ralfy review 1032 - Johnnie Walker Red Label (2024)

[@overdose0074]

There are SO MANY whiskey review channels and they all do the same thing: speak about the same notes in every single pour, and act like they're surprised every now and then. Thank you for being unique and educating

[@Lickiecat]

Literally the only whisky review channel that I actually trust. A lot of the american ones are pure cringe. I'm Definitely open to suggestions though.

[@dksculpture]

Tell us what you really think Ralphy. 😂 Great review/rant. A Ralfy classic!

[@Johnstone72]

This is what JW does to a Man.

[@VazzVegas]

I was half expecting him to clean his toilet with it 😆.

[@dksculpture]

@@VazzVegas 😂😂😂

[@srowley85]

The last time I had JW Red label was in rural Iowa, where it was the best on offer. I purchased a bottle and carried it by bike with some of my father’s ashes for about 60 km. I left the ashes at my grandparents’ graves and drank my father’s memory with a group of friends. The whisky did the trick, but I always wished I’d been able to find a single malt for the occasion.

[@rnedisc]

Have you seen the ad some marketing student made for JW? It would probably resonate with you and it's absolutely beautiful. Look up "dear brother johnnie walker".

[@passengerpigeon20]

Diageo ran an advertisement for JW Black with a very similar plot!

[@Fr4ncM]

That final sentence is the most accurate review of Red Label possible.

[@TheWhiskeyDictionary]

I loved everything about this review. I laughed out loud about the Blue Label and Macallen comments. Wonderful job Ralfy!

[@VazzVegas]

I appreciate him continually calling out the obvious (but not to all) decline of JW Green label as well.

[@johnandrus3901]

@@VazzVegas Green used to be excellent, but it still is, probably, the best JW offers. They do have special editions of Blue, which are bottled in the mid-fifty percent ABV range. I really wish that they would do some special editions of Green Label, non-chill filtered and higher ABV, but I doubt that will ever happen. Too bad.

[@VazzVegas]

@@johnandrus3901 They have the Island Green, which is a Duty Free exclusive and not much more expensive. It was one of the first Scotches I ever bought and I remember loving it. I need to get myself another one to see if it's still the same quality.

[@JonnyParker-]

We appreciate the real talk Ralfy man . Massive respect as always.

[@fisk159]

Thank you for this. This got me smiling.😀

[@revolvermaster4939]

I had a bottle once, lasted for several years of cleaning fishing reels.

[@nealbruce5914]

A neighbor has a 28 year old bottle or JW Red that is astoundingly different. It is actually pleasant to drink. So very different! I also thought it was a single malt! Totally different!

[@jenmac287]

It doesn't age in the bottle

[@nealbruce5914]

I was pointing out that 28 years ago Red was a different and better juice! Having both was an interesting comparison.

[@chestermarcol3831]

@@jenmac287 - Wow....

[@comradesomo]

I've had the same thing drinking 80s era Black Label. Totally unrecognisable to today's whisky.

[@IndridCold.]

Blended whiskey isn't what it used to be, vast production has taken over, overused casks and deliberate blandness,or as they like to call it, smoothness.

[@rubenvanderkooij1571]

Love it! But what I learned at my photography academy is that when you capture people walking to the left, they walk home, to a safe place. When people walk to the right, they go out of their homes and on an adventure :) That trick is used heavily in marketing and commercials :)

[@raycroal]

good answer

[@grbadalamenti]

Interesting hidden gem❤

[@evenbiggerboss]

What a joke. How would that even be?

[@rubenvanderkooij1571]

@@evenbiggerboss Just think of a man walking to the left, and what it makes you feel. Then do the same with a person walking to the right. Then look at all the photos you see in advertising, and your eyes will see :)

[@Krapula018]

This is the explanation i’ve heard as well. Going right is leaving and going left returning psychologically atleast. Loved Ralfy’s theory as well.

[@PatrickTorsell]

From my Bothy to yours, thanks Ralfy, for being Ralfy! Love your down to earth honesty, elevated by your fine tuned palate and genuine love for the art of Whisky.

