The recent Johnnie Walker White Walker is a limited-edition Scotch whisky made in collaboration with the HBO hit series “Game of Thrones”.
In this review, we unpack everything you need to know about this whisky. Including detailed analysis of the production, taste, aroma, finish, and price.
If you’re wondering whether this Johnnie Walker edition lives up to the hype of the show, then read on to find out.
Johnnie Walker White Walker (Our Review)
Overall Assessment
The limited-edition White Walker is the result of a partnership between HBO and a team of expert blenders at Johnnie Walker. The blend features spirits from various distilleries including Clynelsih and Cardhu.
This scotch whiskey offers pleasant notes of caramel and spice flavors when served straight out the freezer. Hints of fresh berry and orange are present.
Unfortunately, room temperature seems to bring out an unpleasant bitter taste in the mouth. The alcohol takes on a harsh oaky flavor once the whisky has warmed. This scotch is definitely best served chilled and straight out of the freezer.
Bottled at 41.7% alcohol by volume, the White Walker is available worldwide. The price of the Johnnie Walker White Walker is low compared to other Johnnie Walker colors. The low demand for the drink also means that it’s easier to get your hands on a bottle.
The design of the label is unique, featuring a “Game of Thrones” white walker and cold-sensitive writing on the label. While the design is creative, this drink presentation has a narrow set of parameters. For this reason, it’s not a drink that most people would stock voluntarily.
While it does have an interesting flavor, the unfortunate aftertaste makes this drink mediocre at best. We recommend only drinking the Johnnie Walker White Walker with ice or straight out the freezer.
Pros
- Affordable price due to low product demand
- Low demand makes it easy to source
- Interesting flavour when served cold
Cons
- Only best served straight out the freezer
- Bitter and oaky finish at room temperature
Detailed Analysis
Here is everything you need to know about the Johnnie Walker White Walker. This covers the production, taste, aroma, and finish notes of the beverage, as well as what you’ll expect to pay for a bottle.
Production Process
This Scotch whisky blend was created by George Harper, along with a team of experts at Johnnie Walker. Sticking to their roots, they have produced a blended Scotch whisky. This blend features spirits from several distilleries, including Clynelsih and Cardhu.
The White Walker has sat to mature for at least three years. Beyond this, the specifics of the production process remain a mystery to the drinker.
Flavor
The first sip reveals caramel and vanilla flavors, with lingering spicy notes. This combination creates a cinnamon sweet flavor on the tongue.
As the drink warms, berry and mango flavors pop in and out. Once at room temperature though, an unpleasant bitter taste of oak is present. Cold temperatures seem to subdue the bitterness.
This Scotch tastes a lot better when served straight out of the freezer.
Appearance
The White Walker bottle has a few unique features, instead of the traditional Johnnie Walker label design.
The bottle is wrapped in a plastic layer with all the usual branding. The usual walking man on the front of the bottle now resembles a white walker from the Game of Thrones series.
Another creative feature is the temperature-sensitive font. When frozen, a message saying “Winter is Here” appears on the bottle. The eyes of the walking man also glow, adding to the general Game of Thrones theme.
Aroma
The White Walker blend is quite young, so your first sniff of the alcohol will nip your nose.
At the front of the nose are all the fruity and spicy aromas. After a while, its characteristic smoky oak smell is present.
Together these make a well-rounded aroma for this Johnnie Walker edition.
Finish
On the finish, the White Walker has a lingering smoke and pepper flavor. This is accompanied with a sourness at the end.
The finish is a disappointing aspect of this edition, especially at room temperature. The amount of bitterness on the finish tends to ruin the experience of the drink with a bad taste left in your mouth.
We advise you to try this drink chilled or straight out the freezer. A bit of ice will help to subdue the bitterness.
Price
While Johnnie Walker has a reputation for being an expensive range, this doesn’t apply to the White Walker.
The price of a White Walker is far less expensive than other Johnnie Walker spirits. Its possible for you to source this drink for $22 or less. The heavily discounted price tag is mainly due to the disappointing season finale of Game of Thrones.
The price of the Johnnie Walker White Walker is one of its best attributes. Plus, the low demand for the drink means that it’s easy to source if you want to get your hands on a bottle.
The price progression for Johnnie Walker colors is as follows:
Conclusion
Just like the season finale of “Game of Thrones”, the Johnnie Walker White Walker was not met with enthusiasm from fans.
Any limited edition spirit associated with a film is bound to be somewhat gimmicky. In this case, the gimmicky design on the bottle and its cheap price tag turned out to be the best features of the drink.
If you are a fan of both Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky and “Game of Thrones”, then go ahead and buy yourself a bottle. The price tag is certainly worth it.
