6 Best Johnnie Walker Colors Ranked (2023 Edition)

Last Updated on August 14, 2023 by Lydia Martin

Discovering Johnnie Walker’s iconic whiskies is a journey through time. With origins dating back to the 19th century, Johnnie Walker’s spirits continue to captivate connoisseurs today. Each bottle tells a unique story through its flavors and history.

I attended a private whisky tour of Johnnie Walker recently, and I’m excited to share my learnings about the different Johnnie Walker colors, considering their quality, pricing, and tasting notes.

6 Johnnie Walker Colors Ranked According to Price 

6. Johnnie Walker Red Label

Average Price: Roughly $18.99 per 750ml (Total Wine)

Alcohol By Volume: 40%

Interesting Fact:

Johnnie Walker Red is the first blend they introduced to the world, originally called Walker’s Old Highland, and they produced this bottle as a strong alcohol mix to soda. It remains one of the best-selling whiskeys in the world today. 

“What is remarkable about Johnnie Walker is, if you look at the work today and then you look at the work from 200 years ago, there are consistencies”-Chris Goddard, Global Marketing Director of Johnnie Walker

Tasting Notes: 

Opening the bottle, I noticed the notes of toffee, sour apple, and a touch of spices on the nose.

Sipping it slowly, it has a progressing taste of sweet grain, vanilla cream, sour apple, and spice to the palate.

It ends with a sweet, short, progressing taste of apple skin, tannin, and fruit.

Read: Johnnie Walker Red Label & Black Comparison

5. Johnnie Walker Black Label

Average Price: Roughly $24.99 per 750ml (Total Wine)

Alcohol By Volume: 40%

Interesting Fact:

Johnnie Walker Black is said to be the benchmark of premium blended whiskey.

They aged this blended Scotch for twelve solid years resulting in Johnnie Walker’s depth and flavor. Johnnie Walker Black is one of their best seller bottles worldwide.

Tasting Notes: 

As I popped Johnnie Walker Black Label, it had a noticeable smell of subtle smokiness, hints of tropical fruits and grainy malt, and a note of dry oak.

To the tongue is a full taste of vanilla with hints of spices, raisins, and orange zest. The finish is long and smooth with soft layers of smoke, malt, and peat.

4. Johnnie Walker Double Black Label

Average Price: Roughly $29.99 per 750ml (Total Wine)

Alcohol By Volume: 40%

Interesting Fact:

Johnnie Walker Double Black Label is an upgrade to the well-appreciated Black Label. This whiskey has no age statement released.

They also used heavily charred ex-sherry casks to achieve this smooth texture. 

Tasting Notes:

There are subtle hints of smoke, but they are more predominant as I crack the seal. It has a very clear blend of honey, tropical fruits, and toffee on the nose.

My tongue savors the smokiness and rich spices with a long but sweet finish.

Read: Johnnie Walker Double Black vs Black 

3. Johnnie Walker Green Label 

Average Price: Roughly $47.99 (Total Wine)

Alcohol By Volume: 43%

Interesting Fact:

Johnnie Walker Green Label is very flavorful. It is like you are drinking various liquors coming from one bottle.

You can amplify these overflowing flavors with branch water, particularly the peat.

Tasting Notes:

The scent of sandalwood with chocolate in the background greets the nose as I slowly swirl the whisky in my glass.

After my first sip, I savor fresh grass, fruits, nuts, and smoky wood on my tongue with a long, spicy finish.

2. Johnnie Walker Gold Label 

Average Price: Roughly $87.99 per 750ml (Total Wine)

Alcohol By Volume: 40%

Interesting Fact:

The Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve is a special Scotch drink with blends of sweet treats.

This 18-year-old whiskey from the West Coast Highlands of Scotland offers luxury among these different colors. It is almost the same as Platinum.

However, The Platinum drink tastes less than the Gold Scotch’s fresh and bold character.

Tasting Notes:

My nose is filled with the aroma of creamy vanilla, honeyed oats, and a dab of gingerbread as I pour the gold label into my Glencairn glass.

On my first sip, the scent goes to the mouth mixed with caramel fudge and butterscotch. The flavor intensifies, ending with a faint note of wood smoke. 

1. Johnnie Walker Blue Label 

Average Price: Roughly $179.49 per 750ml (Total Wine)

Alcohol By Volume: 40%

Interesting Fact:

Johnnie Walker Blue Label has the super-premium blend among all Johnnie Walker labels.

It is from the finest old-aged grain and malt whiskey picked from distilleries from all corners of Scotland.

JW Blue Label Scotch whiskey is the most famous Johnnie Walker label worldwide.

Tasting Notes: 

The nose is left with the rounded scent of Johnnie’s signature dry smokiness but with a bit of raisin.

The tongue will savor a blend of honeyed nuts, citrus, malts, sherry, sandalwood, oak, and tobacco.

A very rewarding and long finish ends the experience.

Read: Johnnie Walker Blue & Black Compared

The Story Behind The Johnnie Walker Colors

The color selection of Johnnie Walker’s whisky bottles is more than just a random choice – it is a deliberate and thought-out process reflecting each blend’s characteristics and complexities.

The colors are carefully chosen to visually represent the distinct flavor profiles and experiences of the different blends.

However, the practice of labeling bottles by color was introduced when Alexander Walker handed over the business to his sons. They began using this method to distinguish and classify the various blends of whisky they offered.

How To Drink Johnnie Walker

These whiskies are first-rate, with flavors that are perfect for shots. The first on the list would be the Black, followed by the smokier Double Black.

The Green and Blue bottles are also a good fit for this role.

Best For Cocktails/Mixers

The best bottle to use as a baseline for alcoholic beverages (1)  is the Red bottle. This was intentionally made for mixing purposes, although it has proven itself a versatile drink.

The Black Label is also a good bottle for a classic Rob Roys or any highball.

On The Rocks

The tasty malts used for the Green labels make it great on the rocks. Ice awakens a plethora of flavor, although this will be appreciated better by an experienced drinker.

Johnnie Walker Green, Platinum, and Blue are also great with ice. 

Neat

The smoothness of the Blue Scotch whiskey is best for drinking neat. The sweetness of the malts and balanced spices makes it very easy to sip and swallow.

“Colors weave tales of Johnnie Walker’s whisky journey through time.”- Liquor Laboratory

The flavors of the Green Scotch are also pleasant to sip. But what’s the best whiskey to drink straight?

FAQs 

Why is Blue Label so expensive?

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is highly expensive due to its meticulous craftsmanship, rare and aged whiskies, and exclusive blending process. Its luxurious reputation, limited supply, and rich flavor profile contribute to its premium pricing, making it a symbol of prestige and exceptional quality in the whisky world.

Final Thoughts

The manufacturers of Johnnie Walker whiskey carefully chose the expansive options of Johnnie Walker to provide whiskey lovers options. These bottled spirits are aged exactly to ensure that each expression’s needed flavors come out.

In every Johnnie Walker color, the distiller covers taste, depth, and texture, ensuring they deliver affordable but high-quality whiskey for all. With all these, this whiskey brand will continue to rule the globe as it has over the years.

References:

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950329318309479
2. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradjaphe/2022/11/30/johnnie-walker-announces-limited-edition-blue-label-scotch-whisky-for-lunar-new-year/?sh=421c93b758ac