[@mrnosebear7406]

Here in Germany you could by a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label for 10.99 EUR when it is heavily discounted in the supermarket. Cheerio and slainte mhath P.S. You are a snob, Ralfy. This is the reason why we love you.

[@martingrafton4844]

Yes indeed, I bought one from Edeka for 10 € a couple of days ago (to mix with Ginger Ale and fresh lime).

[@albertmiller3082]

Thank you Ralfy - as a Patreon member, this review was a treat. 👏🏻

[@88johnbarnes]

You know classic whisky cocktails like manhattans, old fashioned, whisky sours, gold rushes to name a few is what led me onto my whisky journey. So for me there's nothing wrong with cocktails in my opinion. Thank you for the review Ralfy, all the best. 😊🥃

[@johnandrus3901]

My dad's favorite drink was an Old Fashioned. He grew up during Prohibition, so he liked the one with the muddle, which was used to make the whiskey taste better during that time. My parents would make Whiskey Sours, for guests, which always went over quite well. I still enjoy an Old Fashioned fairly often and Rob Roy's, too, which are Scotch Manhattans. Cheers!

[@88johnbarnes]

@johnandrus3901 The old fashioned is an absolute classic. Definitely helped me understand and enjoy whisky. So many different whisky cocktails to enjoy. All part of the journey. I find myself enjoying single malts nowadays but I'll have to try a rob roy now you've mentioned it! Cheers to you and good health. 🥃🥃

[@jfbrko290]

Glad to see you're still making videos! Over 10 years ago when I first found your channel, you were singularly responsible for me going out to local liquor stores to look for some of the whiskeys you were tasting. That's when I found my first bottle of Glenfiddich 18. I enjoyed that bottle for the next few years.

[@michaelwood3203]

Interestingly I have a JW Islay edition 12 year blended malt @ 42%. It is acceptable on its own but I been halving it with Cutty Sark Prohibition at 50% and weirdly they become very good. The JW was about £35 for a litre.

[@kimoliver5848]

i need to try that

[@Carleton.Weaver]

Early into this video I thought "Oh, this is different, Ralfy must be reaching out to new viewers." Then the story of his early and brief days as barman came out. Classic Ralfy and true to form. Great stuff.

[@samernohra4278]

Thank you for your service, sir. Laughed my heart out!

[@elmushaw2367]

Merry xmas 🎄 ☃️ & happy new year Mr Ralfy & everyone!! Red label one of my fav of all time 🦸🎩👍👌🤘😎✌️ try the one from a freezer (overnight atleast)and the normal temp n youll see a difference , or a mandarin orange as your chaser😉🍻🥃 cheers enjoy😊

[@bryanwalker1737]

File this under: Best of Ralfy! Outstanding, sir. However, let me say that I am fairly new to Scotch, coming from the bourbon, rye, and Texas whiskey world. Single malts, at first, tasted bland and metallic to me. I then switched to blends, and JWRed was my first. After half a bottle over several weeks, it finally clicked with me. It tasted and smelled of the Texas Gulf Shore. I was nosing and tasting the salt breeze, seaweed, sea water... and I loved it. JWRed was the first Scotch I came to appreciate. I have moved upward and onward in my journey, but I still love JWRed neat.

[@garysutton6190]

JW Red was the first Scotch that I ever purchased when I turned 21 and began working in a liquor store. It still fills the bill with soda on the rocks. The price has certainly increased since the late 70's but that goes for a lot of spirits since that time.

[@michaelshockley6294]

also my first. actually, it was my first purchase of alcohol altogether - mostly, I just drank it with Coke. It tastes like water to me neat and on its own.

[@robfut9954]

And this is why it’s important that cheap basic scotch exists. And if JW want to advertise it to bring more to scotch then that’s a service to scotch

[@michaelshockley6294]

@@robfut9954 I came to scotch almost the same way that I did to coffee - as a child, my parents got me used to coffee by mixing coco with it until they had gradually taken all of the coco out and I was drinking black coffee. With cheap scotch and soda, I have done the same for whisky.

