Johnnie Walker Black Label Sherry Edition

What a dissapointment. Black Label is usually a triumph, and was hoping this would push the blend into a Laphroaig PX direction. Instead it just tastes like they mixed a bit of expired sherry in with the blend. The smoke suffers as a result, and there is a bad-wine like bitterness. All around a shame.

Nose is dried apricots, marmalade and vanilla. Is there a hint of smoke like normal Black label?…may be but it is very distant. The taste is round with a touch buttery malt followed by sweet fruits – Apricots and orange riding on vanilla and a touch of oak. Smoke is more present on the palate than the nose but this is not a smoky as the standard Black Label. The finish is noticeably smoother than standard Black label – the base grain is much higher quality and in some respects this is a better scotch but is also a little less exciting as well. It’s more impressive in some respects on the rocks and I’d be happy to drink this way if I was out at a bar…I’m guessing it would be a great mixer. So an interesting new release but not earth shattering. Its score is similar to standard Black Label - 3 stars or 88.

Nose: Lightly fruity, cereal snack bar, butterscotch, toffee, a touch of smoke and hints of oak. Palate: A soft arrival of a largely cereal character, which develops a warm sweetness and fruity notes - orange and apricot, mainly - and also chocolate, milk coffee and roasted nuts. The texture is good with a slightly waxy feel and there is a light smoky flavour. Finish: Short, but soft and sweet until the very end with a hint of tobacco. This is a special edition of Black Label that, so the label says, features sherry maturation. Exactly what is going on here is a bit vague, however, as the standard JW Black also contains malts that are at least partly sherry matured. So how is it different in presentation? Well for me the nose was very similar to standard Black Label but with more fruit and a touch less smoke, but 95% the same. If you told me it was standard Black Label from the nose alone I'd believe you. The palate, however, is where things change a fair bit. Modern Black Label is very well balanced but has a tendency to be slightly "hard" and angular when neat - it's actually a part of its charm. The Sherry Edition, however is very soft and much more fruity, with dried figs and dates, and a velvety caramel toffee in place of the smoke. The finish is rounder and richer than regular Black Label as well. In some ways it reminds me of Black Label from about 20 years ago, but without as much peat smoke, and I'm rating it higher here than the standard Black Label 12. "Above Average" : 81/100 (3 stars)