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Johnny Walker Green Label
Rack Ops
Member Posts: 18,596 ✭✭✭
I was browsing the local adult beverage center when I came across a bottle of Johnny Walker Green Label.
I've seen (but never tried) Black and Red labels, but never green. It was priced at $77 a bottle.
In my travels, I've sampled a few hard liquers....From Old Crow and Kessler (plastic jug, baby!) in my high school days (hey, its all we could afford [;)]) to Jim Beam and Jack Daniels when I was in the Marine Corps.
The only whiskey I've drank that I can really say I like is Crown Royal...it doesn't seem to assault my senses on the way down, at least not as much as the others.
So what exactly are you getting for $80 a bottle whiskey?
I've seen (but never tried) Black and Red labels, but never green. It was priced at $77 a bottle.
In my travels, I've sampled a few hard liquers....From Old Crow and Kessler (plastic jug, baby!) in my high school days (hey, its all we could afford [;)]) to Jim Beam and Jack Daniels when I was in the Marine Corps.
The only whiskey I've drank that I can really say I like is Crown Royal...it doesn't seem to assault my senses on the way down, at least not as much as the others.
So what exactly are you getting for $80 a bottle whiskey?
Comments
whether or not the higher quality product is worth the price tag is a matter of personal opinion.
people who dont really love to scotch may not be able to appreciate the differences, as they can be subtle. a true connoisseur can tell you where in scotland the whisky was made blind. the water from different areas changes the final product.
$70/bottle for scotch isnt really much in the grand scheme. blue label goes for about 200/bottle and even thats small time in the serious scotch world.
EDIT: theres red label, black label, green label, gold label, and blue label; in that order in ascending quality.
as you move up the food chain in whisky, you gain tangible benefits. high end whisky tends to be aged quite a bit longer, and in better quality casks. the ingredients that go into it are of higher quality(purer water etc). the final product can be vastly different.
Is it enough of a difference to transform drinking "lighter fluid" (Wild Turkey) into something that might be a bit enjoyable?
as you move up the food chain in whisky, you gain tangible benefits. high end whisky tends to be aged quite a bit longer, and in better quality casks. the ingredients that go into it are of higher quality(purer water etc). the final product can be vastly different.
whether or not the higher quality product is worth the price tag is a matter of personal opinion.
people who dont really love to scotch may not be able to appreciate the differences, as they can be subtle. a true connoisseur can tell you where in scotland the whisky was made blind. the water from different areas changes the final product.
$70/bottle for scotch isn't really much in the grand scheme. blue label goes for about 200/bottle and even that's small time in the serious scotch world.
EDIT: there's red label, black label, green label, gold label, and blue label; in that order in ascending quality.
Another trait of more "expensive" whiskys is their "smoothness". Cheaper whiskys are known for their "pins and needles" and as you move up the chain, that goes away.
Anyone up for a nice 25 year old Single Malt?
Ben
Posted By: scotch fan
At home, I freeze up perfect distilled cubes, of about 1/2 oz. They
freeze perfectly clear, and I usually drink a couple of fingers before refilling, and the cube lasts for two drinks.
If you can afford to be looking $77 for JW Green Label then you can afford a large number of very good single malts and I'd suggest starting with a bottle of 12 Year old bottle of The Macallan, a superior single malt scotch.
Its not that I can afford to drink it regularly...I'm just in one of the "celebratory" phases of life.....Just finished my bachelor's degree, getting married, new job on the horizon, etc.
I'm looking at taking a more "adult" hobby, and cigars are out of the question (Brandy's alergic) so I figured I'd try drinking "the good stuff" instead of the rotgut I'm more familiar with.
Any further suggestions for the wanna-be Scotch drinker?
Made to a 1920 recipe to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary, Gold Label is a blend of 15 whiskies each aged at least 18 years.