[@jimreichel1466]

It is refreshing to watch a whisk(e)y review channel that tells it like it is. Thank you Ralpy. Your point that Johnny Walker is for everyone is akin to Budweiser. A beer that is not offensive to anyone, anyone that does not appreciate a craft beer with flavor and distinction. It is the same with whisk(e)y of any sort. That is what sets the average drinker with the refined palete. Cheers!

[@jchock1]

I love this channel! Preach it Ralphy to this group of Malted Many! I bought this for my uncle several years ago as a gift, and if I’m quoting him he said it was “tasted like pouring piss water out of a boot”. Now that I’m educated I love a good Campbletown 12

[@paulwilliams698]

Best whiskey review I have ever listened to, looking forward to next session .

[@JReyes624]

I don't drink much whiskey these days, more of a beer or classic cocktail guy now, but I still love tuning in to get Ralfy's perspective on things. Many wise words beyond whiskey. Thank you for years of quality videos and chats.

[@arthurmiller9434]

Ralfy: I just discovered your channel. I viewed your assessment of Loch Lomond 12 and now JW Red. Can’t express how much I appreciate your commentary.

[@dantheman7357]

Another impressive and enjoyable review from our friend Ralfy. I have used JW Red Label as my night-cap Scotch for years as a sleep aid. You described its pros and cons to perfection. You also explained why its made and where it fits into the market. Red Label is affordable and good for beginners so its an important first drink that may lead to the Glenfarklas and other great Single Malts when the consumer learns how to choose, test, and decide what he/she likes and dislikes. I thoroughly enjoyed your fun style as well [as usual ]. Thanks Ralfy.

[@coslifehurts]

Love it. I bought a 1970 red label and looking forward to opening. I was able to taste a similar bottle and it was fabulous - waxy, nutty and def sherry influenced.

[@Mose2305]

OMG the E-150 in the Johnny Walker Red is literally blinding me, but truthfully could never take it seriously when an unnamed publication rated it higher than a non chill filtered 18 yo Glendronnach Allardice. What excellent and entertaining review Ralfy! Cheers!

[@andrewh9629]

A classic rant for sure. Had an 80s black label a few years back. Really nice.

[@gordonirvine726]

EXTREMELY entertaining Ralfy! 😂

[@brucesnz]

Well, damn, I don't know about everyone else but I'm feeling engaged, informed, entertained and in good humour.

[@paulfogarty7724]

Great stuff ..the review that is. It lasted longer than its actual length as I kept rewinding to hear you again !

[@terrortower666]

Ahhh JW RL. An absolute staple of the average bar and supermarket shelf. Goes beautifully with ice cubes or coke 😉

[@johnlgirvan8956]

Entertaining as always, Ralfy. I'm a dedicated malt head but I buy this as nightcap sipping whisky, usually at £20 a litre. I remember the first time I tried RL and thought I'd just swallowed an ashtray! It was so smokey. It is now a fairly tame, inoffensive dram with just a hint of its smokey heritage.

[@kevinnordby4808]

Well done Ralfy! This is the best review I’ve seen all year.

[@J43rv1]

Ralfy been a fan since at least your first red label review. You really helped me understand Scotch years ago when I was initially getting into it as a young guy. Thank you for being honest and consistent all these years. And on behalf of Americans I'm sorry you have to know what Walmart and Costco are.

[@SimonneNZ]

My first whisky was JW Black over 30 years ago, and I used to drink it with ice. I tried JW Red back then too, in a bar, and wasn't impressed at all. Never had it since. Cheers!

[@hificave]

Cheers Ralfy! I was given a 50 year old bottle (new old stock) from a friend’s father who I helped out( he had it in the back of his cabinet like you said, untouched). And day 1, opened it first sip was bitter and almost heavy on sulfur… i let the bottle open for 30 minutes, then I put it back in the cupboard… reopened it a week later… wow! I couldn’t believe how fascinating the flavor was compared to a new bottle. Great video Ralfy.

