Johnnie Walker built its name on blending, and this is one of the darker turns in the range. A Scotch whisky from Scotland, bottled at 40% and drawn from casks chosen for colour and fruit rather than peat or smoke.
- Blended Scotch whisky, 40% ABV.
- Bottled at 100cl.
- Red berries, dark cherry, plum.
- Vanilla, toffee, a wisp of smoke.
- Smooth, rounded finish.
How it is made
Blended Scotch is a marriage of grain whisky from column stills and single malt from pot stills, drawn from distilleries across Scotland. The grain gives weight and softness, the malt gives character. Black Ruby shifts the balance toward the fruitier, sherry-influenced side of the house style, which is where the colour and the red fruit notes come from.
How it tastes
Rich and fruity up front: red berries, dark cherry, plum. Sweet vanilla and toffee sit underneath, and there is a gentle wisp of smoke rather than a peat hit. The finish is smooth and rounded, which is the point of the blend.
Good to know
Blended Scotch outsells single malt by a wide margin worldwide, and the blend is the harder job. A single malt only has to be consistent with itself. A blend has to taste the same in every bottle, year after year, from casks that will never be identical.
