Black Bottle 10 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Dating back as far as 1879, the Black Bottle blend, created by the Aberdeen family business, Gordon Graham & Co, has enjoyed incredible success (especially in Scotland). This must largely be due to the talent of its creators in using the very best Islay malt in an otherwise already well-balanced blend of grain whiskies. The malts that constitute Black Bottle (at least 40%) are derived exclusively from seven different Islay distilleries and incorporated at what is considered their prime age (10 years old), when their smokiness is most intense. The Black Bottle label is derived from its original bottle design in black German glass with the bottle shape echoing the traditional pot whisky still. In 1914, following the outbreak of war, production was switched to green glass as it is to be found today. After many ups and downs over the course of the 20th century, Black Bottle is today owned by Burn Stewart and has managed to rediscover its initial legendary composition.

“Holding all those expressive peaty malts in check is a difficult task. This does so with poise.”

Tasting note: Nose: Phenolic: tarry rope, seashell, salami. With herbs, seaweed, cereal notes. Coal scuttle. Palate: Explosive smokiness balanced by a silky soft mid-palate. Seashore aromas, fish oil, light ginger, lavender. Sooty. Great balance. Finish: Smoke and ginger. Comment: Holding all those expressive peaty malts in check is a difficult task. This does so with poise. Rating: 85 - www.whiskymag.com

Other reviews… Nose: So age weightedly peaty it could be almost a single malt: the grains make little discernable impact; Taste: soft, deft malt and firmer grain. The peat arrives after a short interval; Finish: more vanilla and other oaky tones. Balance: a stupendous malt of weight and poise, but possessing little of the all-round steaming, rampaging sexuality of the younger version… Rating: 89 - Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2006

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How We Score the Whiskies: The rating  for each whisky is calculated using a sample drawn from a variety of whisky review sources, including current data from the following: (1) Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible; (2) Whisky Magazine (www.whiskymag.com) ; (3) www.tastings.com ; (4) Michael Jackson’s Malt Whisky Companion. Scores have been averaged to arrive at a final rating with the maximum score being 100.