[@carlubambi5541]

Thank you Ralphy .Got a bottle of Gw Green as a gift ..Too peaty to drink alone for me but it does pair well with smoked meats or smoked salmon of all things ..I won a bottle of Black at a stag party on a loonie toss .have not opened it yet .It's at least 10 years ago .Kept in my wine cellar

[@rubenheijstek5070]

Genius Ralfy haha. I realy know what you mean. I got a few old bottles like Dimble and Famous grouse and you taste the quailty. You taste old books or ortner maps. It is lovely. Thanks for this great review again

[@mattlindberg2843]

Hilarious, Ralfy! Thoroughly enjoyed the no holds barred review. Even though I remember enjoying this bottle as one of my initial whiskey purchases several years ago. I agree it has its purpose. Cheers 🥃

[@TheMetalGBG]

It's still insightful even if Red Label isn't my first choice of "buzz inducing liquid". Good single malts are getting very expensive.

[@alexfranchuk9608]

The Black Label would be my next pick then

[@eric4714]

Agreed...some single malts have basically doubled in price since the pandemic in the states. Paying $70-80 for the same thing I used to buy for $40 in 2020.

[@moeafram2520]

Yup, even my two everyday malts, Laphroiag 10 and Bunnahabhain 12, have made me sip slower these days with the upward price creep...

[@jameskaaden6437]

Great fun to watch Ralfy! I thought the change in direction of the walking man was related to cinematographic shorthand. When a character is travelling right to left, they are returning home. Left to right, as with the newer label, they are heading out on their adventure.

[@jarvy251]

I find red label has a buttery texture that is not unpleasant, but your harshness is justified. For a fraction of the price, I can get much more enjoyable Canadian blends, or for just a few dollars more, get a decent single malt - Auchentoshan and Singleton are regularly on sale and they are a steal.

[@mixalic]

A video about comparing whiskey from different generations of Johnny Walker was my first video of this channel. A colleague shared it with me in 2013, and since then I have been interested in whiskey. A cool reference to the past, thanks you! P.S. I was waiting for ice, but it didn't show up)

[@EugeneMaria]

The Truth sometimes Hurts. But it also Teaches. Be Well and Thank You Kindly ☮️

[@alanlauder1476]

I'd love to compare a Bells from 40 or 50 years ago to the product they churn out today. I bought a bottle of the new stuff just for old times sake a few months ago, and I honestly could have wept...it was so 'thin' and flavourless.

[@TisPete]

I remember the days when.most folk in the UK were drinking blends and happy to do so. Distillers ruled the roost. So Johnny Walker, White Horse, Haig etc. There was Teachers and Bells for a few shillings more, Canadian Club and maybe the occasional Irish whiskey. That was it. Christmas/N ew Year was hugely important for sales. Nowadays it's gone in the opposite direction. Single malts and very expensive ones too. I have done lots of tastings of extremely expensive whiskies but I would never buy a bottle - too expensive for me. It's all about striking a balance.

[@WBO-lp3cp]

Honest rant. I buy it from time to time to get my bearings and keep my feet on the ground. Drank it yesterday after a dram of Longrow. Great reference point. Always have some JW around for easy mindless drinking or visitors like you said, those on whom single malt is utterly wasted.

[@JonnyParker-]

Bloody hell haha treat your visitors with more care please 😂

[@WBO-lp3cp]

@JonnyParker- if they are not lovers of the Malt, they get what they deserve

[@essjayaitch]

Many years ago I was out in Australia on business. The hotel I was staying in had 3 bottles of whisky behind the bar, Red Label, Jack Daniels and Makers Mark. I persuaded them to get some single malt in and they obliged with a bottle of Glenlivet

[@rnedisc]

Saying people's lifes are meaningless just because they drink JW bluelabel is pretty harsh. I'd say they just don't know any better. That's all. And you can't really blame them, you can only educate them. Marketing is and always will be a powerful tool.

[@11thstalley96]

You make some good points and I would like to add one of my own. The seemingly pretentious folks who can be enthralled by marketing can very well not know any better, but my observations tend to make me think that many of them are willfully ignorant and don’t care about anything other than what other people think of them. I don’t want to be so presumptuous as to put myself in a position of judging others because a disinterested observer could never know everything that motivates others, although rampant superficiality can be very telling if it pervades an entire lifestyle.

