whisky review 243 - Johnnie Walker Blue Label
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2024
- ... this classic Scotch gets an experienced drinker's appraisal of it's intrinsic quality.
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I feel like blue label is one of those things that people pull out at parties to impress people they don’t really like.
Agree, and the product placement in films etc really shows what it is. I've a bottle from my early days of whiskey drinking and there's a confusing mix of whiskeys going on in the bottle in my opinion and its fairly bland after it drops off. Any Bowmore or Laphroig from a supermarket is a better buy I rekon
Michael Jamieson lol
Couldn't have said it better myself
@@williammacneill956 q
It's a shame as well, because it gives people a bad impression of the brand or of blends in general. I was very anti JW and against the concept of blends. But recently someone gave me a few drams from a bottle of their Blue Label Ghost & Rare collection (the port ellen one). It was simply one of the finest whisky's i'd tasted at that point, and remains a highlight. So much so that I had to go out and buy myself a bottle.
That said, Having recently tried Red and Black label in local bars, I found them utterly uninspiring. So I guess as with monkeys and typewriters, they're bound to get it right once in a while ;)
Could we get a re-review for 2021? Would be interested to see if there is any change in quality in your opinion.
was thinking of getting a bottle to try but thing ill grab a couple bottles of ardbeg instead
But why, it will always be OK. You buy the label not the content. It is about the marketing costs not the ingredients and the taste... as Ralfy rightly said. I would suggest getting some Japanese blends if you like it very smooth. They should be better than the blue label... but there is maybe not that much prestige coming with a Nikka when showing it around to BBQ party guests that don‘t have a clue about whisky. For this occasion one wants the big brands to show off and for the Blue Label everybody will have at least a price tag in mind 😉
He’s done reviews of 1980’s Johnny walker compared to the new stuff. Night and day. The old stuff is king
Oh Ralfy, thank you so much for posting these. All my life I hated scotch, all I'd ever had was blended whiskeys and always thought they were vile. Then by chance I went to a local scotch bar for dinner here in St. Louis, 'The Scottish Arms'. The waiter suggested a dram of Gglenmorangie finished in a burgundy cask, my first single malt, and I became an immediate convert. It's great to find a place where I can get the straight dope as it were from such an authentic and entertaining gentleman.
outstanding review. the last few minutes where you expound on the pros and cons of what super brands bring to the table was refreshingly thoughtful and well-balanced. My hat off to you, sir.
Great video. As a novice whisky connoisseur, I'm glad I got the collection pack (red, black, gold, blue) 4x200ml as a grad gift. Blue label displays itself as a super high quality product but what it really is, is just a status symbol people like to show off. It's like Grey Goose vodka.
I just bought this last weekend because... well, because I had a couple hundred bucks burning a hole in my pocket. It was something I just wanted for my collection and to experience because there is so much image associated with it.
On tasting, it simply reminded me of a Johnny Walker Black that was very rounded and lacked any type of burn. I never look for "smoothness" in my whisky, but this stuff is very noticeably smoothed somehow. It comes with a subtle handshake and then simply slips out of the room.
This said, I suggested that this whisky would be most enjoyed by those who are very new to drinking scotch whisky.
It's overfiltered, then has junk added to try to bring back a little character. Ultimately, it falls very flat like a boxed wine. Not bad, but not good. Very "anodyne", lol.
I do quite like it, quite fresh with a nice subtle saltiness a bit of a sugary sweetness, some green apple and a mild oaky finish. I quite enjoy drinking it but I was also gifted my bottle as a leaving present from Diageo so I would probably be a bit more critical if I’d paid for it myself. I definitely wouldn’t buy it, for the money I think you could get much more interesting whiskies
Sounds like Johnnie Walker is selling the "sizzle" and not the steak.
Very interesting that you grade Black Label higher than Blue. Which makes me happy....because I'm trying (for the first time) Black Label as I type this.
Over priced and over rated. Give me the Green Label any day!
Around here the blue is around $200, and the green is $49.
It's a shame they don't make green anymore :(
TheAmbSteve I live in England and in a Tesco in Sheffield I saw green label selling for £37.50
Green is superior to blue. Blue tastes like a watered down version of green lane.
