The revived Black Bottle Whisky (Credit: Burns Stewart) Whiskey history is filled with brand names that were once household words, but the vagueries of time have pushed into the background. The Whisky Advocate Buying Guide is a powerful tool for learning, discovery, and making the most of your whisky buying budget. Glen Breton Rare 10 y.o. A veteran writer and journalist, he also operates Null Media, a bespoke content company. 1. Christopher Null is the founder and editor in chief of Drinkhacker. Gordon Graham and Co. based in Aberdeen created Black Bottle in 1879. Owners Burn Stewart have decided to return the brand to its original 1879 roots, including the black glass that gave the blend its name. B+ / $20 / blackbottle.com  [BUY IT NOW FROM CASKERS]. Share. Williamson 6 year old by That Boutique-y Whisky Company, GlenAllachie 10YO Batch 3 Cask Strength Single Malt, GlenAllachie 15 year old single malt review, Helsinki Whiskey 100% Rye Malt Release 17, Teerenpeli Distiller’s Choice Portwood Finish. Citrus melds with almond and nougat notes up front, melding into a pleasantly dessert-like character. Region: Malts from Islay, grains from Speyside, Highland and Lowland. 0. Share. With less of a focus on Islay, there is less peatiness than hitherto, with the smoky flavours being balanced with increased fruitiness and elegance. How Long Does Baileys (And Other Cream Liqueurs) Last? Required fields are marked *. Black Bottle Blended Scotch Whisky Review, £20. Whisky Reviews Black Bottle. Tasting Notes (2) Back in the day (at least in the late 20th century), Black Bottle was the go-to blended whisky for peat freaks. Over 4,500 Whisky Ratings. Highland Distillers reformulated the blend to feature malt from all seven of Islay’s functioning distilleries, giving it a predictably peaty tang and generating a cult following. https://www.whisky.com/whisky-database/bottle-search/details/fdb/Bottles/Details/black-bottle-6.html Nosing 4:00Whisky .com reviews the Black Bottle. They decided to change its nature – the old version (which was revitalised in 1990) was a blend of almost every Islay malt whisky and grains from different regions. Black Bottle is a brand that has been around since the late 1800s, originally a product brought to market by brothers Charles, David and Gordon Graham in Aberdeen, Scotland. The name came from a German-made black glass, which disappeared during the Great War. Tweet. Appearance: This is a yellow gold in color with long thin legs and some noticeable viscosity in my glass. Hope everyone is drinking somethin, Can lightning strike twice? During the Great War, they had to substitute green glass for their revered black glass bottles. This expertly blended Scotch Whisky owes its reputation to a finely honed recipe and a large dose of Victorian know-how. ABV is 70cl and Volume is 70cl. Tasting Notes: Laws Whiskey House Henry Road Bonded Straight Malt Whiskey. Some wisps of chimney smoke emerge here, but they aren’t the focus of the spirit. on. Share on Pinterest. Your email address will not be published. It was synonymous with loyal drinkers for its uniquely opaque black bottle. Like the previous Black Bottle, this stuff is good of its kind – blended whisky. PR Bit: Burn Stewart Distillers have unveiled the new Black Bottle Scotch Whisky – a return to the original blend and bottle design. This expertly blended Scotch Whisky owes its reputation to a finely honed recipe and a large dose of Victorian know-how. Required fields are marked *. I never tasted the old peaty Black Bottle so I can't make a comparison. By … Each time my wife comes home from a shopping spree at Homegoods I feel justified in a new purchase. They decided to change its nature – the old version (which was revitalised in 1990) was a blend of almost every Islay malt whisky and grains from different regions. ... 3 Reviews. Explore. It’s a totally different whisky. , It’s round five for Yellowstone’s special-edit, Like the versatile portfolios of Loch Lomond and B, Three Chord — producer Neil Giraldo’s boutique, Newcomer Reverend Spirits hit shelves last year in, Irish whiskey matured in an IPA barrel has been do, For its next trick, Evanston, Illinois-based Few S, It’s been far too many years since we’ve revis. Priced around $70. Components include tobermory, ledaig, bunnahabhain, and deanston. Check out my blog post for choosing the right one. The Black Bottle brand is now owned by Burn Stewart Distillers Ltd., which also owns Bunnahabhain, so it’s also a safe bet that a lot of that distillery’s malt makes it into the blend. It was encased in a unique black glass bottle, however, the 1st world war meant that supplies ceased and the standard green bottle was introduced. After blending the whiskies, they recask into new virgin oak. Black Bottle is a brand that dates back to the 1879 when it was first founded by the Graham brothers, who were tea merchants from Aberdeen. Over the years, the company passed onto the hands of one Graham brother to the next until 1959 when the Black Bottle brand was acquired by other investors. Unlike any other blended whisky, Black Bottle had a rich and delicately smoky taste. this used to be a classic peated blend scotch, but with recent re-branding it's not so peated now in smell and flavour. The touch of grains is present in a bad way, but fortunately the malt along with oak, brings good flavors to the palate. WhiskyRant! Black Bottle (new bottling) review Black Bottle was relaunched in 2013 by Burn Stewart Distillers. Reviewed by @Megawatt 0178/100 This is the new version of Black Bottle, which rumour has it is vastly inferior to the old Black Bottle, which ironically came in a green bottle. . 