Others JOHNNIE WALKER REVIEWS

And we'll see that this blend is quite different from what you'd expect from another Johnnie Walker and I'll suggest a cocktail adaptation!

First of all let's come back to our blend. It is the result of experiments conducted by master blender Chris Clark. His announced objective was to find a recipe that would give a sweet but also spicy blend.

The result of his research seems to have been found by mixing 70 % single grain with 30 % single malt, drawing the latter partly from DIAGEO's Speyside and Lowland (often Glenkinchie) reserves. As far as ageing is concerned, the selected single malt and grain were all previously aged for 5 to 7 years in oak barrels, then blended, spent 12 months in oak barrels that had previously contained Caribbean pot-still rum!

Before moving on to the mixology version, let's taste it alone!

Before tucking the nose completely into the glass, the first discreet scents are those of a predominantly grain whisky with barley smells.    

When it plunges further into the glass, the nose is not attacked at all (40.8% APV) and the smells are even quite discreet. This blend, which does not show great strength but gently reveals warm sweet notes with a hint of lemon in the background.

At the second passage the smells are more marked and will go on a ripe pineapple and a banana. While remaining, the smells will even take on spices that gently rise in the nose.

The third passage will be calmer and will be carried on woody and very slightly smoky notes.

On the palate this blend is sweet and gentle and is not aggressive. The influence of the rum barrel is immediate but furtive. Only spicy notes and a hint of vanilla will be retained.

The spices will settle on the tip of the tongue, disappear for a while with a gentle passage, then come out and settle on the sides of the tongue. The sweetness of this whisky will be similar to a vanilla biscuity note which brings a real warmth. Before swallowing the distillate, place a pinch of salt on the tip of the tongue and cover the rest of the mouth with honey.

Once swallowed, it will leave a medium-long spicy and minty taste.

The empty glass reveals the barley that made it up but also lemon and chocolate.

As promised we will now talk about mixology.

This blend is quite surprising and atypical and seemed to me quite appropriate to offer you a mojito whisky of which here is the recipe:

Johnnie Walker Blenders' Batch #8 Rum Cask Finish: 4 cl.

Maple Syrup: 2 cl.

Sparkling water: 6 cl.

Lime: ½.

Fresh mint leaves: 10.

Ice cubes: 4.

And the recipe :

1.  Cut 4 slices of lime. Set them aside and squeeze the rest.

2. In a shaker, place the juice of the squeezed lemons, the washed and stripped mint, the maple syrup, the Johnnie walker and the ice cubes. Shake well.

3. Divide the cocktail into one and top up with sparkling water and two ice cubes.

4. Decorate with lime wedges, a few mint leaves.

Good tasting