Morrisons and Asda, keep a look out, green can be found at £30 sometimez
Green is no better than Blue. In fact I’ve always found it raw and unpleasant. At one Walker Whiskey (for industry folk) event, the Brand Ambassador reiterated throughout 2 hours that it was designed to be consumed chilled. Okay but that didn’t make it better. And I agree that Blue is well overrated.
Ralphy Mate, I want to say how brilliant your style is, i just love how your opinions are all ways true to what you actually believe and how you never get warped or influenced by prices or surrounding hype on whiskys, you just tell us what you really think. A rare quality in most humans these days. keep up your good work mate :)
First time I see one of his reviews, and even though I know _nothing_ about whisky, I must say I really liked his style. I think I will continue watching his other reviews. Keep up the good work!
I was in the same boat. I saw Ralfy on his brother Clive's channel where they were reviewing a Russian MRE, and of course Clive promoted this channel. I dropped in to check out Ralfy right after, not because Clive recommended it, but because the way they interacted together I had to check it out. I was very pleasantly surprised at the work Ralfy does here. I will never understand whisky the way Ralfy does, but I may learn to sound like I know a thing or two.
Ralphy.... first off your the man . I won a bottle of this whiskey in a raffle and I dont even drink but im anxious to taste it based on how its talked about .
I'm not a drinker. I don't even drink beer. I know nothing about whiskey. Stumbled upon this video somehow and really enjoyed your detailed review. Nice to see someone passionate about something. Cheers.
My first whiskey. My first intro to the world. Thanks to a hunger to learn and your videos, I now have plenty of single malts that took many years of hard work, and love of the craft to produce. In my job, I’m able to help people get away from popular names and set them on their scotch journey with bottles and names I trust. Each giving a unique impression on each people the way they did on me. Thanks Ralfy
Change my jacket once a year, I love it Ralphie never change the truth is in the Scotch …. , from a scotch descendent in the US Georgia.
wow. I'm surprised. I'm a drinker of smoky black famous grouse, i did not expect my scotch to end up scoring higher than Johnnie Walker's Blue Label. makes me feel good about my taste in scotch.
Great review! I bought this for my Dad's 70th birthday. I got it just for the label. Thanks
not a whiskey drinker at all but appreciate your expertise and passion for whiskey. i also appreciate how eloquently you talk and describe the whiskey. hats off to you.
Greeting Mr Ralfy, when there is no new review and need something, I go to older videos and watch them. Very exciting, you still love good.
Ralfy - I'm one of those big, multi-national company marketers. Kudos to you. I rely on your reviews to invest in potential whisky's to buy and try. Keep up the awesome work!
As a consumer of single malts and blended scotch whisky, both have their merits. A mega brand like johnnie Walker has the luxury of accessibility of several single malts to create their blends. This is great for the consumer. The master blender has the ability to take pieces of single malts and blend to create desired complexity. There is a reason johnnie Walker black is sold everywhere. It’s consistent, a little smoke from coal ila and or talisker as well as other well known single malts combined with grain whisky. Scotch drinker for over twenty years...still a fan of some blends..particularly johnnie Walker black. Kind regards
I'm a whisky novice. Enjoying this channel immensely...
Glenmorangie Original is so, so good. I'm glad your friends enjoyed it. It's one of my favorites.
The funny thing is, that when I watched Your channel for the first time (like 2 years ago). I had no idea what you are talking about. I mean literally I sat with a dictionary :) Keep up the good work! And cheers form Poznan/Poland
I will say Johnnie Walker black did get me into the world of scotch and definitely your reviews put me on the right track to trying some truly great scotch thanks
I appreciate your consideration for those of us living in far flung corners of the planet. Im spending a year teaching abroad in Vietnam, and sure enough the shelves of the local supermarket are rammed with Johnnie Walker.
I've tried this blend a couple of times and, each time I've had it, it doesn't exactly impress me as being worth its rather high price.
Don't get me wrong, it's not bad. But, as you'll agree, there are better scotches for less. I would rather use the money to buy a couple of bottles of Oban 14 or a few bottles of Macallan 12 or Glenfiddich 15.
