Johnnie Walker is one of the most famous blended Scotch brands in the world, and its range is identified by label colour. But what actually changes from one colour to the next, and which should you buy?
This guide compares four widely available bottles: Red Label, Black Label 12, Double Black and Blue Label.
The differences at a glance
| Red Label | Black Label 12 | Double Black | Blue Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Most accessible classic | 12-year-old flagship | A smokier Black | Top of the range |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years+ | No age statement | No age statement |
| ABV | 40% | 40% | 40% | 40% |
| Flavour | Fresh fruit and spice | Caramel and gentle smoke | Sweet smoke and charred oak | Honey, dried fruit, silky |
| Smokiness | Light | Gentle | Stronger | Gentle |
| Best for | Highball, with ginger ale | Highball, rocks, with water | Highball, rocks | Neat, a splash of water |
Red Label: born for mixing
Red Label is the most accessible Johnnie Walker. Brothers George and Alexander Walker launched it as "Red Label" in 1909, and it was designed as a light blend to be mixed with soda.
It blends up to 35 malts and grains, including Cardhu and Caol Ila. Sold in more than 200 markets, it is said to be the world's best-selling Scotch whisky.
- Flavour: fresh green apple and pear, then cinnamon and black-pepper spice, finishing with a smoky note
- Serve: a highball brings out its spice and smoke; with ginger ale is another classic
Black Label 12: the safe choice
Black Label 12 is a blend in which every whisky is aged at least 12 years. Around 40 malts and grains from across Scotland go in, with Cardhu, Clynelish, Glenkinchie and Caol Ila said to be at its core. Island and Islay malts such as Talisker and Lagavulin add gentle smoke.
- Flavour: caramelised sugar, toffee apple, peppery spice, peat smoke and vanilla
- Serve: well balanced and versatile — great as a highball, on the rocks or with water
Double Black: Black for smoke lovers
Double Black uses Black Label as a blueprint but raises the proportion of peaty west-coast and Islay malts, and is matured in heavily charred old casks for deeper smoke, toasted oak and caramel. First launched for airport duty-free, it went on general release in 2011.
- Flavour: sweet smoke and floral honey, building to tarry, bonfire smoke and charred oak
- Serve: smoke bursts out in a highball; on the rocks, the sweetness of the charred casks comes through
Blue Label: the top of the range
Blue Label is Johnnie Walker's flagship luxury blend. According to the brand, it uses rare casks chosen at a rate of one in ten thousand, including whisky from "ghost" distilleries that have since closed.
- Flavour: honey, vanilla and rose petals; silky, with honey and dried-fruit sweetness wrapped in gentle smoke
- Serve: neat first, then with a little water to open it up. A popular gift and special-occasion bottle
Flavour compared
| Red | Black 12 | Double Black | Blue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | Restrained | Moderate | Moderate | Rich |
| Spice | Prominent | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Smoke | Light | Gentle | Stronger | Gentle |
| Body | Light | Full | Full | Very rich |
In short: Red is lively and spicy, Black is balanced, Double Black is smoky, and Blue is rich and silky.
Which should you choose?
| If you… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Want an everyday highball whisky | Red Label |
| Are unsure where to start | Black Label 12 |
| Love smoky whisky | Double Black |
| Need a gift or something special | Blue Label |
| Want to sip neat | Blue Label |
(In Japan the highball — whisky topped with chilled soda water — is the most popular way to drink whisky, and Johnnie Walker works brilliantly that way.)
Taste the malts behind the blend
Some of the malts in Johnnie Walker are available as single malts:
- Cardhu 12: from the Speyside distillery at the heart of Johnnie Walker; pear, apple blossom and honey
- Caol Ila 12: Islay's largest distillery, most of whose output goes into blends such as Black Label; gentle peat and citrus
Tasting a blend next to its key malts shows the role each one plays.
See more blended Scotch in our Scotch whisky guide and highball picks in whiskies for highballs.
Summary
With Johnnie Walker, label colour tells you the style. Red for everyday highballs, Black 12 when in doubt, Double Black for smoke lovers, and Blue for special occasions. Choose by how you like to drink.