0. This change in direction is a return to Black Bottle's past, as it is said to have been inspired by what the whisky was like when it was made all the way back in 1879. Review: Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Very Fine Rare Bourbon, Review: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Special Release 2020 – Barrel Proof Rye. Whisky Magazine – Scores and notes from Michael Jackson and Jim Murray, with both giving it a 9/10 score. That the whisky was made more like this, back in 1879. The deep amber color of the whisky is quite inviting, as is the nose, which features attractive, if muted, notes of green apple, unripe banana, sherried orange peel, and roasted nuts. November 2, 2012. The blended whisky was originally named for the black bottle in which the whisky was sold, this changed in 1914 with the onset of the First World War; for the previous bottle was German-made and had to be replaced, thus a green bottle was used for some time. BLACK BOTTLE. Finnish whisky enthusiast and the author of WhiskyRant! Ironically, the new version has black glass, but the taste is much lighter. For those of you who haven’t heard of it, the old Black Bottle of old used to contain a proportion of the good stuff from almost every distillery on Islay (I’m guessing no Kilchoman). Black Bottle Profile Blended Scotch Whisky. A 10-year-old Black Bottle blended whisky, released in January 2020 after a decade in American oak casks – the first release from the brand in over 20 years. The insider’s guide to good drinking. Black Bottle's story begins back in 1879, when Aberdeen tea blender Gordon Graham put together a blended scotch whisky. The new Black Bottle is made from just four single malts (plus presumably a grain whisky or two, as this is not a blended malt), and I’d be surprised if more than one of them is from anywhere close to Islay. 2019’s 13 year old B, Review: Grand Macnish Black Edition Blended Scotch, Review: Pappy Van Winkle Bourbons – 15, 20, and 23 Years Old (2020). Black Bottle is a blended Scotch whisky bottled by Burn Stewart Distillers. Black Bottle 1.5l. Also on the whisky-pages web site, a great overview of Black Bottle, discussing the heritage, character, and the blend itself. Explore over 150 whisky reviews, including WhistlePig Boss Hog VII, the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, Old Fitzgerald, and Johnnie Walker's anniversary bottles. Like Billy, Black Bottle is actually quite good, just in a different way. July 14, 2020 Black Bottle Blended Scotch Whisky Review I return to the supermarket aisles once more to again try to find a really good value for money, easy sipper in a time of sky-rocketing prices and often lowering quality. It’s a real jack of all trades, master of none. Whisky Critic. The irony of the literally Black Bottle without dark content is so big, it’s like a white guy trying to be black so hard. This whisky used to be quite a smoky blend, but in 2013 Burn Stewart reverted to a slightly older style with less smoke and more richness. Established in the city of Aberdeen by the three Graham brothers, Charles, David and Gordon Graham in 1879, Black Bottle was a blended Scotch whisky with a heavy Speyside influence. If you want a peaty blend, you can find those, too. . Whisky related stuff like drinks, food, books etc. Since I haven't tried the green … Redesigned, reblended, relaunched last year, the Black Bottle is a look to the past, how the whisky might have been when it was made back in 1879. BLACK BOTTLE Master Blenders gently marry a select group of malts with strict attention to peaty Islay’s, then double mature in charred virgin oak barrels for a … One thing is sure, this newest bottling introduces the old-style black glass bottle, which originally gave Black Bottle whisky its name. But for what the new Black Bottle aspires to be — a very affordable blend that is easy to sip on, mix with, or otherwise keep around the house — it gets the job done. Review: Black Bottle Blended Scotch (2016) Christopher Null February 9, 2016 Back in the day (at least in the late 20th century), Black Bottle was the go-to blended whisky for peat freaks. Whisky Magazine – Scores and notes from Michael Jackson and Jim Murray, with both giving it a 9/10 score. Black Bottle is produced by Burn Stewart Distilleries , which was sold to the Distell Group of South Africa in 2013. So there is lot of irony in this brand: the expression is nowadays (and probably in the past) lighter while the bottle is black, from 1990’s until 2013 the expression was stronger but the glass was lighter (green). The current incarnation of the Black Bottle blend dates from 2013, when owner Burn Stewart Distillers decided to tone down the signature Islay-influenced nature of the brand by introducing more Speyside malts into the recipe, returning Black Bottle to something much closer to its north-east roots. 