Famous Grouse vs Johnnie Walker: Which Iconic Blended Whisky is Right for You?
Last updated on August 13th, 2024
When it comes to blended whisky, Famous Grouse and Johnnie Walker are two of the most iconic producers. While both Famous Grouse and Johnnie Walker offer a range of different whiskies, each brand has its own unique characteristics that set them apart from one another.
In this article, I will compare Famous Grouse vs Johnnie Walker to help you decide which is the right whisky for you. I’ll weigh up two bottles from each brand: Famous Grouse Blended scotch whisky against Johnnie Walker Red label; I’ll also compare Famous Grouse Smoky Black against Johnnie Walker’s Black Label.
Blended scotch whisky offers a unique drinking experience with the perfect balance of flavours. Famous Grouse and Johnnie Walker are two of the most renowned producers of blended scotch whisky, each bringing their own distinct flavour profiles to the art form. Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky is masterfully blended with malts from The Famous Grouse’s exclusive inventory of whiskies, creating a smooth and mellow taste. Famous Grouse Smoky Black pairs peaty notes with The Famous Grouse’s selection of malt whiskies, creating a smokey yet sweet flavour.
Johnnie Walker Red Label is known for its fruity and smoky aroma, combined with tasteful notes of orange zest balanced by hints of spice and dark chocolate. Johnnie Walker’s Black Label delivers an intense balance between spicy smokiness, dried fruit sweetness, vanilla oakiness and a lingering finish that lasts long after you take your last sip.
Blended whiskies tend to be very accessible compared to the single malt market, making them especially good for newbies and cocktail enthusiasts. So let’s get down to assessing these 4 blends to find out who will come out on top.
Winner: Famous Grouse
Winner: Black Label
Famous Grouse vs Johnnie Walker: Blended Scotch vs Red Label
Famous Grouse Blended Scotch
Nose: Aromatic notes of toffee apples, delicate whiffs of dried flowers, and the merest hint of biscuity barley make for an intensely flavourful nose.
Palate: Enjoy this well-rounded beer, filled with maltiness and hints of biscuit. Its smoky and spicy undertones provide an enticing complexity to the flavour profile that will leave your taste buds salivating.
Mouthfeel: A touch tart and spicy
Finish: With a delightful balance of sweetness and maltiness
Age: No Age Statement (NAS)
Cask/Barrels: Blended with high-proportion whiskies aged in ex-sherry casks
Strength: 40 ABV% / 80 proof
Price: £17 /$21
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Nose: Sweet notes of heather honey and mixed peels lightly backed by subtle smokiness and a hint of rum spice.
Palate: The aroma of cedarwood and oak intertwines with the delectable scent of butterscotch and aniseed, evoking imagery of a freshly baked Christmas cake using malted barley flour.
Mouthfeel: peppery and spicy
Finish: An enticingly aromatic nose of spices and smoke that lingers
Age: No Age Statement (NAS)
Cask/Barrels: Blended mix of bourbon and sherry cask-aged whiskeys
Strength: 40 ABV% / 80 proof
Price: £20 /$25
Flavour Comparison
Allow yourself to experience the delightful aroma of Famous Grouse Blended Scotch, aromas such as toffee apples and dried flowers. On the palate you will enjoy a rich malt-filled beer with subtle hints of biscuit that is amplified by smoky and spicy nuances – creating an alluring depth in its flavour profile. Additionally, there is a touch of tartness combined with warmth from spices resulting in an enjoyable balance between sweetness and malted notes on the finish!
Johnnie Walker Red Label’s nose offers a medley of heather honey, mixed peels, faint smoke and rum spice. On the palate, one can detect cedarwood and oak combined with butterscotch sweetness and aniseed – as if tasting a Christmas cake made out of malted barley flour! There is also some peppery spiciness that lingers in the mouth until it eventually leads to an aromatic finish full of spices and smokiness.
Famous Grouse Blended Scotch is renowned for its smooth and mellow taste, achieved by the careful blending of malts from Famous Grouse’s exclusive whisky inventory. Famous Grouse also features a balanced taste with hints of biscuit, subtle smoky notes and spicy nuances that add an inviting depth to the flavour profile. This results in a delightful balance of sweetness and maltiness on the finish.
Overall, Famous Grouse offers a smoother drinking experience compared to Johnnie Walker Red Label due to its carefully crafted blend of malts that create a mellow taste with subtle smoky notes. Famous Grouse also has a delightful balance between sweet maltiness and spicy complexity, which adds complexity yet keeps it accessible to all types of whisky drinkers. In contrast, Johnnie Walker Red Label offers more intense flavours with fruity aromas, smokiness and pepper spice adding to the complexity – making it better suited for those looking for bolder tastes.
