Black Bottle

Excuse the dreadful pun in the review title, but that's the most obvious characteristic of this delicious 'blend of all the Islay malts'. I quote from memory - indeed this review is a remembrance of the many drams of Black Bottle because I picked it up by chance while I was in Gozo and I can't get it here in Spain.

Once you adjust to the mouth feel of this fine blend (and by God it is an oily big charmer) you next appreciate the lovely balance between grain and malt spirit: it's replete with what Jim Murray describes as young, 'nippy' grain balanced with a touch of smoke.

I'd gone in search of a bottle of Jameson's as my holiday tipple and a dusty Black Bottle sitting nearby tweaked my curiosity and impelled me to try something new rather than the reliable old friend and standby.

I'm so glad I decided to take a punt on this one because it was absolutely delicious. I finished the bottle with a sense of regret that I probably wouldn't find another bottle of this stuff until I return to Gozo.

So if you see a Black Bottle sitting on the shelves of a bar or in a shop, and you haven't yet tried it, do give it a go. In my opinion it's up there with the best of the blends.

Find where to buy Black Bottle whisky