Johnnie Walker Double Black 1L

Double Black takes the Black Label profile and pushes it toward smoke. Johnnie Walker builds it from whiskies matured in heavily charred oak casks alongside smoky West Coast malts, which is where the extra intensity comes from.

The nose gives sweet smoke and cloves. The palate brings peat smoke together with dried fruit, raisins and sultanas, citrus notes of apple, pear and orange zest, and vanilla and spice underneath. The finish is long and warming, with the smokiness holding on. It is bottled at 40% ABV.

The house recommendation is to add a little water, which opens the layers of spice and smoke rather than diluting them. It also makes a formidable Highball. This is the bottle for someone who already likes Black Label and wants more of it, or for a drinker moving toward Islay whisky. The 1L format is good value for a regular pour.