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Almost every bar on the planet has Johnnie Walker Black Label available for a reason: it's a solid and reliable choice. On the nose, you get distant Caol Ila peatiness, rich honey notes, apples and citrus fruits. Not a very intense aroma - but altogether pleasant. Peppery Talisker-spiciness dominates the arrival, while the taste of this blended Scotch is surprisingly substantial with fruity sweetness, cinnamon and well-measured cask influence. The finish lingers with delicate peat smoke and mild spices. An easy blend with restrained grain whisky bitterness. RATING: 3.0/5.0 stars ≙ 80 pts → AVERAGE

Does not smell bad, very fruity, but also a bit crisp, vanilla comes, a bit dry in the mouth. It does not knock me off the stool, but not bad for the price.

Dark amber, almost a copper color. Pretty oily structure.

Blog No need for a sermon here. Much like when i spend time with Highland Park 12 wishing to have the 18yo, I spent the whole time with this dram wishing it was the Platinum 18yo. It’s just as well blended as the Platinum I’m sure, but there are no standout features at all. What's lacking most is depth whilst it’s youthfulness only brings a soft-pokey thinness, and bottled at 40% which doesn’t help it’s cause. I’m sure however it’s good enough as a reasonably priced aged blend [£26 May ’17], to maintain copious worldwide sales for JW [450 bottles per minute], though at that price point you’re in core single malt territory - Glenmorangie 10, Laphroaig 10, Bunna 12,….. and the Bunna 12 is really good at the moment. Scores a D[+]

Nose:- Light body. Touch of pungent spices and mild heat on nose. Quite full with citrusy notes emerge after water added. Fume of dry peat linger at distant. Similar to Highland style. Palate:- Chewy with dried peat, mashed fruits peels, lightly oil. Hint of bitterness. Finish:- Smooth and long. Drift of hot peppery spices. — at The Whisky Bar, Kuala Lumpur

Earthy It had been over 5 years since I allowed a Johnnie Walker Black Label to tinkle into my glass. It has a fair reputation, no? It contains quite a few malts, such as Glendullan, Mortlach, Lagavulin, Talisker and Caol Ila, upholstered with grain whisky from Cameronbridge. It is bottled as drinking strength. The nose starts off fruity (think peach and candied pineapple), but soon turns somewhat dark on pear drops and brown sugar. It has a mildly salty and smoky edge, but quite discreet. Less than I remember, in any event. But the nose is more than pleasant, to be honest. The arrival is surprisingly weak, almost watery. That is a pity, because the taste is not bad at all. Vanilla and some sherry, but then some pleasant earthy notes and a nice development of smoke. The finish is fruity, but mostly sweet. And medium in length. Well, it is far cry from a big whisky, but still quite pleasant. A card player’s dram in a smoky jacket.

This is a very reliable and pleasant everyday dram, one of those where you just want to switch off and enjoy.

- Much better taste than the Red Label - easy to drink blend, has a smoky touch a bit of a special touch - Caol Ila sends his regards (is probably a higher proportion inside, the touch of Islay is clearly noticeable in the whiskey) - At 25 - 30 € the blend fulfills the expectation of a good one solid drinkable blended whiskey - but for 5 € more you have a super 12 year old. single Malts stand at home Stand at home

One of the best-selling blends worldwide; always available at a fair price!

Rather a slightly above average blend

It's not Red Label which is a good thing, but this is still no sipping whisky for me. Finishing a bottle felt like working.

Tops

S 6.5 Just realised I’ve never written any tasting notes for the modern black label despite how much I’ve consumed across the years. So here it is. At a price of £32 (£22 when on sale), there’s really no complaint, at least as of the 2023 price 71-80 - Drinkable, worth the experience at least

A 12 year old blended whisky, one of the world's most famous blends. Johnnie Walker Black is a blend of around 40 whiskies, very well put together.

Classic

Actually nice.

A pantry staple.

Well balanced blended whisky

Simple and drinkable.

It offers great value for money and is available almost everywhere. If you're not comparing it to higher-end wines, it's actually quite good. Considering the price, I'd add 1 point.

