🥃 Whisky Auctioneer

A pleasant enough dram and quite different from many of the other versions I have tried, but a little too herbal for me. Worth blagging a try of it, but would rather have a case of some of the other expressions for the same money that this is going for.

Light amber in color, the structure is not too oily.

Hip Handbag In 2024, Diageo introduced a new expression to the Blue Label range: Ice Chalet. Aimed at the après-ski bars? It already comes in a nicely smoked bottle and comes in a special jacket, which you can easily transform into a trendy, winter handbag. Allow me to roll my eyes for a moment. I would like to add that Emma Walker – the master blender who developed this Ice Chalet – used Scotland's most northerly distilleries - mainly Dalwhinnie - and finished it with Brora. I will keep that in mind while tasting and certainly not blindly focus on the storytelling that tries to convince me that this blend will remind me of fresh snow, a warm fire and the endlessly fresh mountain air... Spearmint, vanilla, honey, beeswax, caramel and peach: that's the nose of this Ice Chalet in a nutshell. Sweeter than expected with a pleasant sooty edge. A good start. Very oily, almost mouth-fillingly creamy and immediately a lot of heather honey and toffee. The spiciness translates to pepper, liquorice and even some cocoa. It shows the typical softness and honey note of Dalwhinnie (which is not a disadvantage) with a small smoky note (Brora?) that increases in intensity. This is again very good for me. The finish is long and spicy with a soft bitterness on the deathbed. It is nice! But 330 EUR is quite expensive for a Blue Label at 43%. Funny detail: this is the 60th expression of Johnnie Walker that I am putting to my lips. I can't even sell the trendy handbag to my own other half.

Hmm, how do you rate this whisky? It's not a single malt, so you really can't and shouldn't compare it to one. Compare it to another blend, Chivas, Bells, Ballantines, White Horse, etc., etc., etc. Compared to them, this subtly spicy whisky does quite well.

I expected more from her but I'll give her another chance.

Complex aroma with a hint of spice, developing with floral tones, honey pollen, nutty shades and dried fruits, a little pipe tobacco. Delicate and warming in taste with a palette of spices, chocolate, nuts and a pleasant berry sourness. Long aftertaste with spicy tones of chocolate, spices and dried red berries.

Awfully-corn-syrupy sweet water with bunch of off flavors of new make. Avoid at all costs.

At first it feels unpleasant, but it changed with apple things comes with bourbon barrels. But not light, kinda heavy apple things. I can feel apple, honey, spice... but there are no impressed for me.

Considering the price, I think 86-88 is acceptable, since it's less than 1,000 yuan in the country. It really doesn't have any special features. The texture is smooth and sweet, but my palate isn't that discerning, so I couldn't taste any subtle differences. But that might be one of the reasons why it didn't get a high rating.