Black Bottle Andean Oak

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 46.3% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

New Andean oak casks give this limited release in the Alchemy Series its distinctive character. For Andean Oak, the grain whiskies in the blend received a seven-month finish in casks with different levels of toasting and charring. Andean oak has an influence comparable to American oak, but contributes more tannins and spice.

The blend has a high malt content and combines spicy stone fruit with vanilla and smoked almonds. Toasted coconut and caramel-like nutty notes add to the flavour. Bunnahabhain Moine contributes the smoky undertone. The smoke remains gentle, complementing the sweet, nutty character rather than overwhelming it.

Andean Oak is the third experiment in the Alchemy Series and was produced as a single batch. The whisky is bottled at 46.3% without chill filtration or added colouring. The black bottle contains 0.7 litres.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, dried nuts meet rich, spicy fruit notes. Maple syrup and oak round out the aroma.
• Palate: On the palate, vanilla and toasted coconut combine with caramel-coated nuts. Raisins and cherries add fruit, while nutmeg and cinnamon provide spice. Notes of French pastries and caramelised, smoked almonds complement the flavour.
• Finish: A sweet note lingers on the finish, accompanied by gentle smoke.

Distillery/Bottler:

The story of Black Bottle began in 1879 with the brothers Charles, David and Gordon Graham. They moved from Torphins to Aberdeen and initially made their name as tea blenders. Later, they turned to whisky blending and developed Black Bottle through repeated experiments with different flavour profiles.

The limited Alchemy Series builds on this work, focusing on unusual cask maturation and blending choices. With Andean Oak, Master Blender Julieann Fernandez developed a whisky whose cask selection deliberately highlights the sweeter side of the brand’s smoky character. The interplay between grain whiskies, malt content and new oak is central to this approach.

Facts: