Here in the United States, we can buy Johhnie Walker Scotch in four “styles”: Red, Black, Gold, and Blue label. These are all blends, with the main differencce, AFAIK, being the age of the whiskies involved.
We took a trip to London last year, and on the way back I bought “The Johhnie Walker Collection” at the duty-free shop. It consists of four 200mL bottles of whisky: Black, Gold, Blue, and Green label.
My previous knowledge of the Greel Label came from exactly two sources: 1) a friend who had purchased the same “gift pack” a year earlier, and 2) the Jimmy Buffet song He Went to Paris (Now he lives in the islands, fishes the pilin’s; And drinks his green label each day).
So now I have a bottle, or at least what’s left of one, and I am still left with two unanswered questions:
What exactly is it, and why can’t I get it here?
As to the first question: The label says “Pure Malt Scotch Whisky”, and the word “blended” appears nowhere that I can see. So is “Pure Malt” the same thing as “Single Malt”? Or is there some subtle difference?
Johnny Walker Green Label is what is called a “vatted malt.” It is not a single-malt, as it contains whiskies from several different distilleries. Neither is it a blend, because it contains no grain neutral spirits.
To be a little more precise, a blended Scotch contains grain whiskey and malt whiskey. Grain whiskey is made from either wheat, corn, or barley, and must be aged in oak barrels for three years (according to UK law.) Alcohol made from potatoes or melasse is a no-no for whisky blends.
They sell it in Brooklyn NY for $49.99. Same price as gold label. It does say single malt wiskey on the label. Silenus why would you think it’s “vatted malt?”
It is not called green label though. But the label is green.
That’s what the Johhny Walker site says. That’s what Michael Jackson’s Guide to Whiskey says. That’s what every reference book on whiskey I have in the house says.
My green label bottle says “Pure Malt,” not Single Malt. Also, I’ve never seen Gold Label that cheap. An impromptu trip to my grandmothers in Brooklyn may be in order.
Thanks all for the info. The fight against ignorance has had another victory today (I know it’s only Scotch, but then again, it is Scotch).
But I’m still a bit confused; are you saying that Blended Scotch might contain grains other than barley? Oh well, I’m generally a Single Malt man anyway.
As for the Green Label, I’m not sure I want to spend $50-$70 for a bottle; I think I’ll stick with my Glenlivet for now.
By UK law, a blend must contain grain whiskey, not any neutral spirit. A grain whiskey must be made from grain (corn, barley, or wheat, as I said), and aged in oak barrels for three years. It’s not just any kind of alcohol.
Side note on the Jimmy Buffet song “ He went to Paris.” The Green Label line always stood out to me but I don’t think it was in relation to Johnnie Walker Green Label as that line didn’t come out until 20 years ago and the song is almost fifty years old. More likely, he was referring to Jack Daniels Green Label Tennessee’s whiskey that pre-dated the Johnnie Walker version and since the song is referencing living in Florida is more fitting.
