Johnnie Walker is a benchmark for the entire industry, and you should find out why.
Johnnie Walker is one of the most recognized Whisky names in the World. The brand was established in 1860 by John “Johnnie” Walker, when he started blending Whiskies from his grocery shop in Ayrshire, Scotland. During the Victorian Era, success came when his son Alexander exported around the British Empire, establishing the Whisky early as one of the first truly global brands.
Today, Johnnie Walker’s famous square-shaped bottle—with the label set at a jaunty 24 degrees—is THE most popular blended Whisky in the world, selling more than 130 million bottles per year in nearly every country on the planet across their wide range of ages, special editions, and finishes.
Johnny Walker Black is the benchmark premium blended Scotch Whisky by which all other are judged. They make a fairly wide range of blended Scotch identified by variously-colored labels, but they have built their reputation and marketing campaign on the famous “Black label” for years. The blends are individually balanced, often using dozens of different Whiskies, but each has its own signature character — a few stand-out ingredients to set it apart from the others. For the Black label, all forty Whiskies included are at least 12 years old, and the two stand-out single malts are Talisker and Caol Ila.
What does Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Year Old taste like?
The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Year Old and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.
We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.
liked but has a sharp taste, i needed to add water
Josh,
Slight smoke and molasses on the nose. taste, is mostly charred wood. Finish is a little peppery.
overall fine, I feel like it's the Tullamore dew of scotch. Simple and drinkable, but not complex.
Brian,
Smooth
David,
Nice smell of light smoke and licorice.. smooth drink with no harshness, goes down nice and smooth. A light smokiness to it for those just getting into smoke.
Michael,
this is my go to dtink. "Black on the Rocks", with a glass of water on the side to keep my hydrated throughout the night
Tyler,
Stocking stuffer whisky, Part IV.
This is a peated blend, but what's there is a very faint medicinal whiff and hint of smoke on the nose. After that, it's a lazy river of vanilla and baking spice. Not terribly complex, and I can't see myself reaching for this over Monkey Shoulder or Dewar's, which are comparably or lower priced and more layered than this one is.
James,
Don’t get sucked in by the price and the 12 on the bottle. Tastes like wet cigarette ashes, dirty laundry and bad decisions. +3 stars to bury whilst mixing.
C,
Reliable
Lawrence,
Not my favorite.
Andrei,
Love it!
Matt,
An all time classic
Probably the best value for money whisky I can think of. Should easily be able to find a bottle around £25. Rich flavour. Light peaty smoke with a lingering peppery oak notes. Picture an oak wood fire in a glass. Gorgeously dark colour and thick oily texture. An absolute classic!!
Clayton,
Nice blended scotch for the money. Good whether drunk neat, on the rocks or in a cocktail.
Nose: Carmel, peat smoke, Oak, white wine
Palate: Carmel, walnuts, peat smoke, oak
Finish: Brine, smoke, subtle burn, drying oak
Tara,
This has been my drink of choice. Because it's a blended scotch, I usually will have it on the rocks, cut with tonic water and lime. I find this to be a better tasting and smoother flavor than red label.
Cliff,
It's too bitter for my taste.
Jack,
I love smoky flavors. This is one that I always have around.
BRIAN,
Like it a lot
Kenji,
My father in law described Johnny Walker Black as the best ever day scotch. It was his favorite. I agree with him. It’s a balance of sweet, spicy and smokey.
Alan,
Bad, threw it out. medicine flavored.
Tyler,
Tolerable...Barely
James,
Peppery charred taste. Not to bad though.
Erin,
Like it. Caramel notes
Guillermo,
My go to Scotch. Really can't go wrong with this one. Smooth & rich smoky & fruity. Toffee sweetness with hints of spice. Going to pour myself one right now.
Niklas,
the only one i drink with ice, and its fantastic on some ice cubes, just untill it melts to much.. honestly its a time slot of about 5-10 min where its fantastic with the ice
Dave,
I prefer Double Black. I tried Black Label first and thought, hmmmm, I like that smoke. Double it up!!!!