A run of the mill blended scotch that suits in ordinary occasions

Vanilla, citrus, slight briny note, violet, honey, smoky. When I first started drinking whisky, the peat felt quite strong, but revisiting it now, the peat is gentle, allowing vanilla and apple to stand out more clearly. The grain influence is not intrusive, leaving the impression of a very well-crafted blended whisky.

it has less of everything except grain, less fruits, less cask, less enjoyable experience. too much grain in my opinion. although the price hasn't moved much over the years (still under EUR 18 for a 70cl bottle), but the quality has noticeably changed...and not for the better.

Enjoyable.

A little better than the Red Label. However, I would use this synonymous only for mixing.

Well done but too diluted

The only blend I would recommend

A mini bottle that I bought in a hurry at a convenience store for a lot of money. I usually drink a few bottles of Johnnie Walker Black, but I have never written a review, so I wrote a brief one. At this price and with this level of quality, I think this bottle is actually the best among blended bottles of the same class. If you pour a lot into your mouth and taste it, the lacking flavors come up quite densely, so you can enjoy it. Personally, the subtle peat balances it out, so I think it is always a priority when buying it at a convenience store. If you drink it without high expectations, it is the most perfect bottle.

How to rate this? I directly compared with Hunter's Glen 8y. Both whiskeys were equal opponents. I was also cutty by Cutty Sark. I look at the prizes and here Johnnie Walker is losing. Being a bottle of about three hundred, I would not go for 600, - but I would not have bought such a mix by accident.

Not afwul, nothing special. Veeery drinkable, soft and round. For 5/10€ more i'd buy Kavalan Classic all the times.

You can find this blend everywhere you go. There is a good reason for it. Consistent, reliable and always good!

Gave this an above average rating. While the benchmark for blended whisky, one has to appreciate the effort that goes into keeping this blend consistent. You always know what you're going to get here, I can enjoy a glass of this but still won't shed any tears when someone mixes it with coke.

The bottle has now been open for over 4 years. He did better than the last few times in the testing. Either the taste of the whiskey has changed or mine.

Good bottle for the price tag.

something you can always go back to or you can always introduce to people unfamiliar with scotch a classic, no doubt about it

Very tasty Blended, quite good but simple.

Not an absolutely bad whisky And not comparable with 8 - 12 € whiskies but absolutely unsuitable for discovery In my opinion, it is absolutely suitable for drinking with friends where you don't pay attention to details and it doesn't hurt your wallet

Can not take any water. Do not suggest ice cubes. This us a good blend. Consistent, interesting. Very good starter for a whisky tasting.

In the aroma, sweet fruit, a damp, extinguished fireplace. Quite soft, pleasant, complex, fruity sweetness dominates, light smokiness in the background. In the taste, clear fruity sweetness and light, but unmistakable smokiness and smokyness. The smoke is only in the background, but it is there. Lightly toasted and smoked fruit. The taste seems a little diluted. In the finish, baked fruit fades and spices are added. Overall, it is easy to drink, it is not something to think about, but it is not bad and it is drinkable.

Reportedly the best 12 year old blend in the world. Everyone should try.

Initially, I had put this at a 76/100, but when I set it against Gold, 21 XR, and the Celebratory Blend, I upped the rating to 82 (still not as good as those others, but better than I remembered). Salted caramel Frappuccino, some white pepper, splash of sea water, some smoke from burning cotton balls, celery shavings, and whipped cream. This is like if you ordered an Islay whisky from Starbucks.

A well above average blend and worth its money. it's easy to hate on JW, but credits due here: a fine, easy sipping background whisky with no off notes whatsoever. Perfect to start a tasting session and good enough on its own as it develops nicely over time in your glass.

Apart from the simple but not unpleasant smoke note, not much happens here. Boring but not bad.

Against Chivas Regal 12 and Loch Lomond definitely move forward today.

It had been years when I last tried a JW black label, always good to revisit one.

A solid blend, not just for mixing.

A solid blend with maritime notes. Sweet and easy. Alcohol well integrated. He can be enjoyed very well.

A simple but tasty whiskey. Good for drinking while watching a movie or meeting friends. Especially at the grill.

I would consider this as the boundary for a decent blend. Nothing spectacular but very reliable

rather bland, industrial whiskey, something happens after a stun

pleasant smoky note, beautifully integrated, harmonious, despite slight bitterness and alcoholic notes, recommended

Slowly forming thick straight legs, fastly disappearing. Slowly forming long narrow secondary legs. Water enhances the ranges of the nose and the finish, but on the account of the palate. A generic blended scotch.

