Johnnie Walker Blenders Wine Cask Blend Batch Review
When we checked in with Johnnie Walker earlier this year, they were difficult at work on their Blenders' Batch. The serial has some express edition, experimental whiskies that pokes hard at the safe cocoon around Scotch.
Nosotros're glad, and more than than a fiddling excited. Blended whiskies, besides, can do good from creativity- perhaps more than so, because of the kind of freedom they enjoy compared to single malts. There's a whole wide world waiting beyond single malts and sherry casks.
The new Johnnie Walker Blenders' Batch Wine Cask Blend is quite the statement in that direction.
Whisky and Rye
The first three Blenders' Batch whiskies were the Red Rye Finish, the Triple Grain American Oak and the Bourbon Cask & Rye Finish (which we reviewed hither). Inspired by Master Blender Jim Beveridge's experiences in blending bourbon and rye in Louisville, Kentucky in the 1990s, there is a singled-out whiff of Americana to them. Those whiskies each had a distinct character, and were as different from a Scotch as a Scotch could become, for now at least.
Jim Beveridge began the Blenders' Batch experiments over ten years agone, and his American experiment seems to have run its course, for now. At the Diageo Reserve Globe Course 2017 in Mexico City before this yr, Diageo unveiled the Rum Cask Finish and Espresso Roast, which are coming before long(tm).
While we wait for those, though, the fourth expression, the Vino Cask Blend, has arrived in Singapore. It was created past pb developer Aimée Gibson, who is function of the Johnnie Walker blending team.
In her hands, in that location is a perceptibly different signature to the new expression. While the previous expressions are robust, masculine even, the Wine Cask Alloy has a more feminine, softer quality to it. Manifestly, nosotros are not talking solely most the packaging, which does take a overnice rosy hue, only virtually the liquid within.
Days of Vino and Roses
Using wine casks to terminate whisky is not entirely new. Sherry casks have been used for the longest time to both mature and finish whisky. Experiments in finishing have yielded Port expressions and even Sauternes and Madeira sweetness vino finishes. Even ruddy wines take been played with before, such every bit in the Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Blood-red Wine Finish.
The red wine finishes are, however, rarer than the fortified vino (sherry, port, madeira) ones, and this is particularly so for blended whisky.
Nosotros did some sleuthing, and it seems there exists ane other blended whisky which used cherry vino casks: the Sometime Perth Cask Strength Red Wine Finish. We believe this has much to practise with blends being viewed as junior to single malts, which leads to less effort and creativity (read, cask finishing) being used on them.
To be sure, Johnnie Walker has not disclosed if that there were ruddy vino casks used to make the new Blenders' Batch, much less which varietal of vino was in those casks. We simply infer that from the flavours in the whisky, which has been described equally fruity and berry-like- characteristics of some ruddy wines.
Nosotros are excited, of course. Office of it is due to our weariness of sherried whisky. As outstanding as they are, we yearn for something new.
The bigger reason is our fondness for red wine and the sheer range flavours that one can get from them. An Australian Shiraz will likely have dark berries and fiery notes, while a Burgundian Pinot Noir volition take ruddy berries, cherries and earth flavours. The light-green herb flavours of a Chilean Carménère, or a rosy Italian Barolo are as distinct.
Compound that with variations in blazon of oak cask- American, French, Slovene, perhaps fifty-fifty Japanese Mizunara in future, and at that place's plenty of room for exploration.
Cream and Peaches
Having said all that, we were looking forward to tasting the new Johnnie Walker Blenders' Batch Wine Cask Blend. Jumping straight in…
Nose: Cream, vanilla, fume is almost also faint to be perceptible. Sweet oranges, white peaches, rose petals and forest berries- lightness and tartness that doesn't really bring a typical Johnnie to mind.
Palate: Thick and rich, blanket the tongue with buttery honey and marmalade. The wine makes its presence known towards the eye with flavours of raspberries and sugariness cherries. The middle notes have a slight green apple tartness that seems a little out of identify, but it passes very chop-chop. At that place is also a potent chemical element of peaches, vanilla and cream that mellow the flavour towards the cease.
Finish: Vanilla, cereal and pino, with some light spiciness and woods flavours to finish. Of medium length.
The best way we can think of to draw this alloy is to film a French drupe pastry caught in a Scotch bottle. A lovely afternoon tea whisky if there ever was one; we suspect the correct pairing might be strawberry shortcake.
Overall, the whisky is elegant and the whole combination of flavours feels very well-integrated. While discernible, none of them are out of stride. While flavourful, the taste profile is feathery light, then it never sits heavy on the tongue.
Summing information technology all Upwards
The whole bespeak of the experimental series was to push the boundaries, and Aimée Gibson has certainly washed so hither. Information technology's very different from anything else in the Johnnie Walker stable; if we didn't know ameliorate, we wouldn't guess that the walking homo would exist proudly emblazoned on the forepart of the bottle.
On its ain merits, nosotros really loved the light, creamy, fruity flavours of the Wine Cask Blend. There is a dreamy, soft quality about information technology that we don't oftentimes get in spirits. If you're looking for big, bold, peaty flavours, yous won't find them hither.
That'due south precisely the point. There's plenty of that manner of whisky already, but precious little on offer for those prefer a lighter touch.
Gibson set out to "make a alloy that can exist enjoyed by all tastes, and particularly by those people who might previously accept thought that whisky isn't for them." We think she succeeded. Cascade a glass for your more than timorous friends and there's a practiced adventure that you'll discover more than than a few converts.
And the best function? It'southward going for a bargain toll of $69. We suggest filling shopping carts with them.
Johnnie Walker Blenders' Batch Vino Cask Alloy (70cl bottle) will be available at Cold Storage at $69.00. For more than information, you tin can check out the website.
Source: http://highestspirits.com/johnnie-walker-blenders-batch-wine-cask-blend-review/
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