Macallan 12 double cask?
for sure it does ralfy, this issue has always got me perplexed. It cannot be possible that diageo hold a method and recipe that always gives the exact same results, but thanks for your thought
Nice work Ralfy. Thank God there's an honest and skilled reviewer on here.
I've started using the Johnnie Walker Black test to weed out the the incompetent and shill whisky channels. And though I haven't tried it, I don't doubt that Blue's little better.
Regarding blends, though with cheaper booze I go for decent vodka like Chopin--which holds its own neat and warm--over blended whisky, I actually don't mind Chivas Regal much at all.
I am new to your channel, and you are by far better than some of these other so called whiskey guides. GREAT WORK RALFY!
One of the most insightful reviews of all. Thanks Ralfy!
I only just came across this brilliant review. I'm a single malt enthusiast and have only encountered one 'blended' spirit that I thought was any good. (I'm sure there have been others out there) In the late '70's/early '80's there was a briefly available Glenfarclas/Glenlivet blend that was really quite good. Otherwise I tend to stick to the singles. Your honesty about these spurious blended ("branded"!) products is appreciated. Well done!
Ralfy, I appreciate your advocacy of moderation. I've noticed that as I get older, my beer, wine, and spirits budget is the same as when I was younger, if not more. And yet I am drinking far less. Just buying more of the good stuff!
Fashionable to hate, but for me at least it's a good drop. The only other JW I'd drink is Double Black which is surprisingly good for the price.
Every year for 17 years my mother in-law brings me a bottle of JW black and Chivas regal. It is so true that there must be so much going on trying to keep the recipe consistent. Comparing the two whiskies year after year against each other has been enlightening to what you just said. Some batches they get right and some they don't. Perhaps like wine and it's year, the batch should be given as much significance as the year.
You nailed it with the term "super branding." It reminds me of coke vs other colas in blind taste test. While coke doesn't win in taste, it is the pinnacle of branding. With that being said, perception is reality :P
Ralfy, another great review and as it happens, I totally agree with you. The average price for a fifth here in New York is around $200. I have seen it as low as $165 in New Jersey. I've had it and I don't it's anything to write home about. I also agree with you about the Green Label being the best of the bunch.
I was curious if you will doing a review of their Platinum Label any time soon?
Cheers,
Rich
Brilliant Ralfy!!. Regards of Fede Hollmann from Argentine. Lands of Malbec and Tango.
WOW- couldn't agree with you more. From a bloke who mostly consumes my whiskey with coke. Blue Label is an opportunity (from an novice point of view) to be introduced to whiskey they way it is meant to be consumed. Its smoothness, its smokey notes, its fruity flavours. i now try out some of the great whiskeys from Tasmania because this brand, that is trusted, has pointed me toward the enjoyment of a good whisky.
Boy oh boy Ralfy, can recognize immediately when you are ready to trash a Whisk(e)y by the up-side-down smirk that you employ upon your first taste of the condemned spirit... I love it! ...that part of your reviews... in this case though as in many, its agreed my spirited friend...Too BIG for its briches at the obscene price it commands.
Goodjob Ralfy, good call.
Your expression at 5:29 says it all!
Like WTF I just spent $250 on this!!! 🤣🤣
Smart man! I really enjoyed your intelligent review; I appreciated your explanation for your opinion and 82/100 score. I agree 100% with your opinion and that's because it made logical sense to me.
JW Blue is one of the greats, the flavour is very unique and hard to describe but it's the one of the smoothest and gentle drams I've had. How about a re-review of this one btw?
I had just sent you a comment about this Ralfy on another video and mentioned I got this for Christmas this year and was disappointed with it. It was good, but not the hype that comes with it good. I would have given it a 78/100. You got pretty darn close to my experience. Love the channel, and have gotten a few of my own malt mates to check out your stuff.
OH YEAH! That's a $40 sip baby!
buy bottle $165 Costco
And worth $40-50. Maybe.
I first tried the Blue Label over 10 years ago in college, and since then I've never felt any desire to pay up to have another. I don't even remember what it tasted like, but I do remember thinking, "wow, all this hype and high price, and this isn't even that good." For all these years, I've wondered if I was nuts for dismissing it so quickly. Until I saw this review. Thanks Ralfy.