James,
I am not a smokey scotch fan. This taste like it had cigar ash in it.
Julie,
This is why Johnnie Walker is one of the most well known and respected names in blended scotch, the perfect balance of smoke, peat, wood, fruit, spice, and sweet... a real crowd pleaser.
Matthew,
Great all around whiskey.
Randall,
Great everyday sipper. Not too harsh, but just a bit of smoke.
Calvin,
Smooth, almost has a creamy/oily feel to it. Very light peat. Solid overall
Elliot,
A slight alcoholic taste, but fairly easy to drink.
Eric,
Solid mid level scotch. Nose i get that caramel and black pepper and a hint of citrus. Taste i get that smokey black pepper and ends with a light sweetness. Long zesty finish. Good bang for the buck, regular drinker
Christopher,
My go to, always gonna make me happy blend. Not gonna change anyone’s life, not very complex, but always good and available everywhere. Smoke turns to vanilla, honey and spice - delicious
James,
Smooth but it is very smoky.
Mark,
This just tastes watered down to me. The base flavor is okay a little peat a little smoke, but i think at this price point you can do better.
Nate,
Nice hints of oak cask, not as strong a double black
Lee,
Nice mild smokey flavor and smooth. For the money, I think you would be hard pressed to find a better drink.
Sterling,
The best blended whisky to have a nice glass and sit down with. Tones of carmel and pepper which opens up with a drop of water.
Lisa,
LOVE the smokiness and smoothness.
Ned,
This is my go to scotch. Cheap enough that you can mix it into a Rob Roy or put it up with some ginger and, but also tasty enough on it's own to be a fantastic sipper. Peaty, but also complex with many other notes. One if the only drinks I always make sure I have available. For me, it's the Coca-Cola of scotch!
Kris,
Great smooth every day blended scotch
Tommy,
too peaty for my liking.
Michael,
Go to drink
guest,
Before I had tried Johnny Walker Black, I assumed it would be a mundane whiskey because it is readily available and inexpensive. Boy, was I wrong. It has some nice vanilla, smoke and oak notes on the nose. On the palate, it has some nice spice and peaty flavors, which are some of my favorites with scotch. The more I drink JW Black, the more I like it!
Michael,
Great for everyday sipping
Jan,
Smooth. Smokey.
Heath,
Go to daily.
Jeff,
Not a huge fan ... much prefered Mcallan
Kevin,
Smooth, nice smoke, sweet
Scott,
Not a fan at all. Did not meet my expectations.
Gunnar,
A nice smoked caramel with sweet nutty finish. For the price, amazing.
Kshitij,
My anywhere, anytime go-to whisky. I’m a whisky noob.
Andy,
Smoky caramel nose without being dark. The taste is slightly spicy and sweet. The flavor lingers a good amount and remains lightly sweet. Excellent!
Thomas,
Not one of my favorite scotches, but its alot cheaper then blue label
Wesley,
This was my introduction to scotch whiskey, so I look to it fondly. I love everything about it. Even smelling it puts me in a good place. The smoky taste is just right for me!
Westberg,
A little too smokey for me
Paul,
The black label is a nice blend and is smoother and has a better taste profile the red label - worth the extra 15 bucks or so.
Stephen,
Ok at first, not a fan of the finish.
Alex,
The Caramel and honey tastes aromas are on point, it has a crisp alcohol taste and short bite.
Becky,
It's simple and does the trick if you want a standard smoky affordable scotch.
Paul,
This is a staple of the blended scotch corner of the world. Has a smokey aroma, and front end. Finishes exceptionally smoothly, leaving a mellow taste of smoke and wood. Absolutely no reason to not have a bottle on hand for an easy neat sip, or for enjoying with a couple splashes of lemonade atop 3-4 ice cubes.
Ross,
Great ru. Of the mill whisky, essential for any home bar. Great mix of smoke, fruit and oak. Best with ginger ale.
Rene,
Smooth well rounded taste. Almost leaves nothing noticeable about it. Smoky finish.