Price Comparison
When it comes to value for money in the battle of Famous Grouse vs Johnnie Walker, Famous Grouse is the clear winner. It retails at around £16.74/$20.50, it’s lower than Johnnie Walker Red Label’s £19.90/$24.36 price tag per bottle. Famous Grouse also has a carefully crafted blend of malts that create a mellow taste with subtle smoky notes – all for less cost than its rival.
Furthermore, Famous Grouse offers a delicious balance between sweet maltiness and spicy complexity – making it an ideal choice for all whisky drinkers regardless of their preference or budget. This combination ensures a smooth drinking experience with no compromise on flavour quality or complexity – making Famous Grouse an excellent option when searching for great value whiskies. Whereas Johnnie Walker Red Label was developed for mixing in cocktails it’s far more pungent in flavour.
In conclusion, Famous Grouse Blended Scotch is the better value-for-money option when compared to the more expensive Johnnie Walker Red Label whisky. Famous Grouse offers an inviting depth of flavour without any compromise on quality – all at an affordable price point – making it an excellent choice for those looking to enjoy a delicious blended whisky without breaking the bank.
Our Pick
Famous Grouse Blended Scotch is the clear choice for whisky lovers looking to enjoy a delicious blended whisky on a budget. Famous Grouse offers an inviting depth of flavour without any compromise on quality – all at an affordable price point. This combination ensures a smooth drinking experience with no compromise on flavour quality or complexity, making Famous Grouse an excellent option when searching for great value whiskies.
The careful blending of malts from Famous Grouse’s exclusive whisky inventory creates a mellow taste with subtle smoky notes and a delightful balance between sweet maltiness and spicy complexity – making it accessible to all types of whisky drinkers. Famous Grouse also features hints of biscuit, smoke and spice that add complexity yet keep the drink enjoyable for everyone. Furthermore, Famous Grouse retails at around £16.74/$20.50 per bottle which is much lower than Johnnie Walker Red Label’s £19.90/$24.36 price tag per bottle – making it even more attractive for those looking for value-for-money whiskies.
When compared to Johnnie Walker Red Label, Famous Grouse stands out as the better choice due to its well-structured flavours and balanced taste profile, coupled with its affordability and accessibility to all whisky drinkers regardless of their preference or budget. Famous Grouse provides a reliably enjoyable drinking experience every time – ensuring that whisky lovers can have a dram without breaking the bank.
Famous Grouse vs Johnnie Walker: Smoky Black vs Black Label
Famous Grouse Smoky Black
Nose: With an intense smoky aroma, this whisky features a solid peat note with just the right amount of rummy sweetness and a hint of dry wood.
Palate: A medium-bodied whisky with a harmonious balance of peat smoke, caramel, and spice.
Mouthfeel: peppery and spicy
Finish: Long, slightly peaty.
Age: No Age Statement (NAS)
Cask/Barrels: Blended mix peated whiskies aged in Oak casks
Strength: 40 ABV% / 80 proof
Price: £19 / $23
Johnnie Walker Black Label
Nose: A scrumptious blend of sweet fruit and velvety vanilla flavours.
Palate: The delectable harmony of creamy toffee, sugary fruit and the taste of aromatic spice.
Mouthfeel: A pleasing, mouth-coating richness lingers luxuriously on the palate.
Finish: Quite fruity and long with a note of sultanas and mixed peels.
Age: 12 years (minimum)
Casks: Oak Casks
Strength: 40 ABV% / 80 proof
Price: £27 / $32
Flavour Comparison
When comparing the flavour of Famous Grouse Smoky Black to that of Johnnie Walker Black Label, there is a distinct difference between the two. Famous Grouse Smoky Black has an intense smoky aroma with a solid peat note and just the right amount of rummy sweetness, along with a hint of dry wood. On the palate, Famous Grouse offers a medium-bodied whisky experience with a harmonious balance of peat smoke, caramel and spice.
Meanwhile, Johnnie Walker Black Label gives off notes of sweet fruit and velvety vanilla on the nose. The palate of Johnnie Walker Black Label is delectable harmony of creamy toffee, sugary fruit and aromatic spices. When it comes to mouthfeel, Famous Grouse produces a pleasing peppery spiciness while Johnnie Walker creates a luxuriantly rich experience that coats the palate. Lastly, Famous Grouse’s finish is slightly peaty while Johnnie Walker’s is quite fruity and long with a note of sultanas and mixed peels.
