🥃 Black Dog
Scotch blended whisky brand sold in India since 1883; owner United Spirits Limited, a Diageo subsidiary; versions from 8 to 21 years.
Black Dog is a Scotch blended whisky brand with history going back to 1883, best known in India. Its owner is United Spirits Limited, a Diageo subsidiary. According to reference sources, the base versions are about 42.8% vol., but check the label: strength and age depend on the version and the market.
History. The whisky was first created by a blending family in Leith, and the name of its representative is written in sources as MacKinlay or McKinley. The origin of the name is explained by legends: according to one, the brand is named after the favourite fishing fly of Sir Walter Millar; there is no documentary confirmation. The trademark now belongs to United Spirits.
How it is made. The blend consists of single malt and grain whiskies. According to reference sources, it is blended in Scotland and bottled in India, where the bottling was moved in 1992; check the label for details. For the 21-year-old version, master blender Richard Paterson combined 25 single malt and grain whiskies, mostly from Speyside, aged 21 years in oloroso casks from Spanish bodegas; only 3,540 bottles were released.
Range. It includes Black Reserve (8 years, formerly Centenary), Gold Reserve (12 years), 18 years and the limited Quintessence (21 years).
Why this matters to you. This is a blend, not a single malt. The age on the label is that of the youngest whisky in the bottle. Check the bottling country and the strength on the label of your market. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1883, Leith, a blending family (the surname is written MacKinlay or McKinley); bottling in India since 1992 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Blended Scotch Whisky) |
| EU category | 2 - whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | single malt and grain whiskies; in the 21-year-old version - mostly from Speyside |
| Cask type | oak casks; for the 21-year-old version - oloroso casks from Spain |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in oak by law; versions from 8 to 21 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | about 42.8% vol. according to reference sources; check the label |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Black Dog → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Diageo
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Sherry
- Made from
- 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 British
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Blended Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky
- Related to
- 🥃 Speyside whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Johnnie Walker, 🥃 Bell's, 🥃 Bell's, 🥃 Haig, 🥃 Haig, 🥃 Tamdhu, 🥃 Tamdhu, 🥃 Mortlach, 🥃 Mortlach
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Black Dog is bottled in India?
According to reference sources, yes: the blend is made from Scotch whiskies, and the bottling for the Indian market takes place in India. Check the bottling country on the label.
Who owns Black Dog?
United Spirits Limited, a subsidiary of Diageo.
What does Black Reserve mean?
It is the new name of the Centenary version, an 8-year-old blend; Gold Reserve is 12 years.
Where does the name Black Dog come from?
There is a legend about the favourite fishing fly of Sir Walter Millar; there is no documentary confirmation.
What is Quintessence 21?
A limited blend of 25 whiskies, mostly from Speyside, aged 21 years in oloroso casks; 3,540 bottles were released.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky — Scotch from a single distillery: only malted barley, water and copper pot stills; at least 3 years in oak, 40% vol. or more.
- 🍷 Sherry — Protected wine from the Jerez de la Frontera area of Andalusia, aged in oak casks in the solera system; 14 to 22 % alcohol.
Similar
🥃 Benrinnes · 🥃 Dailuaine · 🥃 100 Pipers · 🥃 Black & White · 🥃 Tamdhu · 🥃 Blair Athol
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Sommelier India: USL launches Black Dog 21 Year (Black Dog, Leith blending family, 25 Speyside malts and grains, Oloroso sherry butts, 3,540 bottles; United Spirits)
- Effective Design: Black Dog Scotch Whisky redesign for Diageo India (bottled in India, market share growth)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)