sku Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Black Bottle is a blend of only Islay scotch whereas JW Black is a blend of mostly Highland along with some Talisker. If you like the smokey peaty style of Laphroaig or Caol Ila then you should like Black Bottle. If you like just a touch of that then JW Black will fit the bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclebunk Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 How does JW Black compare with Black Bottle? They're both around the same price, $25/750ml.Black Bottle is a blend of only Islay scotch whereas JW Black is a blend of mostly Highland along with some Talisker. If you like the smokey peaty style of Laphroaig or Caol Ila then you should like Black Bottle. If you like just a touch of that then JW Black will fit the bill.AVB summed up the differences perfectly. Black Bottle (standard version, not the 10 year old) and Johnnie Walker Black are two entirely different creatures and both are excellent quality whiskies, especially at their price point. But I can't say that one is better than the other because they seem to serve different purposes. BB is for those times when you are in the mood for an Islay whisky and don't want to spend $40 on a bottle of Laphroaig 10. In fact, I usually switch to BB after a few pours of Laphroaig in an effort to stretch the lifespan of my Laphroaig bottle. (I should mention that Islay Mist 8 year old serves the same function and has an even more pronounced Laphroaig flavor.) JWB, on the other hand, is a Highland blend and has been considered one of the best in its class for decades. It is superbly balanced, flavorful and luxurious in texture in a way that you will not find in a pour of Black Bottle, which is somewhat thinner in body and brinier by design. So get them both, Solomon, and enjoy them for their differences. Hope this was helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drrich1965 Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Whitehorse is a very cheap, but drinkable Islay blend that used to rely heavily on Lagavulin (may have Lagavulin still, but most likley Caol Ila as its base). For single malt, Lismore is not bad, and very cheap. It was, a few years ago, a young Glen Rothes- clean and malty, perhaps a bit spirity. JWR gets not love, but I actaully find it very drinkable. Grants is easy, fruity, unoffenensive. Cutty Sark also really is not that bad. Right now, Binnys has a great sale, and some single malts may be that inexpensive that normally are not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillman Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I always thought Ballantine was good quality and value. Dewar's, too.Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclebunk Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I always have a selection of blends on hand and find them more than satisfactory. People tend to sh*t on blended scotch whisky, but I love White Horse and Teacher's, as well as Famous Grouse and Ballantine's. The former two tend to have more pronounced flavor/aroma characteristics, while the latter also have great flavor but are somewhat more subtle in their delivery, IMHO. Islay Mist and Black Bottle (NAS) are routinely on the bar as well and go over extremely well with friends and family. With this small stable of blends I can usually find something that appeals to any visitor who stops by for a casual drink, and can also satisfy my own tastes depending upon what I'm in the mood for on any given night. I should mention that I also have Grant's on hand quite often but find it the most bland of the bunch I've mentioned. It's usually reserved for those visitors who want a scotch but don't care to be challenged much by what's in the glass. For those of you who may have missed it, Jim Murray has a wonderful short essay on the virtues of blended scotch in the 2009 Whisky Bible. I've had a few friends, who are malt "snobs" and look upon blends dismissively, read the article and then taste a few of the above, and all seemed to have a change of heart afterwards. It's funny, but these same folks have been drinking and loving Irish whiskey, many of which are blends, for years and years, yet they turn their noses up to blends made in Scotland. Strange, isn't it?:grin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I work at a package store in Indianapolis, and an older gentleman with a Scottish accent, gets Old Smuggler ($10/750), I figure if a Scottsman buys it, it is probably good in some rights, your thoughts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ODaniel Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 I work at a package store in Indianapolis, and an older gentleman with a Scottish accent, gets Old Smuggler ($10/750), I figure if a Scottsman buys it, it is probably good in some rights, your thoughts... Well, a lot of Kentuckians get Kentucky Tavern/Gentleman all the time, and I don't think those are good in any right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost Pollito Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Well, a lot of Kentuckians get Kentucky Tavern/Gentleman all the time, and I don't think those are good in any right Couldn't agree more. Maybe He's Irish? Smuggler is rough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solomon2 Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Thank you, everyone. I decided I would splurge and "break" the price point entirely - though I might not have if MC had Black Bottle on its shelves. I splurged and bought a bottle of Laphroaig 10yr Cask Strength for $54. (The regular Laphroaig 10 is $51, so why should I spend a little less money for something diluted?) I'll crack it open and compare it with my remaining drams of JWB in the next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclebunk Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 I splurged and bought a bottle of Laphroaig 10yr Cask Strength for $54. (The regular Laphroaig 10 is $51, so why should I spend a little less money for something diluted?) I'll crack it open and compare it with my remaining drams of JWB in the next week.I loved the Laphroaig Cask Strength but enjoyed the Laphroaig Quarter Cask (for only a few bucks more) even better. You'll find no similarities between the Laphroaig CS and JWB. They're both great in completely different ways. Try the Caol Ila 12 too if you get the chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilled Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 For the Price it's hard to beat Grant's , here in VA it's around $15.Grouse is a great price point too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hossman777 Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 I bought a bottle of McClelland Islay a while back...I hated it. Tastes nasty nasty to me. But then again, I'm not much of a Scotch man. Here's my experience with scotch.Dalmore Cigar Malt is excellent and was about $45.Balvenie 12 is excellent and might be just a touch more.McCallen 18 is SUPERB (but not cheap by any means)Johnny Walker is good. Cutty Sark is drinkable (barely).To get a good bottle of single malt Scotch, you're looking at around $40+. I can think of lots of $20-25 bourbons that are far superior to a $40-50 Scotch.Just my $0.02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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