Compared to a 12-year-old whiskey, it has a distinctly smoky flavor and a relatively body, so it's fun to drink. My standard is just the standard for saying that whiskey is delicious

A good whiskey of the bland category, a pleasure to drink, a more mature body is felt compared to red of the same year.

An unrivaled classic. I've known him for over 40 years. Likes to be talked into pieces. If you can get it for €15-18. Always buy.

Good enough to mix. Not good enough as a whisky on its own

It offers good value for money. The sweetness that comes out over time is really appealing.

Easy blend

Something I haven't had in the cupboard for years, but as far as blends go this one would be an okay weapon of choice for sipping-to-get-drunk/ beer-and-a-chaser -purposes. Watery, yes and somewhat tainted with the noticeably high e150-content, but otherwise a pleasant and light enough smokiness for a couple of tumbler-fulls... oh, of course: don't get wasted ... but if you have to, why not rather make it a more than less pleasant ride?

75 points

The nose is better than I remember from previous tastings. I suspect they have added in some decent cask into the recipe but @ 40% ABV, it makes the taste a little thin and weak.

This is where Johnnie Walker Whiskey begins. 12 years in a barrel. A bit of peat, plus dark chocolate, prunes and caramel.

I am disappointed. Maybe my expectations for this whiskey were too high. For this money it's better to buy some NAS single malt.

Category: Blended Manufacturer: Diageo Fortress: 40% Volume: 700 ml Bottling date: 07/19/2019 Exposure: 12 years Filtration: yes Dye: present Nose. As with all whiskeys in this screw-top bottle, the flavor is greatly reduced if left open for a long time. The nose is not to say that it is very prominent, but there is nothing repulsive about it either, it is not alcoholic at all, grain spirits do not hit the nostrils. If you strain the receptors a little, then you can notice the distinctive features of almost all regions of the production of whiskey in Scotland and even individual distilleries, the spirits of which are part of it. First of all, there is a very light smoke, richly flavored with vanilla and caramel, butter and toffee candies, a little honey and malt moments, then fruits (apricots and peaches, soaked apples, lemon and green pear) make themselves felt a little and dark dried fruits appear. (brown raisins, dates), some grassy motifs at the end. The taste, of course, is very lacking in density, but you need to understand that this was done specifically for the sake of ease of drinking. However, when compared with its main direct competitor, Chivas Regal 12 YO, I note that Black Label has a richer and more varied taste. Chivas goes more and more into a fruity theme, while BL has a light marine mineral saltiness of Caol Ila, and the pleasant pepperiness and smoky Talisker, caramel-coffee theme and dried fruits from Glendullan, sour citrus fruits and bitterness from their stones inherent in Cardhu, fresh fruits from other spacers. Everything is in good balance. You can drink and not bother, or you can be distracted to concentrate on individual components. Finish: dry and short, which, in general, is typical of most blends. Burnt wood, peppers, peaches, apricots, toffee. A good balance of drinkability and saturation for little money (naturally at discounts). More than one bottle was drunk, mainly, of course, in the company of friends, but it also suits well in solo for watching a movie. It is not for nothing that this is the best-selling whiskey in the world, namely BL, and not some lousy, much cheaper three-year-old. For me, the only competitor in terms of price-quality ratio in this segment of blends is Bushmill`s Black Bush, which I like even a little more, because it is not as caramel-sweet as BL sometimes seems. Surely there is something else worthy of attention, I don’t know, I’m not very savvy in this category, more and more on malt somehow. And so, of course, it’s worth overpaying and taking a worthy Single Malt for gatherings, but only if your comrades share your interest and hobbies for this type of whiskey. Otherwise, it will be an empty overpayment. Rating: 78 out of 100.

Possibly the common language of whisky drinkers all over the world? A solid standard, unlike other cheap whiskies where grain whisky is added to save money, it is added for the sweetness of grain whisky. The final result is a taste that is very smooth and suitable for the public. The price is also very affordable, So I am not surprised that it is the best selling brand in the world. The taste score is 81 points, the price +2 points, a total of 83 points.

Tasted at a Blind Tasting event. It was not a very interesting whisky!

