Alexander Walker, Johnnie's son, created the blend in 1865, and copyrighted it two years later. The black labelled whisky was first called Old Highland Whisky. Once the brand expanded, this specific blend was renamed, Extra Special Old Highland Whisky. In 1909, the range was rebranded as Johnnie Walker, though for most of the century "Extra Special Old Highland" was still used on the black label throughout Europe. Meanwhile, the bottles exported to the US had "Johnnie Walker Black Label" in large font on the label.
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Late King George V became "late" in 1936. And in 2025 my buddy let me take a sample of the bottle's contents home. (Thanks, AP!)
Just before beginning this post, I tumbled down a JWBL internet rabbit hole and started worrying that this whisky might be a fake. But after an hour of mania, I was able to piece it all together — the top label, bottom label, cork, etc. — and felt more confident. Also this official magazine ad from the late '30s helped:
So, ladies and gentlemen, I think I have an actual pour of Black Label from 1936 on hand.
I also have my final fluid ounce from my 1970s bottle. And 60ml from a 1980s bottle split. As well as minis from 2014 and 2020.
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| Ignore the shiny forehead reflection in the background. |
I shall consume them from newest to oldest...
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 year old, 50mL mini bottled in 2020, 40%abv
Though I've had JWBL at bars here and there, I haven't actually consumed any Black Label in my home for nearly 12 years. So I'm not exactly sure what the current version is like under analysis.
Nose: Early sniffs find apples and blossoms on top, crushed brick below. Low-rye bourbon and bread crusts appear later, with kiwi juice in the background. It fades relatively quickly.
Palate: Better than anticipated. Some seaweedy peat up front, a hint of wasabi beneath. Lots of black peppercorns. Caramel may be present, but it isn't too sweet.
Finish: Smoke, peppercorns, and gentle bitterness. Slightly sweeter than the palate.
More words: Before this tasting, I could tell you that Johnnie Black still worked as a highball. Now I'm happy to say that it still works when neat, and one big ice cube probably won't break its back. A good start.
Rating: 81
Johnnie Walker Black Label Extra Special 12 year old, 50mL mini bottled in 2014, 40%abv
Right around 2014, when I'd order Black Label in bars or restaurants, I started to find real issues with the whisky. It had gotten sweeter and oakier than it had been just a few years earlier. Was it just my palate or had the blend changed?
Nose: Vanilla-flavored fabric, which isn't a tragedy. But it smells like cheap grainy blended thing like Jameson and Canada Dry. Hints of orange peels and dried raspberries stay far behind.
Palate: Barrel char and grain whisky. New oak sweetness. Mild wood smoke covered by bitter woodiness. Seeing a theme?
Finish: Shorter finish than the 2020. Mostly new oak and woody bitterness, with a touch of smoke.
More words: That was actually worse than I'd remembered, though maybe I was drinking on the rocks when I was out and about. I can imagine this was much better than Red Label at the time.
Rating: 72
Johnnie Walker Black Label Extra Special 12 year old, 60mL sample from a 1985-1989 bottling, 43.4%abv
I've had JW Black from many eras, but never from the '80s. It has to be better than the 2014, right?
Nose: Gentle smoke, wet stones, and an ultra dry nutty sherry up front. Metal, maple, and barley emerge later on.
Palate: The polar opposite of the 2014. Lean, dry, and a bit raw (in a good way). Raw walnuts, raw almonds, and Kirschwasser. Canned peaches and honey arrive after a while, providing some balance.
Finish: Honey and smoke match the raw nuts well, as an herbal bitterness provides an additional angle.
More words: Refill casks and a sherry drier than Oloroso? That's more my speed. One won't confuse this with a single malt, but it's of a style that's not contemporary. Enjoying a bottle of this (mostly responsibly) would not be terrible.
Rating: 85
Johnnie Walker Black Label, no age statement, sample from my own late 1970s duty free bottle, 43.4%abv
Finishing the final sip of this bottle hits me directly in the feels. This was my first dusty Scotchy, a bottled time machine with thick, Paxy whisky within. Slàinte mhath
Nose: It starts off earthy and fruity. Moss and stones and ocean. Grapefruit, blood oranges, and red plums. Amaretto and Havdalah spice box.
Palate: Very dark chocolate, wormwood, menthol, cayenne pepper, and orange pith. And dates.
Finish: A bitter herbal liqueur subtly brightened with blood orange juice and dates.
More words: One of the great blends. I had thought it may have collapsed after more than a decade in a sample bottle, but it might have actually improved. Had I been of age in the 1970s, I would have been a happy mess, between this and ND-era Old Taylor. Though a 90-point score was not anticipated--
Rating: 90
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 year old, sample from my friend's ~1936 bottle, 43%abv
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1936 was another time. Or at least it was for whisky.
Nose: WOW, it is still potent. Apricots, citron peel, Nestle milk chocolate, clay, kelp, dates, palo santo, shoe polish, and dare I say pre-Beam Laphroaig? Er, very pre-Beam.
Palate: Peatier and saltier than the nose. Figs and cigarette smoke. Balsamic reduction and iron.
Finish: Nearly the same as the palate, but with golden raisins sweetening it up.
More words: Such drama and vitality in that nose! Though the palate is merely great, one wonders if it was better 89 years ago. (Or if the nose was worse.) That this was made before blending labs, master distillers, and corporate quality control......is not terribly surprising, but moving nonetheless.
Rating: 88 (a nonsense score)
Thank you for spending some time with my words, and allowing me to be insufferably romantic in (online) public. It's been a long time since I did a dusty tasting at home, and this reminds me why I adore keeping this log of my whisky adventures. More to follow, and maybe even another Johnnie Walker post a few years down the line.
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