150cl, 40%. whisky-pages – Another postive review, I think they found it to be a bit more peaty and phenolic than I did. Let’s be absolutely clear that this Black Bottle has virtually nothing in common (except, well, a black bottle) with the Black Bottle of yesteryear, so don’t come crying to me that “it’s just not like it used to be.” No, it’s not. Over the years, Black Bottle changed hands several times, eventually ending up as part of the Highland Distillers Ltd. portfolio. in C, Scotch Whisky, Whiskey Reviews October 23, 2013 0. They claim that the change in direction is a return to Black Bottle’s past. In fact, at the time it was said to be made from stock sourced from almost every Islay-based distillery. (Bladnoch) Aberlour A'bunadh; Talisker 10 y.o. A digital marketing professional by day – a whisky reviewer and informer by night. Rating: C+. Vital Stats: Mash Bill is 100% heirloom malted barley, 100 proof (50% ABV) aged at least four years, and bonded. This is THE DARK KNIGHT of whisky. 3. Here’s Ralfy going through the old and the new version of Black Bottle: Your email address will not be published. Fantastic whiskey and the newest addition to my already overburdened Whiskey Cabinet. This new bottling of Black Bottle Blended Scotch whisky is a fruitier version with most of its malt coming from Bunnahabhain distillery (Islay expression known for non peated whiskies). is a blog written by Johannes Lindblom – it has lots of whisky reviews and some industry news. But Black Bottle has a lengthy history — the brand actually dates back to 1879, when it was originated by a tea blender named Gordon Graham. Black Bottle tends to win a lot of awards and has quite a following, even among malt-heads. Those smoky elements finally make a comeback here, but they’re cut with sweetness to the point where I think even a total peat hater would find it palatable. Sotol is typically thought of as a Mexican spirit, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Black Bottle was relaunched in 2013 by Burn Stewart Distillers. Buying Guide. Also on the whisky-pages web site, a great overview of Black Bottle, discussing the heritage, character, and the blend itself. in Ron Shelton’s movie White Men Can’t Jump. Greg | August 13, 2017. let’s begin. Must be 21+ to follow. By Richard Thomas. Aromas of honey, ripe fruit and vanilla burst through the nose, complementing rich notes of oak, soft fruit and smoky spice on the palate. Your email address will not be published. Yesterday it was a bottle of Jameson Black Barrel, and what a fine purchase it was at $34. Black Bottle got its name from a German-made black glass, that was used to make the bottles. Hi Jason see you like Black bottle whiskey well I have a bottle of 15 year old black bottle 40% and 75 vol I was wondering if it is a rare bottle or what still in original package I also have a few more bottles from the 60s-70s-80s chivers long john and the grand … Relaunched in 2013, Black Bottle Blended Scotch whisky now features a balanced mix of fruitiness and spice alongside the peaty Islay notes that the brand has been known for. 0. Black Bottle Scotch Review. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Their blending skills proved to be respectable and demand for their whisky … The palate is surprisingly full bodied, but mostly typical of blended Scotch. $29.25. Nose: The nose is nutty with roasted macadamia and toffee. Like Woody Harrelson’s character Billy Hoyle (aka Billy Ho!) Black Bottle reviews (page 1 of 3) Smoked Twizzlers Black Bottle This is the new version of Black Bottle, which rumour has it is vastly inferior to the old Black Bottle, which ironically came in a green bottle. As expert tea blenders, they decided to turn their skills into blending whisky, which they released in a special bottle made with black glass from Germany. In fact, at the time it was said to be made from stock sourced from almost every Islay-based distillery. According to whiskey vlogger Ralfy, the blend lost its Islay charms in… The Malt contents of this blend are not known but you can safely assume it contains Malt Whisky from the distilleries owned by Burn Stewart i.e. As the palate builds, chocolate and vanilla notes emerge, with curiously exotic spice notes coming on as the finish starts to build. Today it is owned by Burn Stewart Distillers, who also own other well-known brands such as Ledaig and Deanston. Johnnie Walker Black Label; Port Ellen 25 y.o. So today it's the turn of Gordon Graham's Black Bottle to run the gambit. Between this period, the iconic black bottle had to be replaced with a regular green bottle due to the Firs… Enjoy reading and please, feel free to comment. Share. This is probably true but fans of the 90’s version are not happy about the “new” direction. The Black Bottle was also restored. The whisky itself stems from Gordon Graham of the late 1800s, who launched Black Bottle in 1879 named for the black German-made glass they used in production. Reviews, recipes, and industry insight for educated imbibing. Black Bottle was created by tea blender, Gordon Graham, in Aberdeen in 1879. Deanston, Bunnahabhain and Tobermory (Ledaig). . Largest liquor store and best whisky in Malaysia. Fast forward to now, and apparently the blend has changed. By. The three Aberdonian tea blender brothers decided to try their hand at blending whisky. Buy it now on WHISKY.MY Online ! BLACK BOTTLE Master Blenders gently marry a select group of malts with strict attention to peaty Islay’s, then double mature in charred virgin oak barrels for a … Black Bottle faded away in the last decade (the recipe reportedly changed considerably)… until 2013, when the brand was relaunched. 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