Spot on Ralfy, agreed indeed! I have managed to collect 5 last bottles of JW Green and the taste is not comparable at all. I love JW Green, but Blue label is really just for snobs.... One of your Biggest fans from Czech, Wally :-))
he said it " Excellent Green label" my poison of choice blue for especial occasions
cant believe the price they charge for this crap.I could buy 4 bottles of ardbeg 10 for £200 quid!! A different level of whisky all together.
Yeah, I'm not sure I agree with this of all your reviews. It's very delicious, but you're right, doesn't go anywhere. But its not going anywhere is much more enjoyable than the senseless attempts at "going somewhere" that's found in their Red Label. In fact, I don't find any of the notes you mention to be particularly as prominent as you say. I find a rather delicious oak and almost chocolate and coffee taste all the way through that is a bit intense on arrival, but smooth beyond anything passed the entry.
"Better than red" doesn't mean "good"
Yeah, he's spot-on that it's for a superficial impression of "Oh, that's good/smooth" and then forgetting about it. It's like a boxed wine. "Drinkable". "Sessionable", etc. In other words, predictable but bland and lacking character like underseasoned restaurant chain food. It isn't bad by any means, just not particularly *good*.
Hi Ralfy, Enjoyed watching. Happy Holidays🍸🎅🎄🇺🇸🇬🇧
Ralphy you are too funny comparing jw to corn flakes. Soo true. currently sipping bowmore legend....not bad at all. Auchentoshin classic is next. Your reviews always make me want to get a dram right away. Your scenes and video quality are excellent. Love the barrel !!
Love this men, thanks to his review of Jahnnie Walker Blue and his adjectives to this particularly expensive whisky, never going to buy a single bottle of it, on the contraire, Green Label (already extinct), is a treasure.
Good review, Ralfy. I've tried JW Blue several times, and each time I try it I expect it be great and that I'm just missing what it has to offer. But it just isn't that good - plain and simple. There are so many great whiskies available at half the price, I just don't see why anyone would pay the excessive price.
I once bought a glass of this at a restaurant and had my friends each take a sip. None of them are scotch drinkers but they all liked it. Good times with friends, what more can you ask for?
7:30 that’s why I get my recommendations from Sir Ralfy !! He’s a Scotsman and Expert Scotch Whisky drinker !! Thanks for the many advices!! Cheers 🥂!!
Excellent video as always Ralfy! You should have your own tv show.
I watched just to see if you were honest, and YOU ARE, I didn't like the blue lable, it was week, it was NOT what I expected.
Thank you sir for your review, you are awesome.
This is the first Ralfy video I've seen and it was a great watch. At one point I wanted to go down to my wife's spice cupboard and sniff around so I could keep up with your flavor and note descriptions. I am a rather new whiskey drinker. As a sailor I was able to have a sip of Johnnie Walker Blue at Ferrarri World in Dubai. It didn't leave a big impression on me. However, in Hong Kong, China, I had some Lagavulin 16 year. I have been in love since. Thank you for the great review.
I'm drinking green label which I tried at Ralfy and other's urging. Damn it's so good!
Fantastic review I one of you best Ralfy really enjoyed this and I just picked a bottle up in the Akron the other day will look forward to tasting by the fire Saturday night
JOHNNY WALKER BLUE LABEL OH YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH
~Ghost the True Capitalist
Wow, your discussion on blending mirrors my own experience when I decided to vat my own blends of Bourbon using 50 different bourbons. if you use little parts to make up a whole, it gets "muddy" and lost. however, if you use a strong base whiskey and then add the touches of various other whiskeys you suddenly get the balance back. Vary interesting indeed! Thanks for your review of JW Blue...I don't think i'll ever buy it now :)
Truth to power. Cynical but fair. Telling it like it is. Ralfy, you're righteous, loving, and clear as an unmuddied water. Cheers to you.
I agree and understand your post Ralphy.
If I may my advice to new scotch newbies,go out and try single and blended whiskey's.
At the end of the day it comes down to your personal taste.
Budget also factors in.
Johnnie Walker Blue is out of reach for most.
Personally the Johnnie Walker Red here in 2015 is very smooth and extremely tasty.
