Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 Year Old

So I tasted this alongside Talisker 10yo and Caol Ila 12yo because these are two of the stronger malts that make up this “Vatted” Malt (now Blended Malt). I thought it would be interesting to see how it stacked up.

Nose: Soft sweet peat on the nose. Chewy fruit: baked apples and pears. Some grass in the background. The tone of the peat is alto. Very fruity with some sour green apple notes. The fruitiest of the night. Also, the most sour. The fruit pitch is also the 2nd lowest of the night. Reminds me of Tomatin . . . there must be some sherry cask involvement here. (My son’s favorite nose of the night because of the sour notes)

Taste: Slightly sweet malt, then some fruit comes in. Now, a bit of wood and mild peat. Elegant on the tongue.

Finish: Pepper with a few sparks. Nice spice and a little heat. More salt and pepper then peat and fire. But a nice smoldering ember.

Complexity, Balance: Very well balanced. Seems like a lot is going on . . . but everything seem aged. My guess is that a lot of stuff in here is older then 15 years. Nice balance and complexity.

Aesthetic experience: Nice sexy bottle. Love the age statement and the label. Love that it is 43% ABV and it looks great.

Conclusion: I actually like this a lot more with water. First whisky I can honestly say that about. That said, it was my least favorite of the night. If you like delicate and refined with a bit of peat this is great. Sadly, more and more I have to accept that I am a big flavor guy. And while I know this is “bigger” then many whiskies out there I would much rather be drinking Talisker or Caol Ila then this. Won’t buy again.

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