Pours deep, darker gold. Scent is fruity, tad 'sweet' impression. Very mild alcohol. Cookie dough, very mild oak. Bit simple (to be fair, a short drink isn't the best sniffing glass). Taste is fairly easy as well. Generic scotch, medium fruityness. Very mild expression of oak. Very easy going, but a bit boring. Good as a brainless meal-ender, not as a sipping dram.

A legend and an absolute classic in the genre, to which everyone owes the necessary respect. Excellent whisky, which is suitable for all occasions and will never let you down.

74/100

A basic blend scotch whisky with typical notes of scotch like butterscotch, malty, bready notes, little ashes, apricot...

not bad bland

I just can’t…

So weak

It's OK, but I rather pay the extra for the Gold or Green label

Definitely a huge improvement over the Red Label, but I think it is overpriced. It is haunted by loads of e150a and honestly apart from the smoke, generic barley sugar and some citrus notes, the best You can smell and taste is some oak. I mean this is a blend with possibly minimal malt content and the casks used are far from being superior, but then... what justifies the 30+ euro cost?

Simple and boring. I would rather like a Cutty Sark prohibited edition

Fruity and smoky but horribly dry and cheap on the medium to finish.... the grain spirit almost seems scorched by the poor quality casks. Made for high impact but not substance...used to be much richer. Like so many Scotch whiskies a shadow of what it once was.

Smooth, sweet, little smoky.

Good taste and aroma compared to the price

Johnny Walker 12 Black Label *Age statement: 12 years old. *Alcohol percentage at least 46%: no, 40%. *Amount of filtration: most definitely chillfiltered. *Use of caramel coloring {E150a}: the back label makes mention of the addition of farbstoff. (1 out of 4, regarding craft/integrity presentation and communication). Without water Nose/olfaction: cola, blanched peas, unlit candles. It is not very loud, but with some focus some notes can be detected. Palate/gustation: chicken wings, cherry, ginger, bread, leather. An eclectic palate, but certainly enjoyable. Finish/coda: smoke, jolly ranchers. I find quite nice for a blend. With water Nose/olfaction: caramel and dates. Meaning that it smells sweet, but it is also shows a noticeable dullness with notes of wetted stones. Palate/gustation: chicken bouillon, vanilla, green beans, cherry. It is a mix mash of flavors that do not really work together, but tend to lean into a more savory territory. Finish/coda: flat coke and bees wax, not much to say about it, water really kills the finish with only vestiges of flavor still present. I’m kind of mad with myself why I bought this bottle, not because I think it is a waste of money, but because I liked it better to not know how Johnny Walker Black Label tasted. The idea that all these beautiful malts from the Diageo storehouses were being vatted together with 12 year old grain whisky always gave me a sense of joy, but having tasted this neutered reality I wish to go back to a time before I ever drank a glass of this. I find it is often more enjoyable to dream than to experience, and this is certainly true for Diageo products.

Nose: Raisin, toffee, vanilla, baked pear, peat, apple Taste: Butter, baked apples, brown sugar, pear, banana, salt, oak, peat, smoke

very pleasant nose, watery and alcoholic taste

sweet apple, soft peat, vanilla, honey

Was offered this as blind tasting. Eye: Irregular beads: 40 ABV, E150 suspect. Amontillado. Nose: Smoke (not sure about peat), Hebridean whiff (Talisker/Lagavulin-esque), honeyed peach. Licorice. Toffee. Mouth: Mild (smooth; lacks a real character). Confirms legs. Blend suspect. Slick, not really mouth coating. Sweetened black iced tea. Better yet: mugicha (barley tea) from the Chinese store. Burned sugar, cognac. Peach, tart-apple. No tannins nor very pronounced oak notes, except a hint of vanilla cake and salty toffee. I’m guessing 12 yo and coloring. Residue: Wet mutton. Brine. In conclusion: Clearly a smooth blended scotch. My first impression about Talisker or Lagavulin was spot on. In hind sight the mugicha flavor lends a soft drink character to it. Not as bad as whisky liquor but in my taste the least interesting blend I've had so far.

