Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve is a blended Scotch whisky built around a single malt from Clynelish, in the far north of Scotland, where the house style runs waxy and honeyed. It sits at the richer end of the Johnnie Walker range: 40% ABV, 75cl, and blended for texture as much as for flavour.
- Blended Scotch whisky, bottled at 40% ABV.
- 75cl bottle.
- Blended and bottled by Johnnie Walker, Scotland.
- Honey, vanilla and a thread of smoke.
- Dried fruit and toffee on the finish.
How it is made
Blended Scotch is a marriage of grain whisky from column stills and single malt from pot stills, and the ratio is the blender's whole craft. Grain brings softness and body; malt brings character. Gold Label Reserve leans on a small number of distilleries rather than a broad recipe, which is why it reads creamier and more honeyed than the standard Johnnie Walker line.
How it tastes
Smooth and creamy, with honey and vanilla up front and a hint of smoke sitting behind them rather than over them. Rich dried fruits and toffee come through in the middle, and the finish is long and warming.
Good to know
Scotch whisky has to be distilled and matured in Scotland for at least three years, and nothing may be added beyond water and caramel colouring. The word "blended" carries no ranking in Scotland; some of the most expensive whiskies in the world are blends, and the category is judged on the skill of the marriage, not on the number of distilleries involved.
