Black & White Whisky

I love the older James Bond movies. After the passing of Sean Connery at the end of 2020, there was a Bond movie marathon on TV, and I noticed that James drinks Black & White blended Scotch whisky in Dr No. It also gets mentioned in Moonraker. I have a Scottie as well, so I had to at least try this well known and affordable blend.

Black & White whisky is a classic old blend. James Buchanan created the brand during the early 1880s and was initially called Buchanan’s Blend. It was sold in the House of Commons Bar and became known as the Buchanan’s House of Commons blend. The packaging was in a black bottle with a white label.

James got the idea for the brand logo and name change on his way home from a dog-show. The Scottish terrier and West Highland terrier on the label were added in the 1890s and became iconic Scotch whisky symbols.

Mergers and acquisitions followed, and the brand ended up in the Diageo stable. It is popular in France, Italy, Canada, Latin America and South Africa. In South Africa, it is priced in the affordable category around R170. Black & White whisky contains a high proportion of grain whisky. It is a NAS release.

According to some research, Physicist Richard Feynman drank Black & White whisky, as described in his book ‘Surely You’re Joking, Mr Feynman’. As the hubby is a huge fan of Mr Feynman, he was quite eager to try this blend. Needless to say, he was not very inspired by Mr Feynman’s whisky taste.

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Black & White Whisky Review

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Rich Gold

NOSE: Raw alcohol notes with caramel sweetness. I let the glass stand for a good couple of minutes for the worst of the alcohol, and mentholated spirit notes to disappear. Not the best introduction to this blended whisky.

PALATE: Grain sweetness with bits of  vanilla, caramel and cinnamon.  Not the most complex whisky.  After the raw alcohol notes on the nose, I was not expecting much, but there is something drinkable in the Black & White whisky. Hints of bourbon and fruit. Adding water softens the rough edges a bit but makes it even sweeter.

FINISH: Short, with a caramel sweetness.

RATING: GOOD

The raw alcohol notes on the nose can be overwhelming. It was only after letting the glass breath for a good 15 minutes that you can get past the raw notes to the sweet grains on the palate.

I was expecting quite an unrefined and harsh mouthful, but the palate is softer and more drinkable than what the nose suggests. Not something I want to drink every day, but with a good mixer, it will be quite drinkable.

Water brings forward even more sweetness, so it can easily become just a bit too sweet. I would not mix this with something sweet, but rather something with a ginger or spicy kick to balance the sweetness.

Daisy, my Scottie, watched the tasting with her usual indifference and I think I need to add a Westie to the family just to get the picture right.  🙂

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