Broadening Our Horizons XXVI

Heresy!  I'm an apostate!  By that I mean I bought my first bottle of blended scotch in at least 30 years today... this:

That's a bottle of Johnnie Walker Gold... a blend of 18-year-old single malts (no grain spirits added... it's ALL single malts).  I saw this on the shelf of the Class VI store yesterday but wasn't prepared to pay the considerable freight on this blend (a blend, fer gawd's sakes!) until I got home and did some basic research, which is to say: read some reviews.  I read, I was impressed, I made the return trip to Cannon today and picked up a bottle.  I'm glad I did... let's quote one review:

So, the question that arises: Is Gold Label that good? And the answer is . . . yes, it is. Very good indeed.

The reviewer waxes eloquent about the nose of this scotch and I'm with him there... the nose is magnificent.  But really: it's all about the taste, innit?  And the taste is superb; slightly sweet, peaty, and smooooth.  Exceptionally smooth.  I like this scotch a LOT.

A couple o' notes...  (1)  There were six bottles of JW Gold on the shelf at the Class VI yesterday; there were three when I returned today.  The stuff moves pretty fast for as pricey as it is.  (2)  I included that bottle of Glenmorangie in the pic simply to show how much of it has been consumed since I brought it home.  A bottle o' scotch will normally last me about six weeks; this bottle has been in my likker locker for less than two.  Which is testimony on how much I like this stuff:  it, too, is that good.  But the Glenmorangie has some serious competition now.  (3)  The sun was over the yardarm... albeit just barely... when I poured the wee dram you see above.  That's just because I AM an American, and I'm ALL about instant gratification.  And because I CAN.