Nicholas,
Smokey on the front, but just Smokey for the sake of being Smokey
Stefan,
High value for money, this smoky whisky from the Walker-family is very nice and comes at a very reasonable price.
Liam,
Mellow taste good flavor
Joseph,
Good flavor profile but not my preferred blended.
James,
Always a go to for me! Very enjoyable for the price range.
Matthew,
JW Black gets a bad rap solely for being the next step up from JW Red. JW Red is truly a terrible whisky, but JW Black is a very pleasant, balanced 12 year blend, especially for the price. I generally enjoy far more complex whiskies, but this is a nice one to have around if you're looking for something smooth and predictable. Light smoke and wood on the palate gives way to a silky smooth fruit finish.
Don't let the haters steer you wrong. For the $30 range, this one is hard to beat. There are far better scotches out there, just not for the price.
Daniel,
My go to, daily whisky drink with a cube of ice. Consistent, well priced. Great flavor
Kevin,
Bit smokey
Great for mixed drinks, Rob Roy, Old Fashioned
Among the best budget blended wiskey
guest,
Smooth, medicinal tasting
guest,
Good for price
Matt,
My go to blended scotch.
guest,
Smoke and nicely priced
guest,
Reliable, solid go-to.
Patrick,
Reliably very good.
guest,
Love it!!!
Vinicius,
The go to for the price
Peter,
When I drank Scotch, my go to!
John,
My scotch of choice in college, also my first exposure to smokey flavor.
Timothy,
Too much smoke
William,
This is my go to Scotch. It's always good and what I've based pretty much everything else on. "Is it worth X as much as a bottle of Johnnie Black?"
Lawrence,
Still distinctly Johnnie base with spice and citrus. Long finish. Step up from the red though
Joshua,
Not a big fan of Johnnie Walker Black, the smokey taste overpowers any whiskey flavor.
Bowen,
Classic.
Gary,
Good starter Scotch. Distinct Highland backnotes. Very strong burn.
Sean,
I love the deep smoke flavor. Like smoked cheese.
Richard,
Brought over by a friend. Fine for a standard issue whisky I suppose. Strong on the peat flavor for me, but a good example of what a scotch can taste like. I prefer my whisky more nuanced. I would not buy this given most any other option.
Athanasios,
One of the few scotches I enjoy, very oaky with a little sweet that cuts the edge.
Adam,
As smoky as they come! This is one of my go to good scotch wiskys.
Steve,
A little too smoky but tasty nonetheless.
Jason,
I’m going between 6 and 7 so maybe a 6.5 here. On the nose I am getting the smoked whisky along with some sour apple and pepper. Initially the leathery pine smoke hits the palate and develops into a vanilla oak spice. It lingers long on the palate like an English tobacco (Latakia and Turkish). Have to drink slowly to enjoy. Price point is average so no overall complaints.
Owen,
Good stuff
Michael,
Solid. This was my gateway Scotch way back in the early 90's. Very consistent. Goes great on the rocks. Big, bold flavor.
Navdeep,
A good and well priced entry level scotch. Not something for special occasions, but an after work 2 dram a day bottle.
Zane,
A representative, benchmark Scotch with everything you would expect - smoke, sweetness, a bit of a zesty/spicy finish - but not terribly more than that. I’d have liked a bit more complexity/character, but would definitely still drink again.
guest,
Rougher in taste
Robert,
Hint of the Oak barrel, smooth no harsh bit. Very Good!
Rudy,
I was let down, it reminds me of a wine cooler. It lacks flavor, other then a smoky finish.
David,
Hits the nose with smoky sweetness and Lemon zest,
Clear taste from the charred barrels and of both vanilla and toffee but a little light for my palate,
Finish with taste of more zest,
Stephen,
Solid working man's everyday scotch. Smooth enough to sip neat, powerful enough on the rocks...just a good versatile scotch.
Luke,
Nose: sweet peat, some vanilla
Taste: balanced taste of smoke, vanilla, light butterscotch flavor, pleasant light sweet aftertaste
Kyle,
Very smooth.
guest,
The “go to”.
