The price of Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve is about $60 for a 750ml bottle, on average. Originally this blend was marked as being 18 years old. But off late, Diageo has not been marking the gold reserve label bottles as such, indicating that the blend now includes lesser aged malt spirits in it.
What’s with the name?
The name of the blend was not accidental. Gold is always associated with a special anniversary – in this case it was 100 years of Johnnie Walker. It was launched in 1920 to celebrate 100 years of establishment of John Walker’s grocery in Kilmarnock, Scotland. It is certainly a special mixed whiskey and something that can be kept for special occasions.
The main single malt whiskeys used in this blended whiskey are Clynelish and Cardhu. Every whiskey gives this blend something special. Clynelish (Highland Region) is known for its honey flavors and gives the mixture a creamy note. Located on the northeast coast of Scotland, Clynelish also has a salty taste. Cardhu (Speyside Region) is known for producing high-quality single malt whiskey, which is why it is available here in gold blend. This gives the mixture smoothness and flavors of oak.
Unlike Johnnie Walker Green Label Blended Whiskey, which is a mix of only the best single malt whiskeys, Gold Label has some very well-engineered whiskeys in the mix. These grainy whiskeys give the mixed whiskey an additional dimension of sweetness and also contribute to the smoothness.
Click here to read more about other Johnnie Walker whiskeys and its history.
Johnnie Walker Gold Label Price List
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Gold Label’s Smell and Taste
On the nose the Johnnie Walker Gold Label has a clear fruity peat note. You can smell the barrel and honey aromas in the background. Taste-wise it is creamy smooth. It opens with the aroma of sweet nectar and almonds, then turns into fresh fruits and velvety honey tones before yielding notes of smoke and tannins. The finish is quite long and towards the end, slight traces of smoke remain on your palette.
It was awarded four prestigious Le Monde Selection Grand Golds awards and the same number of double gold medals at the San Francisco competition.
Recommended reading about other Johnnie Walker labels:
How to Drink Gold Label
The Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve is very good to drink at room temperature and neat. Personally, we would advise against cooling the blend, adding ice cubes or even using it as a mixed base.
Johnnie Walker sees it differently and advertises that the not so cheap Gold Label Reserve is ideal for exclusive cocktails and long drinks. Another recommendation from Johnnie Walker is to serve the whiskey in a large glass with crushed ice and an orange slice.
Conclusion
With the Gold Label, Johnnie Walker brings a blended whiskey without any specified age. In terms of taste, the blended whiskey is quite rounded and well suited for special occasions or to end a day. However, it does not look out-of-the-ordinary and may be less fun for whiskey connoisseurs. The look is traditional for the brand and but the gold-colored hue makes the whiskey appear classy. In addition to the less attractive plastic cap attachment, bottles with high-quality cork are also available. With a price starting at $60/750ml, the Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve can be assigned to the middle price segment.