Johnnie Walker Monday

Mixology Monday is always about a high-quality spirit. While you may not want to use any of these three new items in a cocktail, a little water will always open up a beautiful Scotch whisky. These are all limited edition products, and each would be would be a unique Father's Day gift,

Johnnie Walker Odyssey 

A new super-premium release from Johnnie Walker whose launch has been continuously celebrated by an extraordinary around the world journey of a 157 foot luxury yacht. The John Walker & Sons Voyager, as the yacht is called, has been holding parties at cities across Asia and Europe!

This luxury blended malt has been based on the notes of Alexander Walker. It is made up of three carefully selected single malts married in European oak casks. There is absolutely no grain whisky used in this spirit, just three hand-selected single malts from three distinct distilleries, whose identities are a closely held secret. But the musty-sherry and honeyed-heather bouquet of this whisky hints that they are most likely Highland in origin, with at least one of the oak casks coming from Speyside—and perhaps a touch of Islay. A single sip all but confirms this, with elements of stone fruit and a whiff of smoke in the long, extremely smooth finish.

In stock now for $549.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Johnnie Walker King George V

King George V was created to celebrate the Royal Warrant given to the Walker family in 1934 to mark their exceptional quality. This blend includes Port Ellen, a highly prized malt whose distillery no longer exists. King George V has more restraint and sophistication than the Blue Label. The smoke is supplied from the unique, closed distillery of Port Ellen and is powerful, slow and resonant. It's a slower whisky to evolve but has enormous depth.

Besides Port Ellen, the distilleries include Cardhu, Lochnagar and some very old grain whisky.

Nose: Profound smoky initial aroma followed by sweet, fresh fruit (apples, pears, bananas) malt characteristics; developing into rich dried fruit/spicy complexity (raisins, figs, cinnamon).

Palate: Smooth with a rich, fruity sweetness. Warming with subtle flavors of sandalwood and smoke.

Taste: Powerful, complex, rich and smooth.

Finish: Mouth-warming and lingering rich peaty finish.

With water: Releases new flavors, more fresh fruitiness and more smoke on the palate.

In stock now for $324.99 in the Bottle Club®.

John Walker & Sons Private Collection - 2015 Edition

This is the second release in the John Walker & Sons Private Collection range. The first release was a "Unique Smoky Blend", whereas the 2015 edition focuses on the "Rare Fruit Character" of the Johnnie Walker range.

This limited edition blended Scotch whisky was made using 29 specially selected casks. As with the previous edition, 8,888 bottled were produced, all very handsomely presented.

Nose: The initial aromas are full of freshness and vibrancy – grassy notes, crisp green apples and pineapples from the Speyside malts.

These evolve into the heady Highland aromas with the autumnal richness of stewed apples, and then the spicy dried West Highland fruits emerge with orange peel and dried apricots.

These are balanced by sweet fudge notes provided to the blend from American oak casks.

With a few drops of water, the blend develops floral notes reminiscent of the sun-baked Highland heather moor, then into estery pear drops.

Palate: The mouthfeel is smooth and velvety.

Here the Speyside fruit character is present as orange citrus and passion fruit. The Highland whiskies appear as sweet and succulent ripe melons, and there is a West Highland dusky peach skin sweetness. Hints of honey are rounded off by a delicate sweetness from the grain whiskies.

Long years of maturation of the experimental cask whiskies deliver underlying notes of vanilla and a touch of rich fruits. As these flavors begin to fade, a very subtle hint of the John Walker & Sons signature smoke arrives, leading to a sweet, slightly warming finish.

Coming soon, for $499.99 in the Bottle Club®.