Adam,
Smoky taste wasn’t for me. I did detect a bit of caramel on the finish and it was very smooth.
Landen,
love the smoky wood flavor that is so smooth
Carl,
Very soft to the tongue. A nice feel as well
Matthew,
Better than the red label. But not a smooth as I prefer.
Thomas,
I absolutely despise Walker. All smoke, no flavor, feels like im licking the inside of a fire pit.
I bought Walker Black after i heard good things about the brand. I feel bamboozled.
Robert,
Smooth deep and roasted. The scotch that got me into scotch/whiskey/bourbon. My gateway drink, if you will.
Ryan,
Harsh burn. Most prominent flavors are vanilla, apple, and spices, slightly smoky.
Ralph,
My go to scotch. Definitely Smokey with a slight bite and medium finish. My palate isn’t that refined yet but you get a little sweetness at the end. Just nice.
Ian,
Looks like bourbon, tastes like scotch. Johnnie is at least a very consistent bottle to find in my state at almost every grocery store or liquor store. Won't break the bank, but won't blow you away. If you can't afford Blue and you can't find any more unique scotch, this exists.
Mandie,
Aftertaste
KEVIN,
Sorry, i'm just not a smoker.
Thomas,
I was always a single malt man until a late night in a bar with only Johnnie Walker black to represent their scotch line up. I've been in love ever since. I still prefer my Highland and Speyside single malts but this is a great blended grain scotch. The green label is delicious as well if you can find it.
Richard,
A little too Smokey for my taste.
David,
Not my favorite, but passable and inexpensive.
Brittany,
Smooth, peaty and easy! On ice.
Cynthia,
I didn't like the past taste
William,
I love it, it's smoky and smooth, does not disappoint
Chad,
Just a great balance of malt and smoke.
Brian,
It’s a good scotch for the price
Kurt,
I really enjoy the black but it has to be watered down a little. I mixed it with sprite once and it was delicious. I will get it again
Jonathan,
One of the first scotch whiskeys I ever tried, still have a fondness for it. More neutral when compared to other Walker whiskies.
Melissa,
Truly terrible. No dimension, notes of lighter fluid...
Chuck,
Front of the shelf, all-purpose, classic. So good and so reasonably priced that it's easy to take for granted.
guest,
Good, very good Whisky for little money
Dietrich,
Nice everyday choice when in the mood for peat.
Kalle,
Nice tasty blend. Accidently drank whole bottle while sitting on my backyard patio watching the sun go down.
Alexander,
Very smokey, from starting nose to the down the gullet finish
Shelly,
Love the peat!
Jeremy,
I’m generally not a big fan of blended whiskys but this one is decent. Semi complex caramel flavors with a nice spicy finish.
Antti,
It is an outstanding, rich, blended Scotch with a dense birth, complex life & long death!
Joshua,
Delicious in a glass with some ginger ale, my favorite whisky drink.
Thaine,
Smokey and easy to drink. A good scotch.
Andrew,
Alright
Ezekiel,
My go to scotch
Cliff,
The go to
Allison,
This is my go to. Can't go wrong with a black label.
Piotr,
Great party drink.
Glenn,
I love but green is way much more smoother
Danny,
Good everyday staple. Love the Smokey sweetness, neither of which is too overwhelming. Picked up on the smoke and Apple but the vanilla and caramel are evading me. Definitely getting the sweet undertones though.
Nathaniel,
smoother than the red but with more of sweet vanilla
Joshua,
A very nice flavored Scotch that has become a staple.
Margaret,
Normally I'm not a fan of blended Scotch, but this is my "everyday" Scotch. Reasonably priced but not cheap, goes down easy. Perfect for just kicking my feet up with a couple fingers of JWBL on the rocks.
Tracy,
This is my staple and favorite scotch of all time. My go to and preference. The BEST!
Michael,
My go to scotch for a good price
Shane,
I'm new to this game. So far JW black is my Fav.
AMANDA,
My favorite.
Raoul,
Smokey, peaty, bit one dimensional and easy to drink.
Michael,
My standard that I got to for a daily drink.
