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The whisky specialist George Harper, along with Johnnie Walker’s master blenders, designed this interesting blend to be enjoyed chilled straight from the freezer, as cold as the hearts of the terrifying white walkers overrunning Winterfell in HBO’s series Game of Thrones. Single Malts from Cardhu and Clynelish, both northern distilleries, add to the blend’s mystique.
Served at freezer temperature, 0°F (-18°C), this pale malt is muted on the nose, but it wakes up as the temperature rises to reveal caramel sauce, apple peel, vanilla, and warm brown spices. Straightforward and crowd-pleasing, but not contemplative. This is a pretty nose, nevertheless.
The palate reveals warm flavors of caramel sauce and vanilla paste along with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla across a medium-bodied palate of moderate intensity. When chilled to an extreme, this is quite a textural experience — luscious, silky, and utterly refreshing.
The finish has a medium length and is monopolized by warm aromas of winter spices, vanilla, and the faintest peat smoke over a soft fruit core that extends into the aftertaste.
A very successful limited edition that captures quite well the flavors and aromas of a long winter. Easy to enjoy, even for the inexperienced, there’s something special about the northern distillery malts behind the White Walker. For Johnnie Walker fans, this one is a no-brainer, and pouring it straight from the freezer is a novel experience in the palate. However, it takes a toll on the malt’s nose.
The Johnnie Walker Song of Ice is another Game of Thrones limited edition featuring Clynelish distillery malts, portraying the northern highland profile marked by sweet fruit and a clean palate.
