There are two ways to approach Johnnie Walker Black - glass half full or glass half empty. The half empty view focuses on the underlying grain having some obvious roughness, the hint of smoke and the shortish finish in what is after all a mass-produced blend. The glass half full view - which is where I reside - is what a glorious dram for the money. Colour darkish orange obviously coloured. Nose is a moderate amount of smoke, a touch of maritime peatiness, vanilla and oak. No blend under 50 aussie dollars is even in the same universe as this nose. Taste is sweet vanilla and toasted caramel finishing in smoke and brine. Its impeccably balanced and has a good mouth feel really a tour de force for a blend or it would be if Compass Box wasn’t around to show blends can be much smoother with their grain and just as characterful. Yes they charge a premium but still the one weak point in the chain has to be acknowledged even when your glass is half full. It’s a blend but also an open window into the world of whisky. Many us will happily climb through the window taking a bottle of Black with us. 88 or a very solid 3 stars