Johnnie Walker Black Cask 750

Black Cask is a Johnnie Walker blended Scotch, which means a blend of malt and grain whiskies rather than a single-malt or single-distillery bottling. The name points to cask influence, so expect the oak to come through more than in a bare entry-level blend. The details supplied for this bottle don't include an age statement, ABV, or an official tasting profile, so what follows describes what blended Scotch of this kind usually offers, not measured notes for this bottling. Blends like this typically open with soft grain sweetness, along the lines of honey, vanilla and malted barley. Toasted oak and a little baking spice usually sit underneath. Johnnie Walker's house style often adds a thread of smoke, so expect it to be present but supporting, not the lead. The grain whisky in the blend tends to keep the texture smooth and the finish medium in length, which suits people who find peated single malts too forceful. To sip it neat, pour about 30 to 45 ml (a standard 1 to 1.5 oz measure) into a Glencairn. The tapered bowl concentrates the aroma, so you can pick out the oak and sweetness before you taste. If the first sip feels warm on the palate, add a few drops of room-temperature water. Water loosens the whisky and often brings out the fruit and vanilla. A rocks glass with one large cube works for slower sipping. The chill softens the sweetness and dulls the smoke, so the whisky tastes lighter and less complex than it does neat. In cocktails, a blend with a smoke thread suits drinks where the whisky has room to show. A Scotch Old Fashioned uses 60 ml whisky, a bar spoon of demerara syrup and two dashes of Angostura bitters, stirred over ice and finished with an orange peel. A Rob Roy is a Manhattan made with Scotch: 50 ml whisky, 25 ml sweet vermouth and a dash of bitters. For a Highball, pour 45 ml over plenty of ice and top with 120 to 150 ml of cold soda water. Add a lemon peel, which keeps the drink dry and lets the malt and smoke carry through. A Whiskey Sour also works with a blend like this: shake 50 ml whisky with 25 ml fresh lemon juice and 15 to 20 ml simple syrup.