Blue Label first appeared in 1992 under a plainer name, Johnnie Walker Oldest, and was renamed in 1994 to fit the colour coded range that had grown up around the striding man. It carries no age statement. Johnnie Walker says only one cask in 10,000 is hand selected for it, and some of those come from distilleries that closed long ago, the so called ghost distilleries.
It is bottled at 40 per cent in a square sided, blue green glass bottle modelled on the original Johnnie Walker design, closed with a natural cork and a cord seal. A medallion hangs from the neck, marking the brand's founding in 1820.
In the glass the weight is in the sweetness. Expect honey and vanilla, dried fruit, malt and Brazil nuts, with a trace of cinnamon. The smoke arrives as a soft, salty thread rather than a push, and it returns right at the end of a long finish.
Serve it neat at room temperature in a wide, short glass, and let it sit for a minute before the first sip. A mixer would only cover the detail.