Try an expensive Whisky

One evening I found myself in the bar at the Hilton Hotel in Manchester, we were on our way out for a meal and had a little time before our table booking so decided to have a drink or 2 in the meantime. The hotel bar’s selection of whisky caught my eye so I decided to try a few that I had never sampled before. I had a chat to the barman and he went through some of them and then I noticed and intriguing bottle at the back of the rows of drinks. I am quite familiar with the Johnnie Walker bottles, my granddad was a fan of this brand. He would occasionally have a bottle of red or black label scotch but this bottle had a Blue label. I asked the barman what it was and he told me that it was rare blend but didn’t really know much more than that. I chose my drink and thought no more of it until later when we returned to the bar for an end of the evening drink. As it happened the same barman was working and we resumed our earlier conversation. He could tell I was contemplating a glass of this whisky so before I placed my order he told me the price. I was a little taken aback and there was no way I could justify spending £35 on one measure of spirit, no matter how rare or tasty it may be but that night I swore that one day I would try this Johnnie Walker Blue label but could not really see myself ever spending £200 on a bottle of booze. A few years later I found myself in the Duty Free section of Male airport in the Maldives and came across a small bottle of whisky. It was shaped like a Johnnie Walker bottle with an enticing blue label. It was also displaying an attractive price. It actually works out that for the same price as a shot of the tempting liquid in Manchester I could purchase a quarter bottle. I had to do it so I picked up the pack and took it to the counter before I had the chance to change my mind. On returning home I arranged an evening with my parents so that we could have a sample of my coveted beverage. I opened the pack and found that the whole thing is a nicely presented package, the box folds open to reveal the padded interior with the bottle nestled inside. The lid was covered in gold foil, underneath which is a cork stopper. So, the verdict? The taste is a little harsh to begin with and has the smokey blend associated with a Johnnie Walker drink. It does lighten up after a few sips but it could not be classed as a smooth drink by any means. It must be an acquired taste but with it coming in at £200 for a full bottle I cannot see me drinking enough of it to get to that stage.