Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Year Old

When I first tried Johnnie Walker Black Label, I was at a stage where I enjoyed a whisky, but didn't know anything about them! However, when my wife (or fiancée, as she was than) brought me a bottle of this back from a family holiday, I instantly knew that it was good stuff. The flavours were different, and it wasn't harsh on the throat as some cheaper whiskies can be.

Although my whisky knowledge has grown since then, I still keep a bottle in my collection as it is the perfect 'everyday' whisky - great flavours, well balanced, and not too expensive.

Nose: Smoke, caramel, apples. Sweet and appetizing.

Taste: Caramelised sugar, toffee apple. Poached pears and dried fruit. Banoffee pie is in there somewhere, too, along with some spices - cinnamon, pepper, cloves. Well balanced.

Finish. Nice finish, decent length. Slightly oily and smoky - that'll be the Talisker!

Some 'malt snobs' will warn you away from all blended whisky. Don't listen to them - JWBL includes some stunning single malt whiskies in it. And the result is great, with a range of flavours and balance that some single malts could only dream of.

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