This unique complexity is achieved by expertly blending an extremely diverse, but complementary range of malt whiskies, each of which has been matured for a minimum of 12 years and some for much longer. In total, up to 40 malts and grain whiskies make up the Johnnie Walker Black Label blend. Island and Islay malts deliver spice, richness and lingering peat. Speyside malts make an important contribution to the depth of taste, bringing smoky malt, fruitiness, apple freshness and a rich sherry character to the blend. At the heart of Black Label lies 12 year old Cardhu, an outstanding malt from Speyside, which imparts silkiness, a characteristic which has made it famous as a single malt.
http://www.internetwines.com/spirits-scotch.html
Never let your studies get in the way of your education!
I lived off-campus the whole time
never had a roommate (other than Brandy)
I lived off-campus the whole time
And your major is???? Substitute "friend(s)" for "room mate(s)" - it would have allowed you to gain experience drinking Whisky.
And your major is???? Substitute "friend(s)" for "room mate(s)" - it would have allowed you to gain experience drinking Whisky.
Hindsight is 20/20
Suggestions as to how to proceed now (rather than what I should have done) would be appreaciated [:)]
Major is Geography, by the way. At least I'll appreaciate the regional differences more [;)]
I was browsing the local adult beverage center when I came across a bottle of Johnny Walker Green Label.
I've seen (but never tried) Black and Red labels, but never green. It was priced at $77 a bottle.
In my travels, I've sampled a few hard liquers....From Old Crow and Kessler (plastic jug, baby!) in my high school days (hey, its all we could afford [;)]) to Jim Beam and Jack Daniels when I was in the Marine Corps.
The only whiskey I've drank that I can really say I like is Crown Royal...it doesn't seem to assault my senses on the way down, at least not as much as the others.
So what exactly are you getting for $80 a bottle whiskey?
The first rule is:
You are NOT drinking the price tag!
Do not expect to have an ecstatic experience with a spirit or wine, just because the cost was high. If you have a mind to explore different whisky, then do yourself a favor and find a friend who enjoys them, and ask about them. You need to know your palette, otherwise you're drinking expensive stuff you probably don't care for
By your statement concerning Crown Royal, I can guess you are looking for something "smooth". A Blend like Johnnie Walker Black or Red offer may be just the thing, as they are typically (but ONLY typically) smoother than other liquors of the same type. The Green is not a blend if I recall, but blends were introduced for "American" palettes, to be smoother. I like Crown Royal on the rocks on occasion but I'd have a glass of good bourbon or Scotch more often. Many scotches are smooth, and they have distinctive tastes. Many people don't have a palette that lets them enjoy whiskey. I don't much care for wine, but I love whiskey. Wine tastes awful to me; whiskey tastes good
However, not only is 80 bucks not a lot to spend on a good whiskey or Scotch, the biggest question is always:
Did you enjoy it?
But never buy any wine or spirit with the idea that "I'm getting something I will like for X amount of dollars". It doesn't work that way
Also, do not think that JD or Jim Beam is the pinnacle of whisky or bourbon
Try Bookers bourbon, or a scotch like the Balvenie. I recommend their Doublewood, or a lighter Glenmorangie 10 year old...but the stuff isn't Coca-Cola, you can't toss it in your gullet. You can temporarily ruin your palette many ways, and make this type of thing taste AWFUL until you clear your palette.
You can play an interesting game with how this works- eat something really hot, and then have some sugar. The hot thing and the sweet thing work on different parts of your tongue, you can taste AND feel the effect. Knowing your palette even a little can help you find a whiskey you like- or make you discover you don't care for the stuff
first, start trying scotches. while you'll definatley pay more upfront, doing your sampling at the bar means you only buy a glass over a whole bottle. that will make a difference when you find one you hate.
first, decide whether you are a single malt kind of guy or a blend guy. theres no shame in blended scotch. purists will tell you only single malts are real scotch. fooey.
once you've figured out what you like, explore all that the scotch world has to offer. speyside, highland, lowland, islay. they all offer a different experience.
warning: if you get into really good scotch, be prepared to pay for it.
Kristov - have you tried Glen Kinchie? It's a newly (to me at least) imported Lowland Single Malt that redefines smooth. Doesn't taste like Iodine (like the Island malts) nor peaty like the "he land" malts. It doesn't taste of oranges like Glen Morangie either.
