Johnnie Walker Blue Label

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is renowned for its opulent and refined character, often considered a premium and luxurious whisky. It's known for its balance, complexity, and smoothness, making it an indulgent choice for whisky enthusiasts.

Umami, the 5th taste, next to sweet, sour, bitter and salty. but where does it come from? - some meaty notes from a bunch of old Mortlach? - some smoky tones from some Islay whisky? - of perhaps the use of partial autolysis of yeast, which is rich in glutamate, one of the main umami molecules?!

Woody, sugar, nutty, sherry. I can't feel what is Umami taste... but it feels like normal blue label. But there are no peaty. More nutty than normal one. And feels with sherry things.

Fruity, salt and carmel, ideal taste for me!

Amber color. Quite oily.

a little soy - fish sauce, sticks in the whole mouth, quite oily comes from old grain whiskey

Suspiciously Simple Yet Complex This new, enigmatic release from Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a collaboration between two greats in terms of taste experience. On the one hand we have Emma Walker, the Master Blender of Johnnie Walker, and on the other hand Kei Kobayashi, the three-star chef of Kei restaurant in Paris. Their intention? Making the fifth taste – umami – shine in a whisky. Or as they so beautifully put it: 'to unravel the mysterious profile of the Umami flavour.' The result is this Johnnie Walker Blue Label Elusive Umami in beautiful packaging, but unfortunately also with a hefty price tag of around EUR 350. The nose is wonderfully fruity on candied blood oranges with some ginger and digestive biscuits in the background. In addition, some red berries and soft herbs with some smoked ham! Yes, on the nose the umami character is detectable. Finally, a little chocolate. It all starts out suspiciously simple, but if you give it some time, it turns out to be pleasantly complex. On the palate, the sweetness comes first, before the spiciness makes itself felt with mainly salt and pepper and a soft touch of peat that becomes great relatively quickly. It seems as if the umami character is formed by the peat. Sandalwood and woodsmoke make their appearance, while red berries and blood oranges shine. A whiskey that you have to sit down for a while, you know. Suspiciously simple, but actually very good! The aftertaste is relatively short on candied ginger and sweet fruits. Yes, it has an umami side. Is it the peat or could an extra dose of Mortlach have been involved? Who knows. In any case, a fascinating blend that I would put between the classic Blue Label and the Ghost & Rare Series. My only point of criticism is the hefty price tag. That does not alter the fact that Santa Claus can still deliver a bottle...

Not significantly better than the bottlings from 2021, with the difference that it burns less in my mouth. All in all, it looks a bit rounder. Therefore a slightly better rating. But the price remains beyond good and bad compared to many single malts in the same or lower price segment. Unexciting to boring. 82 (+)

A quality blend that manages to keep my interest, but never provides that big wow moment.

A bit better than the classic blue label. Fresh cereals, butter, ginger and vanila. Easy to drink.

Aroma Great nose, I want to keep smelling even the empty glass. Fruit notes, spicy (Mortlach?) The taste Creamy, round, spicy, some pepper, blind more than 43 revolutions resonance Medium length, fruit, woody spice, becoming a bit thin Unfortunately not my price-performance range

Tasted at Interwhisky 11/2025 General impression: It started weakly and then declined sharply.

Gentle, harmonious and complex, as you would expect from the Blue Label, with a tendency to think it is too thin. But that is precisely where its strength lies: it challenges you to discover the nuances of taste and at the same time makes it easier to do so. I am richly rewarded every time. In this edition, sweet, delicious notes are added as the wine lingers in the mouth or as it transitions into the aftertaste. Some people probably call this umami. The whole thing then resonates discreetly, but lingers for a long time.

sweet