My Old Pal Johnny Walker

Scotch whiskey is a product originating in its native land of Scotland and it has been distilled for centuries by many different companies and family operations. Among them, the best known of all is that which was founded by a man named John Walker in 1820. His company is still thriving today, nearly two hundred years later. And its best- selling product is Johnny Walker Red Label Scotch, a blended Scotch whiskey.

Basic Characteristics of This Liquor:

Golden tan in color, this Scotch offers a rich aroma that combines smokiness, malted grain, wood, alcohol, and a little bit of vanilla. The liquid itself is a little on the thick side and it coats the side of your glass.

This Scotch whiskey offers flavors like sweet, smoked grain and spice. The middle is rough and spicy, and it creates a strong reaction/bite on the front of the tongue. This whiskey has a long finish, with an aftertaste that is smoky and a little sweet, with some hints of vanilla coming through at the end. It gradually tastes sweeter as the bite fades away.

Johnny Walker Red is sold in the popular 750 ml and 1 liter bottles and it has an alcohol content of 43 percent (86 proof). Each one ounce (30 ml) serving contains 69 calories, with no carbohydrates, fat, or protein. There are 12.2 grams of alcohol in each one ounce shot.

Drinks Made with This Liquor:

Here is a list of some drinks you can enjoy with this whiskey:

Rob Roy

1.5 oz. Johnny Walker Red
1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
Dash of Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon

Scotch Sour

1.5 oz. Johnny Walker Red
Juice of one- half lime
½ teaspoon powdered sugar

Shake with ice and strain into a glass. Garnish with lemon and cherry

Godfather

1.5 oz. Johnny Walker Red
.5 oz. Amaretto

Pour into a glass over ice

Rusty Nail

1.5 oz. Johnny Walker Red
.5 oz Drambuie

Pour into old fashioned glass over ice and stir. Garnish with a lemon.

Butter Nut Scotch

1 oz. Johnny Walker Red
1 oz. Butterscotch Schnapps
1 oz. Amaretto

Pour ingredients over ice in an old fashioned glass and serve.

Kilt Lifter

1.5 oz. Johnny Walker Red
1 oz. Drambuie
2.5 oz. Rose’s Lime Juice

Shake and pour over ice in an old fashioned glass.

Final Thoughts:

Johnny Walker Red Label is the best selling Scotch Whiskey in the world and it has been the company’s flagship product for generations. This whiskey is readily available and can be found in about 200 countries around the world, making it one of the most recognizable names in the liquor business.

Johnny Walker Red is a blended whiskey, which means it uses several different malts to produce its unique taste. The trend nowadays, in the world of Scotch, is toward the single- malt variety. But some people still consider the single malt style a little too heavy, even though it is considered more "in style". Blended whiskey, like Johnny Walker Red, is a little less smooth but it combines better with other ingredients for making most mixed drinks. I like single malt Scotch, but I also appreciate a good blended Scotch from time to time. The right blend can create new dimensions of flavor and a taste that goes very well with different mixers.

The people at Johnny Walker claim this whiskey is sweet but you may not notice this if you take a straight shot. If you want to examine the taste in a different way, I recommend mixing a shot with some club soda. You will notice that the sweet malted grain taste is more prevalent when served this way and you can distinguish other flavors as well. Served straight up, it’s obvious that there is a good deal of sweetness, based on the reaction on the front of the tongue. But the sweet sensation is overpowered by the spicy taste and the strong bite.

Speaking of the bite, this is one area where Johnny Walker Red loses a few points with me. I have tried many blended Scotch whiskies and most of them have been a little bit smoother than this one. The harshness of drinking this straight will turn many people against it right away. If you have had a bad experience from tasting this full strength, my advice is to try it mixed with club soda (like I mention above) so that you can learn to better appreciate the different flavors present without grimacing and/or gagging. Then, try substituting this Scotch in some of your favorite drinks and see what you think.

Johnny Walker makes its whiskies in four different labels (varieties), and they are all distinguished by a color: Red, Black, Gold, and Blue. The Red label is the company’s least expensive product and this is part of the reason why it is also the company’s best- seller. I made a purchase of Johnny Walker Red most recently while on a vacation in a foreign country, so I was able to get it as a discounted price. I paid only about $14 for a full one- liter bottle (duty free). You can expect to pay more than that in your local store, but the price is still reasonable for Scotch Whiskey.

Overall, Johnny Walker Red Label is a good blended scotch. It’s nothing spectacular and I can think of several brands of Scotch that I enjoy more. But for its widespread availability and reasonable price, this is still a good brand to consider. The smoked peat taste, the vanilla, and other flavors make Johnny Walker Red a good brand of blended scotch to have around the house.