Review #93 & 94: Johnnie Walker Rye Cask and Green Label

Everybody's favorite conglomerate Diageo has a couple of newish releases. First up is the Rye Cask Finish, which is Diageo juice aged 10 years and then finished in Rye casks, most likely ex-Crown casks as it is part of their empire and Bulleit Rye is MGP juice.

Second, is the re-release of the Green Label, which was loved, then dropped, then brought back. Green Label is Diageo juice aged 15 years. I got a split maybe ten years ago but I forgot everything about it.

Johnnie Walker Rye Cask Finish

Non Regional - 10 Years - Chill-Filter - e150- Sample ($45 at the local) - 46%

Color - Burnished

Nose - Rye spice on the nose, marshmallow, vanilla, tart apple

Taste - Cereal, cinnamon, vanilla, honey, fruit maybe apples - much better mouth feel than most JWs

Finish - Medium - Rye spice, barrel char, cinnamon, vanilla, honey

Overall - 5 - The malt in this is completely overwhelmed by rye in this one. I had trouble even picking out the fruit on the palate is because the rye just dominates the palate. It is had, but I can think of more than one rye I would rather pick up at this price point. To me, this is a hybrid Manhattan/Rob Roy base and possibly a very interesting one.

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Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 yr

Non Regional - 15 Years - Chill-Filter - e150 - Sample ($60 at the local) - 43%

Color - Deep Copper

Nose - Apricots, honey, key lime, caramel and cream

Taste - Raisins, apricots, brown sugar, vanilla

Finish - - Sweet, custard, honey, toffee and the slightest hint of smoke

Overall - 6 - This is nice, probably the best JW I have had. It for sure falls in the "smooth" whisky genre, but that isn't always a bad thing. This is a bottle share with friends who aren't big whisky drinkers, it has a little of everything for everybody. While it is better than black, it would be hard for me to buy a bottle of this at full price when I could buy a 1.75 of black and save five bucks.

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Rating system is price influenced as it is based on my shopping decisions when buying a bottle.

10 Best in Show

9 Great Dram for Special Occasions

8 Worthy of consistent spot in my collection

7 Worth picking up a bottle if in the mood

6 I would buy a bottle if it went on sale

5 I would drink it happily if offered

4 I would drink it if offered on the rocks

3 Maybe some soda will make this potable

2 I'll Pass

1 Toilet cleaner

Inclusive Ratings

Overall 6.1

Standard Deviation 0.93

Skew 0.66

Kurtosis -0.55