Johnnie Walker High Rye

This has the distinct Johnnie Walker backbone with a smidge of peat lurking - more so than I pick up in the green label, but less than black. The rye presence is felt in a little more sweetness than I typically find in single malts, and a touch of rye spice. Comes across as more scotch than rye, but the rye is definitely noticed. I enjoyed this as I typically do with most JW blends.

N: Caramel, vanilla frosting, dash of sea air and brine. Peach and pear fruitiness. Maybe a hint of peat. That distinctive Johnnie Walker note is here, but more subdued than any other JW I've tried. There's also certainly a grainy, cereal note that is not something I would expect from JW - has to be coming from the rye. Ethanol note is just slightly on the wrong side of too much. Longer it sits, more I think there's some rye mint and herb in it. P: Sweet with more of that cereal - like a sugary kid's breakfast cereal. Caramel, vanilla, and dried red fruit - which is nice here. Rounded at the edges with toffee and a bit of chocolate. Definitely some dried rye herbs, herbal tea, and a dash of mint on the palate. That JW chalky mineral water (cough*Cardhu*cough) is certainly here, but, again, subdued. Finish has some anise, dried cereal grain, more herbal tea, and a caramel/vanilla sweetness. This feels like it's trying to be a rye scotch, not a Scottish rye. It's not ideal as a sipper, but it's not terrible. It's unusual. And it's definitely a Johnnie Walker product. Price is right. I can't complain. Might do it again, but there are probably better sipper options out there. Still, if you like JW (and I do), then it's worth giving this bottle a shot. It's at least interesting. (I don't make cocktails at home, so hard to say how this would do with some mixers. Anything I could say to that would be a guess, so I'll not do that.)

As a stand alone whisky I give this a solid 3-3.5. It’s not bad but is by no means memorable. That said, for use in cocktails I give it a 4.75-5. It made one of the best, if not the best, old fashioned I’ve ever had. Definitely worth having a bottle around if you’re into cocktails that generally call for a rye or high rye bourbon.

Compare to the black label, High Rye is really good for the 29.99 price point. It’s not too complex but the extra spice and the punch makes it different and refreshing.