Black Bottle Blended Scotch Whisky Review

Black Bottle is a blended Scotch whisky with a history dating back to 1879, when it was first created by the Graham brothers. Early iterations of the blend were said to feature a notable contribution from Islay, lending it a smoky character that helped distinguish it from other blends at the time. Today, Black Bottle continues to position itself as a characterful blended Scotch, but that smoky influence now appears far more restrained.

While the precise composition of the blend is not disclosed, Black Bottle is described as containing a fairly high proportion of malt whisky – one of which is often said to be Mòine from Bunnahabhain (an unusually smoky whisky from Bunnahabhain, a distillery on Islay which is famous for producing spirit which is largely unpeated). This is then blended with unpeated malts and grain whisky matured in ex-bourbon casks.

At least locally, Black Bottle feels like something of an outlier among blended Scotch whiskies. While names like Johnnie Walker, Grant’s, Bell’s, and The Famous Grouse tend to dominate shelves and bar counters, Black Bottle is encountered far less frequently. That relative obscurity makes it an interesting bottle to revisit, and perhaps an interesting one for those who are curious about blends that aim for a touch more personality than the more commonly available brands. It’s bottled at 40% ABV, carries no age statement, and is typically available for just over $20.