Bend

very good dram, reasonable, for daily

Dads whisky, therefore will always be special to me

Favorite blend!

fruity and peated but the finish is not smooth

I have been on the hunt for a bottle or two of Johnny Walker Green Lable and found some black label at a pretty good price. So I said to me self, "lets give it a go and see what it really tastes like." I have to say that for a blend I was some what impressed.  It was pretty smooth with some hints of smoke and dried fruit. What it reminded me of was a lower level version of JW Swing. Which if you have not tried, is really a pleasant dram in the late afternoon while your watching the sun go down. Johnny Walker gets a lot of bad rap, but for an "every day / go to" scotch, it really is not bad. In fact here is an experiment, if you have some JW Swing around, add a splash of it to the JW Black label and it really changes the chemistry and complexity, a very good dram in fact. Price here in Costa Rica is ¢22,000 colones which is about $40.00. Yea a bit pricey, but CR has taxes and duty. All in all, not a bad dram to sip on. A tad harsh when compared to Swing, but a good dram never the less.

Better than red label.

Something leathery, soft pepper, something floral, coffee, caramel and peat

This is a great blend for the price. And this scotch is great for both beginners to start their scotch journey and for experienced whisky nerds who may just want to sit back and relax for an easy sipper. Great accessible blend

Water and little aftertaste Veenman pleasure

Metallic and sour undertones of the Red Label still present in this rather drinkable but unpleasant whisky.

A solid standard and the one you always keep in stock at home. My favourite that started it all.

I wasn't expecting much from JW Black Label, but it is a decent blend with very complex aromas. Nose: smoke, toffee, vanilla, wood, baked apple, walnuts, grapes, plums Taste: smokey, nutty, a bit of coffee and raisins Finish: medium-long, coffee, spiced, red fruits

I actually wanted to give it 81 points, but after reading the absolutely insane reviews + the average overall rating.... Wow, I hope these are ironic trolls... we're talking about an industrial company that sold over 170 million liters last year. If I remember correctly, around 60 million liters of that was thanks to Black Label sales. YES, there is caramel coloring in it! Of course, otherwise the average Joe (90% passive consumer) wouldn't buy it. Entire batches would be left unsold. Are you familiar with the videos of women choosing fruit in the supermarket? Can you imagine how ridiculous those guys would look over the whisky? Regularly available for €20 at Amazon and specialist retailers. For something that matures in the barrel for at least 12 years! That's cheap for the mentally ill. Those who want to support small businesses shouldn't complain about small change. For the price, you really get a well-rounded, pleasant whisky. You can pour it for anyone without any embarrassment. This snooping in the spirits scene is pathetic.

This might be the best blended whisky on the market. The smokiness, fruitiness, and other notes are very well balanced. The price is also very reasonable.

Good for social.

Johnnie Walker is so populair that it's also bashed a lot. And that's alright! You pay for it so you have all the right in the world to bash it! The truth is though that the black is doing a great job. For the money, it's hard to beat! Not impossible, but hard. It's not even a beginners whisky. It's smoky and interesting and a nice slam! I didn't like it when I started on my whisky journey many years ago, but by now, after all this years, I recognise that the Black is doing a fine job. It sweet and friendly but it also has a smokey side. The smoke is simple for sure. This is not a overthinking whisky, but it's pleasant and while simple it does show some teeth. I decided that this is my 80 reference point. It deserves it. I truly believe that. That being said I prefer the double black when the bottle is just opened.

blended scotch, beginner friendly, easy drink

average whiskey

the taste quickly fades. you can feel the alcohol. the taste is not very distinct

A very nice blended whisky which is better than many malts that are more expensive !

Classic blended scotch. It's a bit too pricey for what it has to offer. I liked the nose the most because of the pleasant citric note combined with the smoke. It has many notes, which is expected for a blend, but they are all weak. Nothing really stands out.

acceptable for the price

JW Black is absolutely huge in China—the flavor holds up well for what you pay.

Probably one of the best whiskies to start with if someone's new to the whisky world. Found everywhere, cheap price, standard taste. The 'decent' whisky.

Just blend

It is perfectly okay. And that is the entire point. Its for easy drinking after a long day when you just want whisky with some taste.

Aroma Alcohol slight oak spice Tastes better than it smells sweet and smooth, but pretty one dimensional

Verry drinkable scotch, fine peated, nice on the rock, it's not perfect but it's worth to try and you can really enjoy in it.

I had this for more than three decades. And I think it absolutely fine as an ordinary person, it is quite delicious, sweet with a minimal hint of smoke, definitely a no for the connoisseur and certainly not for the fussy malt-mates who demands no colouring, minimum 46 percent, an unchill-filltered, sorry, not for you.