Chad
The misconception that single malts are somehow more superior to blends is a misnomer. If JWBU was a blend of mainly Islay single malts (which is not), then wouldn't you like it even more? JWBU is a blend of roughly 17 different & rare whiskies (single malts and scottish grain). Many of these whiskies are very old, some as old as 60 years. This accounts for it's soft body and subtle flavors. This also accounts for it's high price tag! To answer your intial question, since a blended scotch usually adds island whiskies to it for depth, yes, JWBU does contain a percentage of Islay single malts, but because these malts are usually so big, if too much was used, it would kill the character of the Highland malts that make up JWBU as well. The most common island whiskies used in the Johnnie Walker blends would be Lagavulin (though with the current shortage, probably not much), Caol Ila and Talisker. I hope this helps you out and please, think of blends as just a different type of scotch (which it is) and enjoy it on the same level as you would a single malt. Cheers!

I may be wrong here but from what I've been told by the johnny walker brewmaster, here in san francisco, the gold and the green are both pure malts, and have no grain alcohol in them... personally of the JW series the gold is my favorite, and I do think it's fucking fantastic.

I'm a fan of the single malt as well, for no specific reason.. ;-)

JW Blue is indeed a great scotch, but for the buck I think JW Gold is a better buy. JW Gold is one of my favorite blends, and has had a good reception from everyone I've served it to. I have found blends to be great when you want to sip on a scotch but not contemplate it, just enjoy it. When I drink a good single malt, I lose interest in everything else around me and get lost in the dram.

My objection to Walker Blue is that they manipulate the taste to get a level of consistency that can best be compared to McDonald's goal of consistency. It's going to be identical year to year bottle to bottle.
While I won't say they failed to produce a fine scotch, and I can't say that what they do is bad, they haven't got one that I want.

And while it is true that the single malt makers also manipoulate their product to be consistent with the distillery's signature taste mush of the maniopulation is the water the still the methods and the raw ingredients. Walker will purchase a finished product to modify theirs.

I prefer a slightly wilder product. Maybe it's all in the mind.