Scotch

Whisky Review: Johnnie Walker Red Label 1970s

The Johnnie Walker Red Label has been the best-selling scotch whisky globally since 1945.

OVERALL RATING

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Tasting Notes

About:

This Johnnie Walker Red Label was bottled in the 1970s, following blended whisky boom. Blended whiskies were extremely popular during this time, and the 1970s was a properous decade for Johnnie Walker. The Red Label blend is instantly recognizable in its square bottle, which made shipping large quantities easier when demand was high. Let’s see how it hold up after 50+ years in the bottle.
Appearance:
Golden orange
Nose:
Soft and sweet, not what I expected at all. Vanilla and buttercream, sweet green apple, manadrin, lillet blanc, caramel sauce, brandy, raisin, milk chocolate.
Palate:
Unusual. Starts off very sweet and then it just falls away, leads very strongly with aperol, campari, little peat smoke, ashy, orange oil, brown sugar, red vermouth, almost Negroni like bitterness across the board.
Finish:
Light and gently smoky. Some soft fruit elements of orange and sharp raspberry.
Comments:
I think the bitterness is coming from the grain, it all ends with that slightly burnt plastic note that grain always has. However, one of the most interesting bottles of Johnnie Walker I’ve ever tried.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Phil Dwyer

Phil Dwyer is a freelance whisky writer and consultant. With a decade of experience in whisky retail and nearly as long running Whisky Wednesday on YouTube, Phil is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with fellow whisky lovers. His goal is to make whisky accessible and enjoyable, dispelling the jargon and complexity that can sometimes surround the spirit. In addition to his online presence, Phil managed The Whisky Shop Manchester, where he curated an impressive selection of some of the finest drams available.

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