Johnnie Walker The Spice Road

Description

Johnnie Walker The Spice Road – Collectible Whisky

Johnnie Walker The Spice Road is the first of the new Explorers’ Club Collection. These are a range of whiskies released in 2012.  Apparently, that John Walker’s pioneering travel around the world inspired it a lot. In order to establish markets for his whiskies back in the 1800’s.  The first signature blend from the Trade Route series is The Spice Road. The vibrancy influenced a lot, aromas and dazzling colours of the thriving markets of Asia. Briefly, It’s a complex whisky with aromatic spice overtones and exceptional smoothness, yet true to the Johnnie Walker signature.

Johnnie Walker doesn’t give many details on the creation of this bottle or its companion blends. Yet, it is aged in oak casks and comes in at 40% abv by volume.  The Spice Road and its two companion whiskies – as well as the fourth whisky in the Explorers’ Club Collection, The Adventurer. Both were only available in travel retail stores in 1000ml format.

If the Explorers’ Club sounds familiar, you might be thinking of the New York-based club. Members of which boast accomplishments of being the first to reach both poles. Summit Mount Everest and walk on the moon. And a New York judge blocked Johnnie Walker’s parent company Diageo. What’s more, Diageo also owns Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray, Guinness and Bulleit from using the name. The two sides finally reached a settlement that allowing Johnnie Walker to use the name, in exchange for Diageo becoming a global sponsor and committing to work with the organization to “promote exploration and discovery.”

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Amber with a slightly redder hue than the average whisky.

Nose: First hits the nasal passages with tropical, spicy citrus aroma. Dominated by lemon, ginger and clove with touches of smoke and sandalwood. Then mellow to a scent of fruity red wine reminiscent of citrusy sangria. With a touch of the salty aroma you smell while near the ocean.

Palate: Inversely to the nose, it hits the tongue smoothly. Like a sweet vanilla extract that feels less viscous than the typical whisky, with a hint of smoke. That quickly develops into intensifying spiciness, dominated by ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. That spiciness hits its zenith when swallowed, then leaves a lingering tingly sensation in the back corners of the mouth. With a warm, smoky, sweet coating around the rest of the mouth and palate.