Joel,
Amazing taste. Mixes well with anything. It’s the anytime drink.
roberto,
medium smokey and oakey with a bite
James,
Smooth
Antti,
It is a very good, robust, Blended Scotch with a long & zesty finish.
Kenneth,
Smooth neat. Opens up with some water. Smoke and peat immediately up front. Taste sweetness and dark honey.
Mr.,
Serviceable house whisky. Smokier than I remembered. Good go to.
Kevin,
Not too off putting for those who are new to scotch and always a great taste.
Tristan,
Actually found this quite enjoyable. There seems to be some kind of imbalance on the palate. Plus it's too thin. I would purchase this if it was on sale for 30% off.
Johnathan,
It's smooth, good caramel and vanilla flavors.
Charles,
You get what you pay for
Mariano,
If you are looking for an every day whisky, this is a flagship and you will never go wrong
Christopher,
My go to, try and find a better scotch for cheaper... dose not exist
David,
M standard drink
Sean,
My go to for company
Rich,
Smokey and sweet - honey
Edward,
A good, solid, end of the week drink - plenty of ice to take the edge off...
KC,
Way overpriced even worse if you include shipping and handling
Enoch,
Flaviar price is high on this. At a local liquor store, it's a great value. Smooth with a superb oak finish. I'm a beginner to scotch, but this is the best I've had on my way up the charts.
Michael,
My go-to beverage at any bar even my bar at home. Unique rich taste, smooth finish please only drink neat or with one cube to enjoy it completely.
guest,
Een stuk beter dan JW Rood. Prijsverschil meer dan waard
Jarret,
Delicious and cheap enough to regularly use in mix drinks, such as The Godfather
Patrick,
Makes the perfect gift
Chris,
My go to on a budget. Never disappoints.
Ryan,
Delicious, but nothing compares to JW Blue Label.
Richard,
Over priced for what it is. You can buy better whiskey/scotch for the same price or less. Better as in, smoother, flavor, and all around more enjoyable.
guest,
Was drunk. Don't really remember drinking this. I guess it was good, I ordered like five of them.
Mauricio,
It is a good whisky for parties and celebrations.
guest,
Smooth oaky flavor.
Gary,
There are smoother blended and single malts at the same price
guest,
There are many good single malts that can be had at the same price . I would never choose this over any of them.
Dumitru,
Decent but doesn't compare to Oban
Matt,
Just meh. Underwhelmed for a blended whiskey of this caliber but I'm admittedly not a blended Canadian whiskey guy.
guest,
In this price category this is a classic one, decent, always good with the smoke and aftertaste for just € 30 with a worthy end. I always say a perfect Poker whisky, even if your mind is far away, it's never bad. A day earlier I drank Dalmore 18 and in quality, depth and smoothness the BL is absolutely no match. BL is simple, but it has character and in my opinion you should always have a BL at home. And because I drank the Dalmore and BL within two days, I can say this: don't buy a whisky that is 3 or 4 times more expensive without tasting the differences.
KC,
Nosing is quite good at first. After the second taste it starts to get dull and too bitter. Nothing that makes me want to come back for more.
Mark,
Excellent first scotch experience.
Shawn,
Smoother then Red Label
Diogenes,
Kinda hard to go wrong with this. Solid, everyday sipper. But you already knew that...
guest,
I love this, it's my go to! Two fingers before bed!
Aronov,
Good
Matt,
Great bottle for during the week
guest,
Excellent for the price!
Jason,
A decent blended scotch. I prefer single malts but this one does a decent job adding some variety to the daily drinkers.
guest,
A very good blend available all over the world. An easy go to when my favorite single malts are not available.
Niall,
Sorry
Not for me- tasted IMO very ''chemical'
guest,
Lekker voor tussendoor
guest,
Ok
guest,
Great with Coke
guest,
Great whisky for a great price. Second best blend right behind green.
guest,
For that price absolute good.
guest,
The staple drink of whisky drinkers; the first whisky drink for most people - this is an evergreen whisky that suits all occasions. Goes well with all kinds of soft drinks.
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