[@125ctg]

You could equally damn the ever growing ‘connoisseurs’ who watch Ralfy et al then look down their noses at those who don’t understand the holy trinity, 46% ABV and above, NCF and no added colour. (And no doubt wishing they were able to afford a Lamborghini).

[@adamcollins6882]

25 thousand people have watched this video and only 1500 people have ticked the like button. If you want more Ralfy videos please tick the ''like'' button when you watch his videos. Show some support please if you could. It costs you nothing and keeps the channel going. Thanks, Adam.

[@fredlabosch5164]

_VERY_ generous mark for a contemporary bottle of JW Red! My take on why they changed the direction of the "Striding Man" also has to do with subliminal sales psychology: Up until 1999 the vast majority of whisky was sold within the _western_ hemisphere, hence he walks towards the _west_ . In 1997 Diageo had formed, one of their business decisions was to heavily invest in uprising markets like China, India and the like, hence the decision to let the Striding Man walk towards the _east_ .

[@barlotardy]

Last year at the bar I work for: Bar manager: "We're finally getting a scotch!" Me, a Ralfy subscriber: "Fantastic! Which one??" Manager: "JW red!" Me: "Oh no.....no no no NO...."

[@richardbostan4286]

It sounds like you work at a bar that didn't have ANY scotch before that. How is it possible that a bar didn't have even a single scotch?

[@the8ctagon]

​@@richardbostan4286 Maybe it's a juice bar.

[@barlotardy]

@@richardbostan4286 It's a VERY small, barebones speakeasy-style bar.

[@passengerpigeon20]

@@barlotardy What alcohol DID you have before you took the "radical step" of branching out into scotch? By the looks of it you could list the whole menu in a KZbin comment.

[@barlotardy]

@@passengerpigeon20 10 basic liquors, 6 beer taps, and two wines....from a box. (2 bourbons, 1 irish whiskey, 1 gin, 3 vodkas for some reason, 2 rums, one tequila.) It's not much, but it pays the rent.

[@davet7185]

Good gracious me Ralfy....I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw you were review JW Red! 😲. However as always, you meet the E.E.E.H. criteria and that in itself is an integrity presentation. Meanwhile back on the single malt trail.....😌😼.

[@grouchypseudopod354]

Due to import fees and the price of scotch in the US, I've taken to drinking more American whiskey, so I, unfortunately watch less from the bothy. But I thought I ought to check in on the channel. Happy I did. Slainte!

[@francisdec1615]

I prefer single malt, but some American whiskies are good but expensive here in Sweden. About $46 for a 700 ml Wild Turkey 101 Proof.

[@Thillonoz]

Thanks for the honesty. It's a lost art these days. Must say, I was pleasantly surprised by the Black Label. I guess I was expecting something far worse than I got, I was imagining Famouse Grouse, which to me is like drinking isopropyl alcohol. I mean it has to be at least 5 times as good as Red Label.

[@eymerichinquisitore9022]

In the mid 80s I was 18 and I found a sealed bottle of Teacher hidden among a dozen bottles in my parents' cabinet including Ballantines and Chivas, I discovered that it was my favourite, I don't remember how or why, since then I have never tasted it again.

[@velviaman3206]

My father worked for the firm who imported thousands of tons of maize ( corn ) from the USA for the Distillers co ltd ( owners of JW KILMARNOCK ) for their column still whisky . In Kilmarnock we always referred to the striding man.

[@grbadalamenti]

I read that there is no more production of JW in Kilmarnock

[@velviaman3206]

@@grbadalamenti For many years their slogan for the striding man was “ Born 1820 still going strong” After 190 years the one time largest bottling plant in the world closed. The town was devastated as generations of the same family worked there.

[@xxLIBERTYorDETHxx]

Agreed on the vintage JW. After my grandparents past I came across an old bottle of red. I couldn't believe it was the same stuff. Still not a premium spirt, but within context of the new tripe? I'd actually buy JWR if it was still a flavorful as the vintage bottle, at the right price of corse.

