Black Bottle New Version 70 cl. / 40% Blended Scotch Whisky The iconic whisky in the black bottle was sold by Graham Brothers until World War I, after which it was no longer possible to get the black glass from the German supplier and they had to switch to the green bottle, which has been used until recently. Now BurnStewart, the brand owner, has decided to relaunch the black bottle. It wasn't an easy task as all the original bottles were no longer in existence and it wasn't until a single bottle from 1906 turned up that they were able to start recreating the original. Master Distiller from BurnStewart Ian MacMillan was given the responsibility of creating the actual contents, which he has recreated using old notes as a blended whisky in the typical North East style. According to Ian MacMillan, the main challenge was to find the balance between creating the original whisky, but also making sure that it wasn't too rustic, but had the elegance and quality that is rightly expected from BurnStewart. In particular, the smoky element has been toned down a bit.A well-kept secret from IslayBy Walter TentschertFor far, far too long, Black Bottle has been something of a well-kept secret. It's finally getting the exposure it deserves, thanks to the ambitious and fiery zeal of owners Burn Stewart Distillers Ltd. Now more and more consumers are being seduced by the original charm of this obviously different whisky, and Burn Stewart is looking to share this - its pride and joy - with the world. Black Bottle has recently undergone a subtle but significant overhaul of its packaging to make it look healthy and confident. In these image-conscious days, the presentation of products is very important, but there is enough tangible quality and integrity to the content to keep discerning consumers coming back for more.Black Bottle boasts a proud and fascinating heritage. The story begins in the long and proud reign of Queen Victoria in the small village of Torphins near Aberdeen, in the north-east of Scotland. Three sons were born to a local shoemaker James Graham, their names, Charles, David and Gordon. As was the norm during this time, once old enough, the three left family and home to head to the thriving industrial port of Aberdeen in search of work. By 1850, Aberdeen was teeming with imports from around the world, and with tea shipped in from Ceylon and China, a bustling trade had developed in blending the varieties. It was in this thriving industry that the three brothers learned and built their business. The first Graham offices were ambitiously opened in the heart of Aberdeen's commercial district on Market Street. Over time, the brothers became known for blending another fine drink, this time something more potent. Encouraged by the success they were having with the fruits of their labor, the brothers Grahams decided to launch a brand new product - Black Bottle Blended Scotch Whisky.
Although they had kept Black Bottle much as a sideline, the Graham brothers decided to turn their backs on the tea industry that had built them a reputation as a respected family in Aberdeen. With the move from Market Street to the duty-free warehouses of Regent Street, they started a full-time whisky blending business. Gordon Graham, the eldest brother and master blender, died before he could see the success that his younger brothers later reaped from Black Bottle. It is to his unique taste opskrift and vision that the popularity of Black Bottles can be attributed. In 1898, Pattisons - Scotland's highest profile blending company - collapsed, bringing an abrupt end to the soaring whisky boom. This event and the risks associated with expansion are one of the reasons why the Graham brothers never invested in a distillery of their own. After the outbreak of the Great War, Grahams unique black bottle - made in Germany - was necessarily replaced by a green glass version. Despite this change, the bottle has retained its unique 'pot still' shape.Black Bottle history contains some fascinating personalities, such as the eccentric, feisty matriarch - the widow Anne Jane Graham - commonly known as 'Granny Graham'. Always dressed in black, Granny Graham conducted her business from her Aberdeen home. She was a resilient woman who even persuaded her own nephew - Graham Horne - to change his surname to Graham so that the family name would still be associated with Black Bottle when he took over the business. In 1995, Black Bottle's original and unique identity was restored, with the bold decision to include malt whisky from all of Isay's operating distilleries. Consumers have historically perceived whiskies from Islay to be massive, medicinal, peat-smoked monsters, but there is actually a significant range of styles within the region. When Burn Stewart took over the Black Bottle brand, they also acquired the Bunnahabhain distillery, and the malt whisky from there is the key component of Black Bottle. It's fresh and sweet on the nose, gentle on the palate, with rich malt notes, soft honey, and just a hint of salt. This historic distillery is now run by John MacLellan - a native Ileach - who has worked there for 17 years. According to John, "Black Bottle and Bunnahabhain are a marriage made in heaven". A little quirky aside, as soon as Highland Distilleries sold the Black Bottle brand and Bunnahabhain distillery to Burn Stewart, they launched 'Black Grouse'. That's how popular blended whisky with smoky nuances seems to be. Burn Stewart's Master Blender Ian Macmillan refers to himself as the 'keeper of the blend' and says, "When we bought the business in 2003, Black Bottle was one of the most important aspects of the deal. Black Bottle is a fun blend to work with. The effect of the big, heavy, peaty Islays is 'soothed' by the significant Bunnahabhain influence, and by some sweeter Speyside and Highland malts which help to give a really well-balanced blend. It has a high malt content and all the malts in it are highly respected quality malts in their own right. The fusion of malt and grain that we use produces a nicely structured, rich whisky with a distinctive nose and flavor. There are few - if any - other blends available that come close to it in terms of style. "Black Bottle has gone back to its roots in the finest possible way, and thankfully, it proudly stands out from the crowd. It's definitely worth raising a glass - or two?