I can't help but to keep falling back on it.For the .price its your best bang for the buck in Scotch Whiskey.Its nearly as good as the higher priced Johnnie's,very very under the radar as an extremely well rounded dram.FWIW!!!
keep up the great post's Ralphy !!!!
Fantastic review! very informative, feels like a marketing lesson.
Thank you!
Friend of mine was given a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue for his birthday this past Sunday. Having had Black just a couple days before down pub, I am amazed to discover that I much prefer it to its more expensive brother, regardless of any sort of value calculation.
Greetings, Ralfy. You gave a Honest mark. After Blue Label we tasted Buffalo Trace bourbon and it brought more joy.
Thank you for this one. I've tried all the JWs except for this one because most of what I've read says that it's not worth the price. Apparently, it's not even the best JW. Of the lower tier, I do like the Green Label which has some of my favorite single malts and in fact, my regular drink is a 50/50 mix of Caol Ila and Talisker.
I agree with your assessment of this 100%. I received a bottle as a gift last year and when I opened it (the package, not the bottle) I was thinking "I have arrived. This is going to be nirvana in a bottle". Opened it the bottle, pored a drink and let it sit and air for a few minutes, swirling and letting it breath as I had been taught. When I had finished it, I sat and went through my checklist and to be honest, you gave it a higher score that I did. I didn't dislike it, but I was not impressed
Can you advise on something "better" or at least comparable?
***** Dewars 'Signature'
Thank you (and for the quick response)! I'll give it a try!
***** Oh god Dewars nothing should be drank. That can be used to degrease my engine.
With you Ralfy. I got all the Johnnie Walker's in my collection and i prefer the Green Label over the Blue.Excellent review my friend.
Mr. Ralfy,, You just Nailed it ... Absolutely,,,
I have had Blue a number of times and have been underwhelmed by its taste so I appreciated your comments. Of all the Johnnie Walkers which one do you rate the highest or think is the best value? I like the Green Label and am disappointed it's going away.
With all due respect Ralfy I think you are a bit biased against the JW brand. I
That's OK, I was expecting overrated when I got my bottle ($139 mail-order - not really that expensive). I absolutely detest the Red and Double Black, dislike the Black, am OK with the Gold, and really like the Green (haven't tried the Platinum).
I was very presently surprised with the Blue and immediately went to a straight on comparison with the (original - before the shortage) Green. What I found was that it was very similar to the Green but a bolder and smoother version; i.e. basically a better Green. It was a treat to roll this over my tongue and I will be getting another bottle.
So, I implore you to test the two head to head sometime with an open mind and see if you don't agree.
Cheers!
+Mark Samarin In retrospect I think "fuller" would be a better description than "bolder". The stuff is very smooth and sweet - like a Talisker 10 but without the bite.
Not necessarily did he underlyingly factor in the price in the rating, I mean he did make a facial expression of disgust when he tasted the whiskey, one I've never seen him do, and said terrible stuff about the flavor profile from "artificial to fades as quick as it enters to sour vinegar that just diminishes and finally the whole water doesn't develop it whatsoever", it seems okay enough but I think it says a lot of bad stuff because virtually every whiskey opens up a little if not a lot when adding water
It is true... review 608 he openly states that he is biased because of the high prices vs single malts for less.
Thank you much. I will not waste my dough. I have found the same diminishing quality curve with many different products. It can almost be defined as an economic law.
I'm no whisky drinker but besides the prestige that attracts people, I find that the few times I've had blue label what stood out to me was the smoothness, it seems to evaporate as you swallow it and it never hits the stomach. I think the people who do like blue label is because of the extreme smoothness. Of course the marketing does account for more people than those that truly like it and it's probably not edgy enough for experienced whiskey drinkers. Thanks for the review, always interesting.
One of your best reviews! Cheers Ralfy.
Fantastic this Johnnie Walker Blue Label Without words!
Rafly stay classy my friend.
Good, insightful & balanced review, thanks.
Lot's of folks asking for a review of Gold. I noticed in the video that you kinda "meh-ed" at Gold. I agree, I was very disappointed with the Gold Label. I'm sure it has it's devotees and that many actually enjoy the flavor! I just found it to be way too "smokey" almost like a cigarette smoke. I really enjoy the flavor of the Blue Label but only when I'm not paying for it! If I was buying, it'd be the Green all day! Thanks for all the great videos!
ralfy you truly changed the way i drink.
