Whisky : Johnnie Walker “Oldest”

Country/Region : Scotland/Blend

ABV : 43%

Cask : Various (Bottle # J000503)

Tasting : Neat in a Glencairn @ HWG Series #2

Nose : Fruitiness of fresh cut stone fruits: peaches and apricots.  A faintly herbal smoke hints at that aged peated components in the blend.  There is an interesting meaty quality that reminds me of grilled sword fish with a bit of lemon and pepper.

Palate : Sweet and musky like a warm leather armchair that has taken on the aroma of a fruity cologne.  Smoke is a bit more noticeable on the palate, an aromatic pine or kiawe/mesquite burning in a fireplace.  The overall body is on the lighter end of the spectrum with the fruit forward nose a bit more restrained on the palate.

Finish : Long and mellow like a butterscotch candy melting in your mouth.

Score : 5

Mental Image : Lost in a museum.  Looking for the bathroom during a reception in the dinosaur exhibit.

Notes : While pouring my dram I found myself mentally quoting Indian Jones, this belongs in a museum!  I should count myself fortunate that this bottle ended up in the hands of a friend who simply had no reason to keep holding on to it.  It might be an interesting piece of whisky history as on of the pre-cursors to the modern Johnnie Walker Blue Label, but what good is a bottle scotch if it is not opened and shared with friends?

Apparently bottles of old Johnnie Walker make for great collection pieces; the brand is ubiquitous, instantly recognizable, and has a venerable history.  There are also an ample number of old expressions for a collector (though not one as cool as Indian Jones) to seek out.  Collecting for the sake of owning a personal whisky history museum is just not a motivation that I relate to. (despite being a historian I generally do not collect a lot of old stuff).  Nor can I relate to someone who views whisky as an investment.

It is hard to be totally dispassionate reviewing an old bottle of scotch.  I find that the age and rarity weigh on my ability to be entirely objective.  I want to enjoy this dram, to maximize my experience knowing full well that it might as well be a unicorn I will never drink again.  Yet, this really was not something I would come back to even if I could.  I wonder if maybe giving it a C is not a bit of grade inflation due to rarity.  This proto-blue label was fine dram, but aside from being fun and interesting it lacked depth, body, and complexity.  It is an easy drinker that might pair well with a cigar, but it is not likely to dazzle someone normally drawn to cask strength, peat, or sherry bombs.

It is a dinosaur, fun to see in a museum, but probably not the ideal pet.