Overview

The cartoonish, manufactured mythos of Johnnie Walker (a.k.a the Striding Man) reminds me of an alcoholic, lascivious Mickey Mouse wearing a top hat. That said, I can't deny how agreeable the Johnnie Walker blends are from days of yore. I've been able to try JW Red and Black from the 1960's and 1970's, and I was pleasantly surprised by their richness and how flavourful they were. It's particularly apparent how good these old JW blends are when sampled side-by-side with their anemic modern counterparts. It's an old trope at this point, but they really don't make whisky like they used to.

For this tasting, we'll be looking specifically at Johnnie Walker Red Label. The product as-named was first seen in 1909, but it was originally known as “Special Old Highland”, which was first released in 1906. It's always been a non-age-stated whisky, but the initial recipe was apparently about nine years old with the primary malt component coming from Cardhu. Since 1945, Johnnie Walker Red Label has consistently been the best-selling scotch whisky in the world, and it's available in at least 180 countries.

Modern JW Red is, according to the Johnnie Walker official website, “a combination of up to 35 whiskies, including ... Cardhu, Caol Ila, Cameronbridge, and Teaninich”. However, for this tasting, our focus will be on the “four corners of Scotland” which, if you've visited one of the Johnnie Walker Experience venues in recent years, will be a familiar phrase. They're talking about the primary regional malt components that traditionally made up the JW Red Blend, i.e. Glenkinchie (Lowland), Cardhu (Speyside), Caol Ila (Islay), and Clynelish (Highland).

During the tasting, we'll begin with two historical examples of Johnnie Walker Red Label: one from the late 1930's and another from the 1970's. The subsequent five drams will be high-integrity examples of the so-called “four corners of Scotland” which, hopefully, will showcase these distinctive, charismatic blending components in their best possible light.

The Lineup

Johnnie Walker Red Label 40% from the late 1930’s

The state of the labeling on this bottle is somewhat sorry at this point, but I think it's ambitious to expect that a bottle's appearance could remain pristine after nearly 90 years of bopping around who-knows-where. Despite the deterioration, the labeling yields somes clues as to how old this bottling is.

On the bottom of the front label, we can see "by appointment to the late King George V" along with his coat of arms. King George V issued a Royal Warrant to John Walker & Sons in 1934, which granted them the right to display the Royal Arms on their label. King George V died soon thereafter in 1936. Today, a Royal Warrant is valid up to two years after the death of the grantor. However, back in the 1930's it might have been as long as five years before a warrant expired (something I've had difficulty verifying). At the latest, this bottle should not have been released later than 1941.

Furthermore, with the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, metal became a precious commodity in the UK. Examples of Johnnie Walker expressions bottled in the 1940's are sealed with paper and plastic. The example we're tasting today has a metal medallion dangling from its seal.

Given these clues, as well as studying photos of various JW Red bottlings claiming to be from the 1930's-1950's, my best guess is that this bottle of JW Red was released sometime between 1937-1939. Educated guesses notwithstanding, some of the actual facts have regrettably been lost to history. This remains a compelling whisky time capsule nonetheless.

Johnnie Walker Red Label 40% from the 1970’s

Leaping ahead 30-40 years later, JW Red Label was still going very strong in the 1970's. Since 1945, JW Red Label has been the best selling scotch whisky in the world. I've tried an example or two of 1970's JW Red in the past, and they've always offered a really nice experience. There's weight and flavour there if you want to analyse it but, above all else, it is simply so very drinkable. It contains considerably more malt (versus grain) than its modern counterpart. I'm especially keen to compare this with the significantly older expression from the late 1930's. Both expressions probably have a lot of Cardhu in them, but I'm willing to bet they'll taste different.

Glenkinchie 15yr 60.1% “The Manager’s Dram”

Vatting of ex-bourbon casks
Distilled in 1994 or 1995, bottled in November 2010
#363 of 1300+ bottles

It's not-so-easy to find a Glenkinchie single malt that a whisky enthusiast can get excited about. Official releases are not terribly compelling, and they're often bottled at 43% ABV. Independently bottled Glenkinchie is practically nonexistent. So ... what is one to do if one wants to nerd-out on Glenkinchie?

In the late 1980's, United Distillers (now Diageo) launched “The Manager's Dram” series. This was an annual release bottled exclusively for employees, friends of the company, and VIPs. Each annual release was selected as part of an in-house competition by distillery managers across the United Distillers portfolio. Selections were done blind from 100+ samples across multiple categories (sherry cask, refill cask, etc.). Each year, there could be only one!

In 2010, it was apparently Glenkinchie's year according to Diageo's distillery managers. By definition, this should be an exceptional representation of what the distillery can produce.

Cardhu 11yr 56.6% distillery hand-fill

Vatting of ex-bourbon casks (likely 1st-fill)
Distilled in 2011 or 2012
Bottled by hand in November 2023 at Cardhu Distillery
Batch 2023/002

Similar to Glenkinchie, it's somewhat difficult to find a bottling of Cardhu that's compelling for a whisky enthusiast. However, I visited Cardhu Distillery in November 2023 and hand-filled a bottle of batch “2023/002” after trying a wee taste beforehand. Sweet, warming baking spice for days and days with great viscosity. Truly lovely stuff!

Clynelish 15yr 2008 57.4% from Gordon & MacPhail

Refill ex-bourbon barrel (cask #306222)
1 of 183 bottles
Distilled in 2008, bottled in May 2023
Exclusive bottling for the G&M Shop in Elgin

An exceptionally pure expression of modern Clynelish. Refill ex-bourbon, mid-teens, from a largely impeccable independent bottler harbouring vast stocks of high quality single malt. I picked this up while visiting the Gordon & MacPhail retail shop in Elgin late last year. Yup, uh huh, there's wax in there. It's everything I want Clynelish to be.

Caol Ila 30yr 1983 51.6% from Signatory Vintage

Ex-bourbon hogshead (presumably a refill), cask #5288
Distilled in November 1983, bottled in July 2014
#102 of 187 bottles
Angus MacRaild loves this one (“Pure magic!”)

Speaking of independent bottlers harbouring vast stocks of high quality single malt, Signatory remains one of my absolute favourite “old guard” indies. These chunky decanter-style glass bottles that they use for their high-end releases are just so visually and tactilely appealing.

As for the liquid itself, what's the overused but true cliché that everyone always says? I've never had a bad Caol Ila? I find it difficult to believe that this particular expression of Caol Ila will be anything less than exceptional. Three decades in a nice ex-bourbon hogshead from a great bottler – what else could you want?

Caol Ila 7yr 2016 57.3% from Fragrant Drops

Initial 5.5 years was spent in a refill ex-bourbon hogshead
Finished in a 1st-fill Palo Cortado sherry hogshead
Distilled in January 2016, bottled in March 2023
Exclusively available to purchase on the Fragrant Drops website

That 30 year old Caol Ila from Signatory will be a tough act to follow, but age isn't everything! Here we have a delicious wee beastie from my friends Rachel & George, otherwise known as the excellent independent bottler Fragrant Drops. Caol Ila and Palo Cortado sherry are a potent combination. In my opinion, it often yields one of the most harmonious flavour combinations in Scottish single malt.

Toffee, cashews, brazil nuts, sweetness, damp campfire smoke, ocean spray. West Coast. Oh, Islay...! This dram takes me places.

Sláinte ✌️