By the way, I’ve been watching your videos for four years since I discovered them, just going back for the best of Ralfy!!!
Es la primera vez que alguien comparte el mismo punto de vista de un servidor y amigo, Ralfy; estoy completamente de acuerdo contigo, incluso yo de hubiera dado la calificación de 80. Te felicito por desenmascarar a todos los productos de la Mercadotecnia. Feliz Año y saludos desde Mérida, Yucatán. Mexico
"Malty Mondrians" lol
Thanks for the vid!
Be great to see an up to date review of this Rafly. It’s bottled at 40% now a days as opposed to 43%.
I've been a Scotch enthusiast for 10 years, and just tried Johnnie Walker Blue Label for the first time about 30 minutes ago. Every single note was overpowered by the taste of bitter baker's chocolate or burnt coffee and an out-of-balance and somewhat artificial smokiness. I noticed a lack of finish too. No lingering flavors, no building warmth. Just a flat bitterness. I should have watched this review before spending the money.
I have tried it and got a bottle as a gift. I taste mouldy wood and other bitter notes and for that alone I cannot believe this whiskey is so well lauded....usually by inexperienced whisky drinkers.
I tasted a lot of old wood. It wasn't very pleasing.
I've had 5 or 6 bottles of the Blue over the years and they've all been great. Maybe you don't like really old whiskies.. rancio, mold can be there for sure.. sherry has moldy notes, sauternes etc.. Ralphy likes to dis the blends, but Royal Salute, Platinum label and others are really great whiskies - I actually like the blending with rye, gives them some interesting grain notes that some appreciate and others, obviously not.
Oh snap! I don't even have to watch this whole video to know "It's ON!" Get'em Ralfy!!! XD
good question. im new and wondered the same, because I don't drink very often, but only "expensive stuff".
HELLO I LIVE IN GOLD COAST PACIFIC MEXICAN AND I LIKE YOUR COMMENTS. BUT HERE ON THE JOHNY BUCHANAS IS ALL THAT TAKES MORE. THERE ARE A LOT OF MONEY AND QUALITY AND PRICE SOMETIMES NOT MATTER! GREETINGS FROM COLIMA !!!
Hello Ralfy. Im 100% agree with you. 82/100 its ok. Its a very good quality comercial blend. Marketing made powerful work behind Johnnie Walker. Blue Label its a gentle blend and makes earns sweet money to DIageo jajaja. Salud!
Well said Ralph really true about how many of us got started enjoying malts, my first blended whiskey was JW black label and I have learned to appreciate other varieties from there.
Hello there. Great thing you have going here. Very helpful. Thank you very much. I'm new to the world of Scotch, & Irish whisky. My wife bought me a bottle of Blue Label around 2 years ago.Not impressed. Going with affordability, I like The Balvenie,& Highland Park. Being Canadian, I'm eager to try Glen Breton. I watched your review, & now I'm much less reluctant to give it a try. Kinda hard for me to spend close to $100 on something I've heard absolutely nothing about. Thanks so much.
Ralfy, thank you for this honest and straightforward review. I've been wanting to try JW Blue since it came out, but the price tag has always put me off. And the price has gone up considerably since it was first introduced. A friend of mine got a bottle from his best man as a wedding gift, and he saved me a dram or two. I still want to try it, but based on your review, I'm glad I never made the "investment" in it myself.
Follow up: I was given a glass of JW Blue by a friendly bartender on a recent tip to Philadelphia. It clocks in at $45 a glass, so I wouldn't have paid for it, but I was happy to accept a freebie. I was not at all impressed. This wouldn't even make my list of review-worthy whiskies. I'd have been really put out if I had paid for it.
Greetings from germany i love ya reviews. Peace n love !✌🏻
How enthusiastic of you to tell us that.
One of my favorite whiskeys.
another good review ralfy, i never understood why people spend so much on blended whiskey, i guess its like you stated before...BRAND and REPUTATION!, personaly i would never spend this much money on a BLENDED whiskey
Excellent and honest review. Bravo!