Oh. My. Goodness!

Can you believe it? A full bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue! Ever since my wife picked me up the 4-bottle sampler back in June, I have longed to once more savor the perfection of Johnnie Walker Blue. With a lot of things, people say, "Don't believe the hype." But with Johnnie Walker Blue, it really is THAT GOOD!

It's money well spent, even at $200 a bottle. Just look at that box!







I thought this was a new box. All the pictures I'd seen online had sort of a velvet or cloth lined interior. However, my wife said she was informed by the salesman at the liquor store that the lined boxes are for international distribution. Still, it's a beautiful box.



You have to hold one of these bottles to fully appreciate it. Man is this thing solid! Just look at the base. It must weigh twice that of a regular bottle.





Each bottle is individually numbered. I don't know why they feel the need; I guess it adds to the prestige.



From Master of Malt:

Nose: Fragrant with good body. Notes of oak, crisp spice, dried fruit, pastries. Berry fruits, aniseed, hints of cedar, a touch of spice and citrus.Palate: Supple and balanced. Good toffee and hints of very wistful smoke. Chocolate, hints of grass and a good hit of malt.Finish: Floral, oaky, good length, urged on by a plume of very well-kept, highland style smoke. Dried fruit, spice, honey.Overall: One of the ultimate premium blends, Blue Label is a legend in its own right and will continue to be.

All I can say is that it is like nothing you have ever tried. It is so smooth. It goes down like water. It has all the signature character of Johnnie Walker, but no other blend in their lineup comes close. Not Gold, not Platinum. I've heard some say that they'd go for a bottle of Green before the Blue. I can't make that comparison since I've never tried Green. The Green was a blend of all malts vs malts and grains. So making that comparison might be apple and oranges. All I know is that the Blue is just a real treat to drink.

If you handed a glass of Blue to the uninitiated, they probably take a swig and reply, "Meh, tastes like whisky to me". Oh, but it so much more than that!

My Dad prefers his wine, but has been known to enjoy the occasional whisky. Not being a connoisseur, we both were curious to see if he'd be able to make the distinction, or was it just me rationalizing in my head the high cost of a bottle of Blue. After all, if you spend $200 bucks on a bottle, you're going to want it to be that good. Mind games? We put it to the test.

I poured a glass of Red, Black, and Blue. I can tell the difference without a problem, so this was just for my Dad. He tried the Black against the Blue and was immediately convinced of it's superiority. Even when he took the Pepsi challenge between the Red and Black, he was able to tell which glass was which. There's no hype, no mind games. It is just that good. Plain and simple.

If you ever get the chance to enjoy a glass of Blue, I strongly encourage you to do so. As for me, I just hope that my wife has started a new tradition of giving me a bottle of Johnnie Walker's finest at the holidays.