 | |
| Type | Scotch Whisky |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Distell (Heineken N.V.) |
| Country of origin | Scotland |
| Introduced | 1879 |
| Alcohol by volume | 40% |
Black Bottle is a blended Scotch Whisky produced by Scotch whisky producer Distell Group Limited a subsidiary of Heineken N.V..
The brand was introduced in 1879 and was first produced by Aberdeen tea blenders Charles, David and Gordon Graham. [1]
After many years of decline prompted by a distillery fire and subsequent business sale, Black Bottle was revitalised in 1990 by Burn Stewart Distillers with a new blend using Islay single malt whiskies.In April 2013 Distell bought Burn Stewart Distillers from CL Financial for £160m. [2]
Black Bottle was indeed sold in a black bottle until 1914. Supplies of the black glass bottle came from Germany and had to be abandoned after the start of World War I. Since then, the non-vintage bottle has been dark green, but the 10-year-old and now discontinued 15-year-old bottles are coated with black plastic, giving the appearance of a truly black bottle. [3]
Black Bottle is available as the standard non-vintage expression (pictured). Whiskies contained in this expression are thought to be at least 7 years old. [4]
Previously more mature expressions were also available, bottled at 10 and 15 years old, but these have been discontinued. However, early in 2020 it was revealed that the producers brought back the 10 years old expression for a limited time and for a few selected markets. [5]
Black Bottle is produced in different bottle sizes (70cl or 75cl) and at different strengths (40% or 43% ABV) depending on the target market (European or American, respectively). [6]
Scotch whisky, often simply called whisky or Scotch, is malt whisky or grain whisky made in Scotland.
Single malt Scotch refers to single malt whisky made in Scotland. To qualify for this category, a whisky must have been distilled at a single distillery using a pot still distillation process and made from a mash of malted barley. Therefore, a single malt means that the whisky has not been blended elsewhere with whisky from other distilleries. As with any Scotch whisky, a single malt Scotch must be distilled in Scotland and matured in oak casks in Scotland for at least three years, although most single malts are matured longer.
Tormore distillery is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery located approximately 1 km south of the River Spey. Its water source is the Allt an Torra Mhoir Burn.
Bowmore distillery is a Islay single malt Scotch whisky distillery located on the Isle of Islay, an island of the Inner Hebrides.
Johnnie Walker is a brand of Scotch whisky produced by Diageo in Scotland. It was established in the Scottish burgh of Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire in 1820, and continued to be produced and bottled at the town's Hill Street plant, once the world's largest bottling plant, until its closure in 2012, a decision announced by Diageo in 2009 which would bring the 190-year association between the brand and Kilmarnock to an end.
Chivas Regal is a blended Scotch whisky produced by the Chivas Brothers subsidiary of Pernod Ricard in Scotland.
William Grant & Sons Ltd is an independent, family-owned Scottish company that distills Scotch whisky and other selected categories of spirits. It was established in 1887 by William Grant, and is run by Grant's descendants as of 2018. It is the largest of the handful of Scotch whisky distillers remaining in family ownership.
Inver House Distillers Ltd. is a Scotch whisky distiller, based in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The company is a subsidiary of ThaiBev, one of the largest alcoholic-beverage companies in Southeast Asia.
Vat 69 is a blended Scotch whisky produced by Diageo in Scotland. It was created by William Sanderson & Son Limited of South Queensferry, Scotland.
Oban distillery is a Highland single malt Scotch whisky distillery located in the Scottish west coast port of Oban. Established in 1794, it was built before the town of the same name, which sprang up later in the surrounding craggy harbour.
Dalmoredistillery is located in Alness, Scotland, 20 miles (32 km) north of Inverness. It sits on the banks of the Cromarty Firth overlooking the Black Isle, the "big meadowland" from which it takes its name.
Glencadam distillery is a distillery in Brechin, Angus, Scotland that produces single malt Scotch whisky. The distillery is owned by Angus Dundee plc and produces one malt whisky, with the remainder of production sold to blenders or used within Angus Dundee plc for use in blended whisky brands.
Tobermory distillery is an Island single malt Scotch whisky distillery located on the Hebridean island of Mull, Scotland in the town of Tobermory
Deanston distillery is a Single Malt Scotch whisky distillery and it is the largest distillery owned by Scotch whisky producer Distell Group Limited a subsidiary of Heineken N.V, who also own Bunnahabhain Distillery on the Isle of Islay and Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull. located on the banks of the River Teith, eight miles from the historic town of Stirling, at the gateway to the dramatic Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park.
Mortlach distillery is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery in Dufftown, Moray, Scotland. Founded in 1823, the distillery is owned by Diageo. The whisky is a key component in several Johnnie Walker bottlings, and Diageo also markets four Mortlach single malts.
Bunnahabhain distillery was founded in 1881 near Port Askaig on Islay and is owned by the Scotch whisky producer Distell Group Limited a subsidiary of Heineken N.V,. The village of Bunnahabhain was founded to house its workers.
Black Dog is a brand of blended Scotch whisky produced by the Indian beverage company United Spirits Limited (USL), a subsidiary of Diageo.
Girvan distillery is a grain whisky distillery located in South Ayrshire, Scotland.
Distell Group Limited, commonly referred to as Distell, was a multinational brewing and beverage company, based in South Africa. On April 26, 2023, Distell was acquired by Heineken. After that, its operations were integrated into Heineken Beverages, a company created by the merger of its South African unit, Distell, and the African brewery acquired by the Dutch multinational Namibia Breweries.
William Lawson's is a blended Scotch whisky brand created in 1849. William Lawson's parent company, John Dewar & Sons, Ltd. is owned by Bacardi Ltd.