Johnnie Walker Red Label and Black Label are two of the best-known bottles in the Johnnie Walker range, but there is usually around a $15 difference between them. The obvious question is whether Black Label is actually worth paying more for.
That answer may depend on how you drink it. Neat, with soda, or mixed with cola, the two blends behave very differently.
So, is Johnnie Walker Black Label worth the upgrade, or are there times when Red Label makes more sense? I tasted both side by side to find out.
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Johnnie Walker Red Label Vs Black Label, Neat
Kicking off with my favorite, Black Label has a smoky, gently spicy, and sweet grain-driven nose. The palate is soft, with woody spices, sweet vanilla, and some bittersweet citrus.
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It also has a decently long finish for something bottled at 40% ABV. The smokiness lingers, moving between fragrant and woody notes before becoming a little earthier and more intense. It’s an excellent bottle of whisky.
Red Label, meanwhile, isn’t as terrible as the whisky world sometimes makes it out to be. The nose is sweet, with plenty of vanilla cream and caramel alongside a slight fruity note.
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READ THE STORYThe palate is a little thinner, but this is a younger whisky. The flavor is more focused on the larger proportion of grain whisky. It’s sweet, easygoing, and has some light woody notes, followed by a spiciness that reminds me of sweet ginger beer.
It’s clearly designed to be welcoming and approachable, and that’s exactly what it is.
Red Label isn’t as bad as I remembered. In fact, I’m quite enjoying sipping it while writing this. But the appeal of Black Label has had me for a long time.
Round one of Johnnie Walker Red vs. Black goes to Black Label.
Johnnie Walker Red Label Vs Black Label, With Soda
Black Label loses some of its mystique when mixed with soda. Soda isn’t my favorite mixer, if I’m being honest, and I’ve never particularly enjoyed it with whisky. Here, the aroma becomes more smoke-driven and a little more alcohol-heavy. You lose much of the wood-led character and some of the citrus notes too.
On the palate, it is fresher. The carbonation certainly lightens things up. However, Black Label seems to lose some of what makes it distinctive. The finish is fine, but I would much rather drink it neat.
It isn’t that I don’t enjoy mixed drinks. I really do. This particular combination just doesn’t quite work for me without a few more ingredients.
Red Label, on the other hand, works extremely well. That big grain note that dominates the nose and palate when neat is softened by the carbonation, making the whole drink feel fresher and more approachable. There’s also a very subtle hint of smoke, alongside some really pleasant lemon notes.
It’s remarkable how differently these two whiskies react to soda water. Black Label loses some of its character and, for me, isn’t worth spending the extra money on if this is how you plan to drink it. Red Label benefits much more from the dilution, and its flavors complement the soda surprisingly well.
Round two of Johnnie Walker Red vs. Black goes to Red Label.
Johnnie Walker Red Label Vs Black Label, With Cola
This is where things get a little more complicated because I like both of these with cola. Again, it isn’t my preferred mixer, but they work in very different ways.
Black Label works because peated whisky and cola tend to go very well together. There’s even a well-known serve called the Smoky Cokey, essentially peated whisky mixed with cola and ice.
The combination of smoke and sweetness works particularly well here.
Black Label with cola reminds me of smoked vanilla, cream soda, and earthy-sweet flavors such as lemongrass and angelica root.
It’s unquestionably a sweeter drink, but there is more going on than you might expect. Cola works with an enormous number of whiskies, and Black Label is no exception.
Red Label has a little less going on as a mixed drink. The cola becomes more dominant, with the whisky providing a warming note toward the finish. There is less smoke overall, but the woody and citrus notes come through more clearly at the end. I get lemon alongside some ginger spice as the finish develops.
It’s genuinely very pleasant and a great way to enjoy whisky if you are new to the category, or simply enjoy whisky and cola.
This is a close call, but once price is taken into account, alongside the fact that smoke can be divisive, I think Red Label takes round three in the battle of Johnnie Walker Red vs. Black.
Johnnie Walker Red Vs Black: Which Should You Buy?
I think the answer has to be split into two parts. Johnnie Walker Red Label functions perfectly well as a neat whisky, in my opinion. It is nowhere near as offensive or inadequate as some whisky drinkers make it out to be. As an affordable mixer or something to serve at parties, it makes even more sense.
If you want to make inexpensive mixed drinks or cocktails at home while keeping costs down, Red Label is a very sensible choice.
If you want a consistent neat pour and don’t mind spending a little more, Black Label is the one I would choose. I’ve enjoyed it for years because of that combination of richer, spicier, woodier, and smokier flavors.
When mixed, however, the extra money doesn’t always translate into a better drink. So, which wins for you: Johnnie Walker Red Label or Johnnie Walker Black Label?