Overall, Famous Grouse Smoky Black excels in producing smoky aromas coupled with complex yet balanced flavours – making it an excellent choice for those looking for intense whisky flavours without compromising on quality or complexity. On the other hand, Johnnie Walker Black Label offers more mellow nuances such as sweet fruit and creamy toffee on the nose with an indulgently rich mouthfeel that lingers on the palate – making it perfect for those who prefer more subtle flavours from their whisky.
Price comparison
Famous Grouse is particularly attractive due to its affordability and accessibility, retailing at around £18.89/$23.13 per bottle which is much lower than Johnnie Walker Black Label’s £27/$32 price tag per bottle. Famous Grouse provides a reliably enjoyable drinking experience every time that is sure to exceed expectations – making it an excellent choice for those looking for great value whisky without breaking the bank.
Johnnie Walker Black Label also offers great value for money, as this 12 year-old whisky has been expertly blended from some of Scotland’s finest malts. The carefully crafted blend has a delightful bouquet of sweet fruit and velvety vanilla flavours on the nose with a creamy toffee taste on the palate and a pleasing mouthfeel that lingers luxuriously on the tongue. This whisky also offers exceptional depths in terms of flavour and complexity – making it an ideal choice for those seeking maximum enjoyment out of their dram with minimal cost.
Our Pick
If I were shopping for a blend under £30/$40, it would be difficult to look past Johnnie Walker Black Label. This exquisite whisky is expertly blended from some of Scotland’s finest malts, and offers exceptional depth in terms of flavour and complexity. The carefully crafted blend boasts a delightful bouquet of sweet fruit and velvety vanilla on the nose with a creamy toffee taste on the palate. On top of this, the luxuriously rich mouthfeel lingers on the tongue – making it a truly indulgent drinking experience.
At 12 years old, Johnnie Walker Black Label has been aged to perfection in oak casks giving it a smooth yet full-bodied character that goes down easy. It also has an impressive strength of 80 proof / 40 ABV%, ensuring the perfect balance between flavour and strength each time you pour yourself a dram.
Johnnie Walker Black Label offers great value for money, especially considering its £27/$32 price tag. Making it an ideal choice for those looking for maximum enjoyment out of their whisky without spending too much money.
Famous Grouse vs Johnnie Walker: Final thoughts
Famous Grouse vs Johnnie Walker was a strongly fought fight. They are two of the most iconic blends in the world, each with a long-standing reputation for creating some of Scotland’s finest blended malts. Famous Grouse’s Smoky Black variant features a complex nose of oaky notes as well as subtle notes of honey and fruit, while on the palate there is an intense smokiness that gives way to an exceedingly smooth finish. Famous Grouse has become renowned for its consistent quality; delivering a truly unique and memorable whisky
Johnnie Walker, on the other hand, has always been associated with luxury, innovation and pioneering spirit. The iconic Black Label variant offers aromas of sweet fruit and velvety vanilla on the nose, combined with creamy toffee on the palate. It has been expertly crafted from some of Scotland’s finest malts and aged in oak casks for 12 years to deliver an exceptionally smooth yet full-bodied character that lingers luxuriously on the tongue.
In terms of flavour complexity Famous Grouse could be said to have slightly more than Johnnie Walker Red Label with both equally delivering a pleasing balance between sweet fruit and aromatic spices. However, Famous Grouse’s finish is characterised by a slightly smoky aftertaste while Johnnie Walker’s finish is quite fruity with lingering notes of sultanas and mixed peels – providing drinkers with two different takes on whisky-making excellence.
It was certainly a pretty tight battle between Famous Grouse vs Johnnie Walker but ultimately Johnnie Walker just edges it out due to its unparalleled depth in terms of flavour and complexity coupled with its luxurious mouthfeel that lingers luxuriously on the tongue – making it an ideal choice for those looking for maximum enjoyment out of their whisky without spending too much money.
Author’s Pick
Johnnie Walker Black Label is the perfect choice for whisky lovers looking for a truly luxurious and indulgent drinking experience. The 12-year-old blend has been expertly crafted from some of Scotland’s finest malts and aged in oak casks, giving it a smooth yet full-bodied character that goes down easy. The carefully crafted blend boasts a delightful bouquet of sweet fruit and velvety vanilla on the nose, combined with creamy toffee on the palate. On top of this, the luxuriously rich mouthfeel lingers on the tongue – making each sip even more enjoyable.
