Country: Scotland
Brand:
Black & White
Bottled
by James Buchanan & Co., Glasgow
Type:
Blended Whisky
Age:
NAS
Alcohol:
40%
Colour: Pale Gold
Nose:
Medium Sweet, Oak, Biscuits, Rather Sharp Grain Alcohol, Vinegar, Touch of Peat.
Taste:
Rough and Tough. Grain Alcohol and some Sugared Dried Fruits. Bit of Oak and
Pepper.
Finish:
Short. Sharp Grain Alcohol and a little Oak and Vanilla. Hint of Honey.
When
adding a couple of drops of water you get rid of most of the Alcohol on the
Nose and get more Grain, Straw and a little Malt. It completely waters down the
Palate however and the Finish becomes even shorter with a Licorice note right
at the end. So while water certainly benefits the Nose, it does not have a
positive effect on Palate and Finish.
Rating: 73
Nose: 18 – Taste: 19.5 – Finish: 17 – Overall: 18.5
General
Remarks: James Buchanan created this Blend in 1884 and gave it its current name
in 1904. It was originally sold in a Black Bottle with a White Label, hence the
name. It contains 35 Grain – and Malt Whiskies with a 60-65% Grain Whisky
content, a/o from Port Dundas and Cameronbridge. The main Malt component is
produced by the Dalwhinnie Distillery(Highland). Above you see a picture of
this Distillery.
The
Blend is now owned by the Diageo Group. Main markets for this Blend are South
Africa, Canada and Italy.
Drinking
Experience Neat: Regular
Drinking
Experience On The Rocks: Regular
Conclusion:
The rather young tasting Grain Whiskies dominate this Blend. There’s not much
room for anything else. Some sweetness, Oak and hints of Peat and Honey. It’s
certainly not expensive but it offers too little to consider buying it again.
Jan van den Ende June 30, 2012