[@erdogangurman3151]

Thank you very much Ralfy for your sincere reviews.

[@char_jaime9549]

Very honest review, good job Ralfy

[@Twobarpsi]

It is what it is, and that's ok. I don't look for water in the desert either. There have been times, that I'm in the middle of nowhere (or on a flight as you aptly mentioned), and wanted a whisky. There won't be a fine single malt, but JW will be there to scratch that itch. Cheers Ralfy!!

[@christinecamley]

This was fabulous! I cannot drink JW whisky - I think they are all horrific - but I find it so interesting that the vintage bottling was of a significantly higher quality. Terrific teaching Ralfy!

[@peterlittle6651]

Absolute entertainment, thanks Ralfy

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

It’s probably also to do the with the western reading direction in visual media. Left to right is generally with the grain (often the heros orientation) and the reverse is against the grain. So it’s used to reinforce various visual dynamics and convey all sorts of narrative elements in visual narrative.

[@barryg1965]

Thanks for your oversight and educated opinion.

[@TheVolcano2334]

Headed to Scotland next year. Hoping to visit Islay. I was wanting to visit Ardbeg. Any other ideas?

[@nekronambassador3352]

Insightful as always Ralfy. The only time I drink a blend, which is Chivas Regal 12, is when I do not want to think about what I am drinking or feel like getting "phished" (not sure of the spelling here lol). Yes, part of the reason I enjoy your videos is due to your frequent esoteric statements on various matters. I appreicate those highly. That said, asides from my Chivas, I find myself not guzzling my quality single malts ever. My Balblair, Glen Scotia and cask strength Bunnahabhain are defintiely sippers of which a couple glencairns last me all night.

[@basbas63]

At least continuity in this means less surprises. Really cool to see this being revisited, very few sources out there that continue to check things in such a manner as time goes by. Thank you for that. Can remember my grandparents had an old unopened bottle of red label in their cupboard and they gave it to me, it was my first experience with the brand. Still no idea what age exactly but it was good. Bought a new bottle ~5 years ago hoping for the best. It wasn't bad but surely did disappoint compared to expectations.

[@andrawhh]

My last red label was at least 8 or 9 years ago. Drank it with ginger ale, that was fine. But I immensely enjoy the 15yo green label! At discount you can get it for under 40€ in Germany. :)

[@spykerf1545]

Love a good ole Ralfy Rant!!!! I wouldn't even put this in a cocktail. I'll drink the Green label, but I draw the line there. Cheers!

[@joethebar1]

I’m enjoying a bottle right now. I have two that my neighbor gave me and I thought I’d never open them. I’m actually surprised- it’s got a unique profile that resembles smoky apple pie. It could be underrated or maybe others are overrated

[@djbeacon6895]

ralfy, enjoyed this episode, especially your take on being a bartender.

[@macgibbon]

The one thing I like about Blue Label is that unlike almost every other whisky, it makes buying and owning it an event. Any 18 year old, Talisker, Caol Ila, etc, you get a regular box just like every other bottle. Blue Label, you get a fancy rigid box, a fancy looking bottle with a fancy looking medallion. None of it improves the whisky, and none of it is ACTUALLY fancy, but it makes the experience feel special compared to almost everything else.

[@RebMordechaiReviews]

You do of course realise that you are paying for all that bling. Still, I appreciate your honesty. You are a marketing department's dream customer.

[@macgibbon]

@@RebMordechaiReviews Of course I'm paying for it, but in the whiskies at a similar price, you get the same carton you get for every other price level. At least they do something interesting and different.

