I don’t do a lot of skiing in Charlotte, NC, where the average temperature in February is 56°. And without four-wheel drive to speak of, my mountain trips are relegated to escaping the summer heat. Like with so many things in my life, though, I’m happy to fake the funk. That’s exactly what Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ice Chalet lets me do.
Master Blender Emma Walker selected and blended rare single malts from some of the highest distilleries in Scotland – both latitudinally and vertically. The result is a rich whisky packed with famliar cold-weather flavors like cinnamon apple, cloves, and winter spices. There’s bit of smoke (not in the big peaty way) to really nail the post-slope fire pit vibe.
Interestingly, they recommend serving it ice cold, not typical for whiskies. Viscosity isn’t typically high on my list of appealing attributes for a drink, but in this case it works really well. It helps the warm mouth hug linger that much longer, which is exactly what you want when you’re thinking cold thoughts.
Befitting a limited release, Johnny Walker Blue Label Ice Chalet was launched in collaboration with Perfect Moment, a luxury ski brand that’s admittedly much cooler than I am. Granted, they don’t make spy shoes, but there gear is still very impressive. Instead of infamous blue box, Ice Chalet comes in a bespoke bottle bag that transforms into a stylish, reversible crossbody bag. We’ll see this winter if I can pull off the puffy murse.
It’s currently floating around for about $290, but I don’t imagine it’ll last long.
