Dubbed “The Master Blender’s Reserve” and made of “the finest malt and grain whiskies”, the Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve was launched in 2012 and has remained part of the Label line-up since.
The “Gold Label” has been used by Johnnie Walker under several guises previously and was reportedly first created by using the blending notes from Alexander Walker II – grandson of the original John Walker – to celebrate the first one hundred years of the John Walker & Sons dynasty.
Lifetime fans of Johnnie Walkers may also remember Gold Label also previously having an 18 year old age statement as the “Centenary Blend”. Over time however the 18 year old milestone was dropped and later adopted by the Platinum Label release (notes on that release here). Since then, as marketing strategies have changed, the “Platinum” title itself was been dropped in favour of what’s now readily available as simply “Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years”, but has now returned again in 2023 as “Johnnie Walker Platinum Label 18 Year Old”.
What’s now available as the “Gold Label Reserve” is a blended scotch whisky, which was created by Diageo’s Jim Beveridge to celebrate nearly 200 years of JW. It is made from malt and grain whiskies sourced from the Diageo roster across Speyside, Islay, Highlands, and Lowlands distilleries, with a single malt Clynelish at the heart of it.
Currently sitting around the £50 GBP price point for a 70cl bottle, the blend is bottled at 40% ABV and, as with the rest of the core Label range, it is “mit Farbstoff (Zuckercolor)” i.e. contains food colouring, commonly used to ensure consistent colour across all productions.
Nose
A very inviting combo of vanilla, toffee apples, a touch of cinnamon, and a touch of peat smoke.
Taste
A soft and sweet arrival with honey, vanilla, toffee, and butterscotch, all of which are delivered by a noticeably light and waxy/silky texture. A gentle apple flavour arrives after a couple of sips and there seems to be a slight banana flavour in there too. As the fruit pokes through, there is a slowly building spice and apple turnover set of flavours. The smoke note from the nose barely registers as the spices start to take hold.
Finish
The oak spices completely take over from the sweetness on the finish and leave a tingly combo of stem ginger, cinnamon, and white pepper.
Verdict
A soft sipper. Classic Johnnie Walker flavours delivered with a notably silky body, and on a noticeable step towards the Blue Label’s cream-like softness. The texture on this one is actually one that I’d normally associate with your classic triple distilled Irish whiskey.
The peat smoke seemed less noticeable in the Gold Label than other Johnnie Walkers that I’ve tried. Maybe that’s because it is blended from fewer peated components than its other coloured label siblings. Given the price of the whisky, then it suggests that it is made from older whiskies and as such the base spirits’ peaty origins will have faded with time in the cask. Given that Cardhu, Blair Athol, and Cameronbridge are name checked, then it’s no surprise that the peat element is light.
As part of the 200 year celebration of Johnnie Walker & Sons, the Red Label, Black Label, and Gold Label were all packaged together, and having tasted them side by side then you can taste and feel that the Gold Label is the more luxurious of the 3, and as such invariably had the higher price tag.
I don’t want it be that guy BUT this blend is all a bit too soft and indistinct for my liking. That’s not to bemoan it: I just think I found it almost too easy drinking. It certainly has its place in the market for those after a “smooth” whisky and with the Gold Label also adorned with many gold medals, that’s why the units keep on shifting!
M
Sample disclosure: this miniature was contained within a Johnnie Walker 12 Days of Discovery advent calendar style package, which I bought through Malts.com. All notes are intended as an honest, fair, and independent review of the whisky itself, and not as a promotion. Please drink responsibly. Please drink wisely.
whisky unplugged 