Johnnie Walker Black vs Double Black Label Whisky

I love a glass of Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky during the week. It is a bottle I replace quite frequently. Over weekends, however, you will find me with a glass of Johnnie Walker Double Black whisky. Why do I drink them so differently?

I have never tried them side-by-side. This past weekend I pitted these two bottles against each other. Is the Double Black really double the goodness?I think you sometimes get a better sense of how good whisky is if you do a side-by-side comparison.  So today I look at the Johnnie Walker Black Label vs Double Black whisky.

Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky

This whisky has consistently been one of the top-selling blends in the world since 1909. Johnnie Walker is considered the most widely distributed brand of Scotch whiskey globally, and this blend has an affordable price point. In South Africa, the Johnnie Walker Black Label blended Scotch whisky retails for around R 320 ($39 ).

Johnnie Walker Black Label is a blend of about 40 whiskies from all around Scotland. It is part of the Diageo stable of brands. From the smoky Islands to the sweeter Speyside with some Highland malts in between. All the whisky is at least 12 years old.

Johnnie Walker Double Black Whisky

Johnnie Walker Double Black blended Scotch whisky, released in 2011, takes the iconic flavours of Johnnie Walker Black to the next level. Diageo, Jim Beveridge, Master Blender  for Diageo wanted to create a darker, smokier interpretation of the famous Johnnie Walker Black.

Double Black is matured in heavily charred oak casks and uses a higher proportion of Scottish West coast and Island whiskies to elevate the Johnnie Walker Black flavours to a new level of intensity. It retails for around R 500 ($ 56 ).

Also Read: Jameson vs Johnnie Walker Black Label Comparison

Johnnie Walker Black vs Double Black Whisky

	Johnnie Walker Double Black whisky	Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky
Region	Blended Whisky	Blended Whisky
ABV	43%	43%
Colour	Amber with a little bit of red and copper	Polished amber
Nose	Richness, complexity and luxury. There are notes of smoke, sherry rich Christmas pudding, red berry fruits and nuts. Hints of vanilla with touches of malt.	Faint smoke, red berries and tropical fruit, Christmas pudding with heaps of vanilla toffee and winter spice.
Palate	A burst of peppery spices, followed by waves of smoke and oak. A robust, mouth-filling experience marked by a buttery richness in flavour. Subtle peat notes harmonize beautifully with the embrace of malt and honey sweetness.	Smooth and easy drinking with smoke and peat perfectly balanced with fruit, citrus flowers, oak and malt.  A creamy toffee sweetness with hints of spice and cereal.  You don't even need to add water, but water releases a bit more sweetness.
Finish	It has a brilliant finish that builds slowly. The finish ends in notes of pepper, malt and citrus. Without water, the finish is better. Some citrus bitterness is released in the finish when you add water.	Awesome.  Long and rewarding balanced between fruity sweetness, smoke, citrus peel, vanilla and warming pepper spice.
My Rating	Excellent	Divine
Comments	Big, bold and robust. Rich and delicious with a luxurious feel.	Easy drinking, affordable and rewarding. Full bodied.
Price	$50	$40
Pairs well with	Blue Cheese, smoked leg of lamb or a rump steak.	A cheese platter or roasted pork.

The difference is quite noticeable, from the colour to the palate intensity. The Black Label is slightly lighter in colour compared to the Johnnie Walker Double Black whisky.

The Black Label brings notes of smoke and peat, a toffee sweetness, and hints of citrus blossoms—a fruity sweetness balanced with cereals and spice.

Double Black is spicier at the start but settles with notes of peat, malt, and honey sweetness. The finish is shorter and has more citrus pepper notes. The Double Black also has a softer peat profile than the Black Label.

The Black Label’s strong point is that it is more approachable, easy-drinking, and smooth with rich peat. It has more fruity notes and is slightly less spicy than the Double Black. The finish on the Black Label is long and rewarding and ends in warming spices.

The Double Black is bold, vibrant and luxurious. Double Black is a more grown-up version of the Black Label whisky. It is the whisky to show you have arrived. The whisky to drink when you celebrate your achievements. The Johnnie Walker Black Label is like an old friend that pops around anytime and is always welcome.

These whiskies are both available via Amazon as well. You can see the Johnnie Walker Black Label and the Johnnie Walker Double Black Label by following the respective links.

Both of these Johnnie Walkers are excellent blended whiskies. I don’t mind either of these two in my glass!  However, looking at how quickly the level in my two bottles goes down, it is clear that I prefer the Black Label slightly more.

Article also published on Medium.

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