I have not tried it. I rather like Glen Morangie burgandy as an after dinner drink but it is too sweet to drink otherwise. The Glen Morangie aged in sherry or port are the only two scothes that my wife will drink.
Rack Ops, if you want to try a good blended scotch without breaking the bank get a bottle of Famous Grouse.
1. Find/make some friends
2. Pool your money
3. Buy a bottle of Whisky
4. Drink the Whisky with your friends
5. Repeat
I guess they don't teach linear thinking in Geography.
1. Find/make some friends
2. Pool your money
3. Buy a bottle of Whisky
4. Drink the Whisky with your friends
5. Repeat
One thing they did teach us was population density.
Most all of my friends live several miles away. I'm not real interested in drinking a bottle of scotch with my buddies, then watching them drive home for the night.
quote:Originally posted by kristov
If you can afford to be looking $77 for JW Green Label then you can afford a large number of very good single malts and I'd suggest starting with a bottle of 12 Year old bottle of The Macallan, a superior single malt scotch.
Its not that I can afford to drink it regularly...I'm just in one of the "celebratory" phases of life.....Just finished my bachelor's degree, getting married, new job on the horizon, etc.
I'm looking at taking a more "adult" hobby, and cigars are out of the question (Brandy's alergic) so I figured I'd try drinking "the good stuff" instead of the rotgut I'm more familiar with.
Any further suggestions for the wanna-be Scotch drinker?
One scotch I like a lot is called "Cigar Malt" and is made by Dalimore. Its very smooth and priced in the $40 range. I have it available most of the time.
The art of drinking Brandy's, Whiskeys (blends, Bourbons, Rye, Single Malts, Corn, etc) et al is SIPPING.
I did NOT suggest that you and your friends consume a bottle of Scotch at a single sitting.
Perhaps you should stick with bottled water. Your so called desire to learn leaves a lot to be desired.
Sampler packs of mini-bottles [:)]
Try the BLUE. Worth the price[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
Saw the blue for the first time last week .
At $265.00 per bottle , I will stick to Glennlivet .
Very important. Bad ice or water can destroy great scotch.
I paid $24 for two 8 oz. fillets yesterday.
The minute that steak hits the pan until, and even after it is in your stomach,
you have no regrets spending the extra money.
Although sometimes an $8/lb steak can be as good. Just not usually, or lately.
Rack - you aren't dazzling me with your brilliance.
Nor are you dazzling me with your helpful suggestions....but thanks anyways
Macallan 12yr Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Balvenie 12 YR Doublewood
Will two mini-bottles (50ml each) be enough for me to get an "appreaciation" of each drink?
Anything else I should throw onto the list?
Find out for yourself. The units have several different brands in each "rack".
How's this for starters?
Macallan 12yr Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Balvenie 12 YR Doublewood
Will two mini-bottles (50ml each) be enough for me to get an "appreaciation" of each drink?
Anything else I should throw onto the list?
Glenlivet and Glenfiddich, both of which are also rather mild. The 12 year old Genfiddich is very good and the 15 year old is even better [:p] (I'm sipping some right now). Don't be too put off by the prices of a bottle of fine scotch because you won't be pouring the stuff down like it were beer so a single bottle will last you a good long time.
I brought back a bottle of Gold Label & a four pack of 200 ml sampler bottles of black, green, gold & blue.
I have also seen a reference to a white label that I believe was an even lower grade than the red label.
I somehow just can't bring myself to open the blue label bottle.
I have seen the sampler sets on E-Bay but they are far more expensive than I paid.
quote:At home, I freeze up perfect distilled cubes, of about 1/2 oz.
Very important. Bad ice or water can destroy great scotch.
I paid $24 for two 8 oz. fillets yesterday.
The minute that steak hits the pan until, and even after it is in your stomach,
you have no regrets spending the extra money.
Although sometimes an $8/lb steak can be as good. Just not usually, or lately.
Why would you put any ice or water in your scotch?