Blue label whiskey: what it is and where to find it

Blue label whiskey almost always means Johnnie Walker Blue Label, a blended Scotch whisky from Scotland. If you are shopping in Westford, start with our whiskey section, then read on for what the bottle is, how to drink it and what else to look at if it is not quite what you want.

What is blue label whiskey?

Blue label whiskey is Johnnie Walker Blue Label, the top of the Johnnie Walker range. It is a blended Scotch whisky, sold in a square glass bottle that usually comes in a presentation box.

Blue Label carries no age statement. That is a deliberate choice: the blenders select a small number of rare casks for a particular character, rather than building the blend around a minimum age. Each bottle is numbered, and the whisky is bottled at 40 percent alcohol by volume.

Blended means the whisky combines malt whisky, made from malted barley in pot stills, with grain whisky, made in column stills. A single malt comes from one distillery. A blend is the work of a blender who draws on whiskies from many.

What does Blue Label taste like?

Blends like this are usually described as soft and rounded rather than sharp. The notes people most often point to are honey, dried fruit, almond and a trace of smoke in the background, with a long, gentle finish.

That softness comes from the blending. A blender is trying to make a whisky that tastes the same from one bottle to the next, with no single element standing out. If you like whisky that is smooth and quiet rather than peaty or spicy, that is the appeal.

If you want something with more edge, a smoky Islay single malt or a high-rye bourbon will give you a very different glass. Both are covered further down.

How should you drink it?

Neat is the usual answer, in a small tulip-shaped glass or a short tumbler, at room temperature. Pour a little, let it sit for a minute and take your time with it.

A few drops of water can open the aroma up. Ice cools the whisky and mutes the very things the blend is made for, so most people leave it out.

This is not a bottle to mix with cola or ginger beer. If you want a highball or a cocktail, a less elaborate whisky does that job just as well and leaves the special bottle for the glass.

Where can you buy it in Westford?

CBC Liquors is at 142 Littleton Rd in Westford. The quickest way to see what we have on the shelf is the Scotch page, which sits under the whiskey section and shows what is in stock today.

The shop is open Sunday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Pickup runs the same hours. Delivery hours are a little shorter: Sunday 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM.

We also offer shipping, and the shipping policy page explains how that works. Our Google rating is 4.7 out of 5 from 339 reviews.

Can you get it delivered or picked up?

We offer pickup, delivery and shipping as well as walking in. If you would rather not make the trip, the alcohol delivery in Westford page explains how delivery works from the shop.

Beyond Westford we serve Chelmsford, Carlisle, Littleton, Acton, Tyngsborough, Lowell, Billerica, Boxborough and Dunstable. You can check your own town on the delivery areas page, or go straight to Chelmsford, Acton or Lowell.

Whoever receives an alcohol order has to be 21 or over and show ID, so plan for someone to be there.

What else is worth looking at if you want a special bottle?

If it is the idea of a premium Scotch that appeals, the Scotch page has blends and single malts side by side, and the difference is worth tasting. A single malt shows the character of one distillery; a blend shows the skill of the blender.

If you like the idea of a smooth, easy sipper from somewhere else, look at Irish whiskey. Irish whiskey is typically triple distilled and tends to be light and gentle. Jameson Irish Whiskey is the one to start with.

For something with a different style of craft, Japanese whiskey is usually made in the Scotch tradition but with its own character, often delicate and well balanced. Both categories are worth browsing slowly.

What if you just want a good whiskey for sipping or mixing?

A special bottle is not always what the evening calls for. Bourbon is the natural place to go, made in America from at least 51 percent corn and aged in new charred oak, which gives it the vanilla and caramel flavours people expect.

Bulleit Bourbon has a higher rye content and a drier, spicier finish. Knob Creek Straight Bourbon Whiskey is richer and fuller, and holds up well in an old fashioned. Evan Williams Black Label Bourbon and Jim Beam Original are straightforward bourbons that work neat, on ice or in a highball.

For something sweeter, flavored whiskey is its own section, and Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey is the one many people recognise.

How do you store a bottle and give it as a gift?

Keep the bottle upright, out of direct sunlight and away from heat. Unlike wine, whisky does not need to lie on its side, and a cork that stays in contact with the spirit can degrade over time. An opened bottle keeps well for a long while if the cap is tight.

Blue Label is often given as a gift, and the box and numbered bottle suit that. If you are not sure what the person drinks, a gift card lets them choose for themselves.

If you are choosing between a few bottles and want a second opinion, ask at the shop on Littleton Rd. Tell us what you usually drink and what the occasion is, and we will point you to something that suits.