Paul Mclean of MCLEANSCOTLAND

BLACK ON BLACK – the headbangers challenge; nae riff raff invited!

Black Bush against JW Double Black. Both are malt-grain blends. Both Diageo brands.

BLACK BUSH  Bushmills.  Rich and ripe, with some black fruit. Raisin, cocoa, coconut. I must admit (Paul) that this is my dram of choice in my local pub, very kindly, Billy and Helen buy the BB specially for me, though some other people “mug it off me” over the bar. Sweet start then a chocolate and raisin taste appear. Long sweet finish, so easy to drink – far too easy I may add. Beautifully balanced. Black Bush is a great blend from Bushmills, mostly malt whiskey aged for 11 years in sherry casks before blending. A word of warning though; be careful how you ask for it if there is a lassie behind the bar, have had that trouble before (luckily, the really good looking lasses in my pub know what I mean – in fact many just say “the usual”, or “ a dram?”).  This is not a powerful dram, it’s an “any time of day or night dram”. You only realise maybe you have had enough when you see the bottle as it’s being poured into the glass, and see its half gone already!

JOHNNIE WALKER has the luxury of having access to some of Scotland’s best whiskies, ranging from the west coast peats to the subtle east coast. BLACK LABEL draws upon all these aromas to create a unique blend with a smooth, deep and complex character.   But we tested the JOHNNIE WALKER DOUBLE BLACK – a Blended Whisky with a rich, intense, smoky flavour. By blending selected aged whiskies that are naturally smoky and rich in character, matured in charred old casks, the Master Blender has created a whisky of real character and depth of taste (as we all know, taste is a matter of … well, taste!). The flavour is full bodied and complex with peat shining through raisins and sultanas. Apples, pears and orange zest bring freshness, vanilla and spice also tangle with your tongue. The finish combines spicy oak and lingering smoke. For those who like the smoke/peat, we reckon this is the best JW for you. Strangely enough, this dram is sometimes very hard to find behind the bar in Scotland, mostly export.

SO WHO WON? well, hard to say, they are both different drams, complex and tasty, both won in our opinion. Where did we sample these? as usual in Christies, Perth. Time of day? oh around 6pm – ish, could have lingered on a bit. Background? aye the jukie (juke box) was playing … you guessed it; ACDC  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAgnJDJN4VA  another few tastes and we were thunderstruck http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2AC41dglnM  at the end of the day we were shaken http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo2qQmj0_h4  (not stirred).  Who tasted? usual suspects; Paul, Lizzie, Kevin (now mr and mrs), Ming and Boab. Any photos? you gigglin? none of us could hold a camera or mobile phone straight at that time. Drink sensibly people.

The Mad ferrets in Christies; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxMctrfZoKU  well worth following their website to see when they are back, superb live pub music.

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