[@RebMordechaiReviews]

@@macgibbon I have to admit to being initially unsure as to whether you were being sarcastic and amused by your comment, or whether you were actually being serious. However, I've just read your profile and I see that you are regular to Ralfy's channel.. I have actually come across people who hold the view you expressed. So, let's assume for a moment that you were serious, your declared preference for Blended Scotch Whisky in fancy packaging pre-supposes that in your view, the whisky inside is of equal quality, complexity, interest and drinking enjoyment as say (one of the examples you gave), the wonderful Caol Ila 18 (which happens to be one of my all time favourite single malts). Alternatively, you simply don't care what the whisky tastes like. Unfortunately there are more people like this than we care to admit. If there weren't, then JW Blue Label and Royal Salute etc, wouldn't exist.

[@archloy]

Yes, it's definitively for people who wants a bit of alcohol in their soda. Personally, this kind of whiskey is for me just ethanol, I do not taste more (maybe, my tongue remember my young men days ^^'). Anyway, little question to a whisky connaisseur : A friend of mine give me (as a gift) a bottle, I can't find this here, maybe you know : the lakes N°5. If you already try it and have a review, I'm curious. It taste strange for me (brown sugar I guess), so I'm looking around for honest reviews. And thanks for your videos ! It helps !

[@farshadp6114]

Greetings Mr Ralfy and thank you for this review. It is one of the best reviews, in my opinion. You described some people perfectly, Macallan and blue label lovers. People who drink just to get drunk and have no idea how to enjoy a dram . I must disagree in one thing tho and it is fancy glassware. I love my crystal glasses as much as my single malts. There you go now, you have it 😂😂😂

[@Corranhorn122]

Gosh I love you, Ralfy. Keep rocking!

[@bronovalter391]

To paraphrase Monty Python, but it's the single most popular scotch in the world! This was my mothers favorite scotch, so I by a bottle every now and then (when it's on sale) and drink it on the rocks, the way she did. I sit and remember when I would visit her and we would have on drink each, watch a TV show, listen to a record or just talk. GRHS! Ralfy, I agree with your assessment, but I have a lot emotion tied up in this scotch, so I will keep drinking it, on the rocks of course. I have been drinking JW since the 70's and have long though that the quality had gone down. Thank you for confirming!

[@risknerd1772]

Great episode, Ralfy. Thank you.

[@BDCF100]

Come on Ralfy; don't hold back so much. LOL As an aside I came back a week ago from 3 weeks in Asia. First a week in Singapore in the high rent district of Orchard Road. I wandered through several 'nice' Whisky shops looking for a decent bottle to take onward to my next stop in Indonesia. All three shops had a wall of Macallan of every iteration and on another wall a high-lighted featured Blue Label in a position of reverence. I even looked down for a prayer rug to kneel upon. There were limited quantities (1) of the usual subjects of the Single Malts; Highland Park, Aberlour, Lagavulin, etc. I did find a shelf with 5 versions of Kilchoman. Several of which were limited releases for that market. That was the choice. There had to have been better shops around, but I quit looking after a very nice Kilchoman attached itself to me. P.s Fifty years ago I was buying JW Black for $4 USD a bottle from the American Embassy Commissary in Santiago, Chile.

[@dennis85573]

Last weekend I tried a 1990s Bells and Chivas Regal both 12 yr. old and the were also 43 ABV. These were sensational compared to todays versions.

[@newmoderndisco6620]

I once did a blind tasting with a bunch of my bar guests with the Johnnie blue and the red just for a laugh and after 8 rounds the score was 5-3 for the red...that should tell us all we need to know about this brand...cheers Ralfy! Currently sipping an independent Bunnahabhain over here in the states. Been a fan since review #1

[@TheExAquarist]

That was entertaining and educating. I was a bit surprised by the high mark.

[@yusufsayed1583]

Hello Again 😊 Awesome👌🏽 Greetings From South Africa 🇿🇦

[@ianwright8154]

Love the commentary. Ralfy inherits the mantle of the great Scottish Enlightenment philosophers. Ralfy for Prime Minister. Fake tans - it's the landscape!

[@jamesangus7253]

Over on Facebook a few of us have put together a pack of 18 different blended whiskies under 40 a bottle all tries blind This JW Red was the first one out and although not pulling up trees it was decent and not a bad whisky.

