Black Bottle Blended Scotch

Rating: 13/23 My knowledge of this is limited to its name. I anticipate significant smoke and/or peat. Nose: So, it's not the intense smoke/peat I was expecting. I think I detect some smoke, but it might be my anticipation combined with the alcohol burn, plus some wood and caramel. The aroma is more fruity (like ripe apples) and general. There's a roasted quality and maybe a mineral hint, but isolating specific scents is quite difficult. Overall, it's rich, fruity, and sweet. The smell is appealing, but not outstanding. Palate: I appreciate this more than the nose. I get fruit mixed with smoke and roasted barley, along with a waxy sensation and a clean, mineral sweetness from water. It's not as full and viscous as I'd prefer, but it's fairly rich and palatable in a way I wouldn't expect from what I assume is a relatively inexpensive (though not bottom-tier) scotch. There's no overpowering sulfur, unlike extremely cheap scotches. It's rich and moderately full with good balance. It lacks complexity, but it is enjoyable. It's actually quite smooth too. I detect a hint of sherry-influenced red fruit that brings Highland Park to mind, and some caramel that tastes only slightly artificial. I'm surprised to admit this, but I could drink this neat and be satisfied. I sense some underlying complexity, but it's very subtle and hard to discern. Or perhaps it's absent. I'm trying hard to find it. I'm now picking up cinnamon and vanilla, suggesting ex-bourbon casks. While bourbon casks are frequently used due to cost, they work exceptionally well here. My main wish is that the palate offered a more engaging experience rather than simply presenting its flavors for me to decipher. Finish: A faint wisp of smoke remains, along with some waxiness and roasted grain. The sweet fruit and other sweet notes have vanished, but there's a hint of lemon zest, and it's a clean finish that endures for a considerable time. Not as impressive as the palate, but a pleasant conclusion. This was genuinely quite good. It exceeded my expectations and was also quite distinct. It's a very competent blended scotch. It's less engaging than Bell's, but it's more balanced and less harsh. Bell's is roughly on par with this, with the richness here compensating for the complexity there. The absence of harshness provides this with a distinct advantage. This is certainly smoother with less alcohol presence, but it's also blander and has a hint of artificial caramel. It's a close call, but I'd say this is slightly superior to Bell's. I'm leaning towards a 13 for this one. A 14 seems possible, but dropping to 12 is more likely due to the lack of complexity and that artificial caramel note. Sadly, I can confidently state this doesn't compare to Johnnie Walker Green, lacking its complexity and fruitiness, but it does have a fairly aged character. I'd estimate 12 years, but it could potentially be younger with well-toasted grain, or I could even imagine it being 15 with some use of refill casks. This is surprisingly not far off from Johnnie Walker Green. Another clear comparison is Nikka Whisky From The Barrel. The Nikka has a more pronounced alcohol content, but is also sweeter and richer with a more distinct graininess and some apricot notes. I believe the Nikka possesses greater complexity, but this holds its own quite well. The Nikka is undeniably better, but I still appreciate this, and it's significantly more affordable. I feel a 12 is easily warranted now, and I'm fairly set on a 13. Surprisingly, I think I must award it a 13, and even a 14 wouldn't seem unreasonable. This is only a $22 scotch? What a discovery!

Viscous and with long legs; honey-gold in color. I'd heard good things about this one, at least regarding its price, so I decided to buy it. The nose is somewhat harsh: the initial impression is a strong smell of smoke, like diesel fuel, pen ink, and iodine. It's not the typical campfire smoke, but more like car exhaust and burnt plastic. If you can endure the first impression, a gentler profile of aromas emerges: buttercream, vanilla, barley malts, and a hint of brown sugar. It's a bit too intense for my personal olfactory preference. The first sip is pure sulfur: gassy, inky, and with a faint hint of rotten egg, though not as off-putting as that description might suggest. There are also some more appealing flavors of tobacco, cigars, and potting soil. Some of the barley character comes through, but for me, the more pleasant notes are overwhelmed by the industrial harshness. The finish is lengthy and persistent, but whether that's desirable is a matter for personal reflection. For me, it's charcoal ash, potting soil, bitter dark chocolate, and metallic tannins. There's a significant amount of burnt chocolate chip cookie flavor that I don't often encounter in Scotch. (I used to get this frequently in rich imperial stouts, and I find it works better in that context.) There's some butterscotch and toffee present, but overall, it's a harsh, ashy, almost punishing finish. Black Bottle did not meet even my modest expectations. It's not a bad or unpleasant whisky, but it's also not exactly pleasant. It has a lot of metallic, ashy, inky, and industrial smoke elements that linger on the palate. It might be better suited as a component in a cocktail that calls for a smoky Scotch.

