To truly capture the essence of Johnnie Walker, you need not rely on us; surely you've savored a glass or two yourselves. But how does one describe the elusive umami? This word frequents fine dining menus or echoes from judges on cooking shows. It's even considered relatively new in culinary history, gaining momentum only in the 90s.
Various languages describe it differently, yet in the realm of beverages, the taste of umami remains largely unexplored. When perusing alcohol menus, we see descriptions ranging from sweet to savory, sour, and even smoky. The only drink that comes to mind in this context is Japanese sake, but in all other drinks, umami remains elusive.
One who never lags behind is Johnnie Walker, the renowned and beloved whisky brand that continually elevates the whisky category worldwide. Popularity doesn't allow the brand to rest on its laurels; rather, under the leadership of master blender Dr. Emma Walker, the team constantly explores ways to expand the boundaries of taste. Thus, Johnnie Walker Blue Label - Elusive Umami was born, a premium whisky bringing the mysterious qualities of umami taste to the forefront.
Mysterious and Sensory-Provoking Taste Qualities
Umami is a Japanese term describing the fifth taste, considered mysterious due to its difficulty to characterize in words. To create such a rare whisky taste, the master blender turned to Chef Kei Kobayashi, whose hard work and bold passion for culinary innovation led his Parisian restaurant "Kei" to earn three Michelin stars, making him the first Japanese chef to achieve this status in the French capital. While Israel may not yet boast Michelin-starred restaurants, one can certainly bring this whisky to local establishments and enjoy a luxurious Michelin-like atmosphere.
Chef Kei describes the collaboration in creating Johnnie Walker Blue Label Umami: "The final result is my interpretation of umami. It contains mysterious qualities that tantalize the senses, revealing a rich, pleasant, complex taste with great depth. With these tantalizing flavors, Johnnie Walker Blue Label - Elusive Umami allows drinkers to indulge in a rich and unique experience of Scotch whisky drinking."
Master blender Dr. Emma Walker describes the unique whisky-making process with Chef Kei: "It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that allowed us to explore and push the boundaries in the world of whisky. Through our shared expertise, we embarked on a journey of taste discovery, aiming to create an extraordinary Scotch whisky with the mysterious umami taste, providing a truly sensory experience." Walker noted that when she and Chef Kei set out to capture the essence of umami, they knew they were taking a step into the unknown in an exciting taste exploration journey. "Together, we wanted to push the boundaries of what Scotch whisky could be and bring a truly innovative proposition to the world of whisky and taste." She said, "The whisky barrels selected for blending were chosen meticulously as if they were ingredients in a kitchen; ranging from salty, smoky, refined, rich, and even fleshy."
Perfect Balance of Sweetness, Saltiness, and Freshness
Already when opening the bottle and pouring the liquid into the glass, one senses a sweet and refined aroma, fresh and refreshing scents of green and red apples, with hints of cashews and subtle yet pronounced saltiness that does not detract from freshness. The taste profile is comprised of ripe apples and white peaches felt on initial contact with the palate. The Scottish blend is perfectly balanced in its refined and sweet flavors, with hints of blood orange and red berries, touches of smoky and salty savory sensation, with a warm seasoning and a long, sweet fruity finish.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a luxury brand that many whisky drinkers consider the pinnacle of Scotch whisky. To achieve a high level of taste accuracy, only one out of 10,000 casks is suitable for the label. And if you thought that was rare, Johnnie Walker Blue Label Elusive Umami comes, where to achieve the flavor and aroma combination for this blend, only 1 out of 25,000 casks was chosen from Johnnie Walker's rich variety. Now you understand that the use of the word "rare" is made both to describe the taste profile and its quantity, making this blend one of the rarest blends.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Elusive Umami opens up a wide world of flavors even in the dishes it accompanies and can reveal different things that you haven't noticed before. The blend can even change what you thought about the elusive umami taste, and it pairs excellently with dishes with strong salty flavors, such as caviar, but not only. The whisky balances such dishes by sweetening some of the strong flavors. An excellent way to savor it is alongside a glass with ice water - first, you cleanse the palate with the chilled water, clearing it and providing moisture, and then sipping the whisky delivers a true explosion of flavors.
The luxurious Johnnie Walker Blue Label Umami 43% alcohol can now be obtained in a limited edition.