[@grbadalamenti]

My JW Red Label from the 80s is peaty as hell. This is my second bottle from that era and the more it opens and oxidates, the more the peat hits me in the face. I'm still struggling to pick the Clynelish waxiness. Very different from what's in the bottle nowadays.

[@theUnArtist]

The Red Label is actually the best JW especially considering the cheap price. I've watched a video a few days ago where they did a blind test of 4 JWs- red, blue, green and gold 18yrs And the Red came out on top!

[@ytbenny1964]

I cringed when I saw the Ralfy was about to review the JW Red Label but I think he gave a very fair and honest opinion. The brand can open the door to your whisky journey and then quickly slam the door on itself as you explore and educate yourself. I truly appreciated the vintage comparison. Who knew?

[@coslifehurts]

I read somewhere that the old striding man walking right to left, represented going home, whereas the new version walking left to right represents going out from home on an adventure, which is more exciting and therefore appealing to consumers.

[@michaelgoodwin593]

I think these JW blends and Glenfiddich malts, especially the special editition airport specials which are probably dud batches are absolutely brilliant. They keep people away from the good stuff. Can you imagine the cost if demand for the nice whiskeys were being used by people for cocktails etc.

[@chestermarcol3831]

Surly ralfy is the BEST ralfy LOL!! It's like bleeding out, from a thousand tiny punctures, brought on by a fencing foil. LOL The choice of Scotch was just a vehicle to facilitate a good old-fashioned ass-whipping of the trite, pub crawling clones. And I love it. JWB in colored glass and a spotlight. Sublime... LOL

[@Mikego55]

I have a bottle of Johnnie Walker red label with Johnnie walking in the opposite direction. I wonder how old this is and if it’s from a time when red was good for sipping?

[@Tommy.OrginalvideosPhilly]

Before the year 2000

[@johngilbert5981]

I acquired a bottle of Johnnie Walker red from a friend who is clearing out their parents cabinet, almost full and probably from the 1970s maybe early '80s and it is amazing how fantastic it is and what this used to be and also quite sad what it's become

[@Retired_Gentleman]

I have a bottle of Alberta Springs Sipping Whisky given to my father in 1971. The whisky was bottled in 1970 according to the government band over the cork making the whisky 53 years in the bottle. It was kept unopened in its cedar display box the entire time. I opened it shortly after his death last year to honour his memory. I was expecting a mediocre drink but was surprised at how good it was. I'd even call it excellent. I'll have a dram from it each November to remember his passing. So, I'd say Ralfy is absolutely correct in his perspective. Spirits we have now are often only a pale shadow of spirits we had.

[@TommyDye]

Thanks! I did think the taste had changed, but I do not have the expertise to quantify it!

[@gerrylangford6485]

1976 I worked in a pub in London, there was a row of optics behind the bar with about 10 different whiskeys. All bar one, the one the manager used to drink, contained Vat 69.

[@steveosshenanigans]

Gerry are we to assume then they were all topped up from a cheap super market scotch then, other than the Vat 69 ? ……lol

[@gerrylangford6485]

@@steveosshenanigans they were all topped up with vat69. Apart from the one single malt. And you know what? In the six months I was there, nobody complained.

[@steveosshenanigans]

@@gerrylangford6485 Ha ha that doesn’t surprise me, it was the same in the pub that I worked in ! Which wasn’t far from London back in the late 70’s ……probably a common occurrence

[@MortAllachie]

Great episode. My first ever bottle of whisky of course was the Red Label. Also the reason I thought I didn’t like whisky for years. Then I discovered Chivas 12, and figured it was drinkable, but best in an “Irish Coffee” Yes… Ignorance 😂 I should reach 48 before I even tasted a Single Malt. Not sure I should be thankful or not, but that opened a whole new world for me (and my wallet). I really can’t stand the Red Label. It’s very generous of you to give it 72/100, but this just proves your objectivity. The Black Label is a huge step up. I bought a 5 cl Red last summer, and it was not a joy. I remember it being better in the 90´s even though it ruined whisky for me for a long time. Great review anyway 😊

[@DarthFurball]

Love it. All set for the Green and Blue Label reviews next!