Johnnie Walker Gold Label 18 Year Old

Before I went and paid $80 on a bottle of blended whisky, I ordered a sample of the Gold Label as a Drink By The Dram from Master of Malt. So, this is a tasting conducted on a 3cl sample tasted today, as opposed to a full bottle tasted over time.

The whisky is gold in color as well as in name, and the label indicates it is 40% ABV.

Nose: Yum! There is some smoke in this whisky. A good thing, indeed! Stewed fruits, sea air; this whisky is complex! Some malty notes come out. It is reminding me of Highland Park 18yr! That is a VERY good thing. Mouth-watering aromas. That is, if you like a sea spray malt with some smoke and fruit. Fruit: peaches and nectarines. Not ripe and sliced, but reduced on low heat for a while, so the whole house smells like a sweet citrus.

Body: A bit watery.

Palate:Stewed fruits. Peaches. Marmalade. Spice comes in. Maybe a touch of peat on the palate? This is a wonderful whisky. I wish the mouth feel was better, but what can you expect from a 40% dram? As it is, I could hold this whisky in my mouth all night. So rich and delicious.

Finish: Smoke on the finish, with sea spray and a nice candied orange peel. The finish ends with a touch of dryness, but hardly.

Oh, this is good. I'm not sure which I like better, the Green or Gold label, but at a significant savings, I think I'll take the Green! Either way, these whiskies are a FAR cry from the Black label.

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