Smell: Milk chocolate, gentle peat smoke, vanilla, raisins, ginger, rock sugar, and a faint herbal/hay note. The aroma is generally light but quite pleasing. Taste: The flavor profile closely mirrors the aroma. Milk chocolate, mild peat smoke, vanilla-raisins, ginger, and white sugars are present. The taste intensity is comparable to the aroma. WITH WATER: The milk chocolate becomes more prominent, and that's essentially it. Finish: Primary notes include light pepper, vanilla, and ginger. It's not particularly long-lasting, which is understandable given the ABV and its nature as a blended whisky. Mouthfeel: Thin and watery, easily the weakest aspect of this whisky. WITH WATER: It becomes slightly less watery. Overall: "Pleasant" is the best descriptor for this whisky. It offers good taste for its cost, without being remarkable or overly boring. It's an excellent choice for when you desire a scotch but don't want to focus too intently on it. A solid, standard-issue scotch. Adding water didn't significantly alter the whisky.

This is certainly among the better blends I've encountered. Other tasters have mentioned that the current version of Black Bottle [BB] doesn't display as much Islay character as older versions. Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to try earlier iterations, but in my opinion, the current one is far more vibrant and robust than any other 'peated blend' I've sampled. The texture is creamy and oily, and the finish is sweet and smooth. If I didn't know better, I might think I was drinking a single malt. The unaged grain whisky notes are practically undetectable to me, and the overall character of the blend seems expertly crafted to highlight the subtle nuances of peat and sherry. There's a faint bourbon note that could be attributed to the secondary aging in 'new, American oak barrels,' according to the BB website. Regardless, this spirit is well worth the cost and is immensely enjoyable for both novices and experienced scotch aficionados.

A blend is up for review. Positive comments have been seen about this, and an 86 proof is a bonus. Poured neat, the nose offers malt, sherry-influenced fruit, and mild wood. A touch of grain appears, but it's not excessive. The refined elegance of Bunnahabhain single malt comes through on the palate, with soft, sherry-soaked malt and wood. While the grain tempers it, this is among the finest non-age-statement blends experienced. The finish is a classic fading malt, gentle fruit, and drying wood, with no unpleasant notes. This blend is satisfying. It has changed significantly from the previous heavily peated version. This one has very little peat, only a hint of sweet smoke. The only remaining Islay influence is from Bunnahabhain, which is acceptable. It's quite well-balanced, and the grain doesn't spoil the overall impression. A good, solid blend, scoring 78/100 for blends. Despite all this, spending a bit more to acquire the Bunnahabhain 12-year-old and explore a high-quality single malt would be preferable.

This evokes strong memories for me. My grandfather used to drink this as a 'special' indulgence in the late 70s / early 80s. He passed away before I was old enough to drink, but it has stayed with me as his 'special' dram. I've had it numerous times since then in its various packaging updates and formula changes, and I've often enjoyed it. First off, this is an exceptionally easy whisky to drink. The initial taste is spicy and quite oaky, but it develops a sweetness (apple and golden syrup) with subsequent sips. The finish is spicy and slightly ashy, yet still sweet. It doesn't have the same alcohol intensity found in many blended whiskies. It's not a complex dram with many layers, but it's a pleasant and easy-to-drink whisky that I'm very happy to revisit – and not just for the nostalgia! I would choose this over many single malts that are highly praised by many!