prefer, though it’s missing an age statement.
It wears the livery of the Green, so it’s got a lot to live up to – the old Green was a fantastic value for money malt.
Johnnie Walker Green Label ‘180 cask’, 40%
Nose: Sweet oaky wood, and a fruity ripeness – fruit drops, pineapple and grapefuit? Fairly big dose of little yellow flowers too, and hints of obvious young malt peeking through. All the while this woody smoke and touches of peat blow through. Not coastal smoke, but rather more woody. Reminds me of a gentle Ardmore. Nice juggling act with enough of everything, and everything in it’s place.
Palette: The low strength shows but it’s still pleasing – bitter dry vegetal herbiness, a whole cabinet of it, then quickly developing into malty cereal notes, a little young. Sweet hickory smoke follows on.
Finish: Medium, dry smoke and aniseed. Pleasantly moreish really.
Not bad at all, no ‘gaps’ or cardinal sins. Very well proportioned and well blended to give an easy but fulfilling drinking experience. Truly lives up to its green garb – smoky ragged highlands style.
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