Johnnie Walker Black

Johnnie Walker Black is a blended Scotch whisky, which means it combines malt and grain whiskies from different distilleries into one consistent house style. The brand is known for leaning on a smoky thread through the blend, and that is the first thing to look for. Expect a wisp of peat smoke over dried fruit, vanilla and toasted oak, with a gentle, honeyed sweetness in the middle. Blends like this usually finish with a little spice and a lingering, dry smokiness. This is a bottle for people who want smoke present but not overwhelming, a step gentler than the heavily peated single malts of Islay. For a first pour, try it neat in a Glencairn glass. The tulip shape gathers the aromas, so you can pick out the smoke, fruit and oak before tasting. If the alcohol feels sharp, add a few drops of room-temperature water. That usually loosens the aroma and brings out the sweeter, fruitier side. A single large cube in a rocks glass suits slower sipping, since the chill tones down the sweetness a little and keeps the smoke in front. Large cubes melt slowly and won't flatten the whisky quickly. In cocktails, the smoke gives you something a bourbon can't. A Rob Roy, which is a Manhattan made with Scotch, works well with sweet vermouth and a dash or two of aromatic bitters. The smoke sits nicely against the vermouth's herbal sweetness. An Old Fashioned made with a small spoonful of demerara syrup and an orange peel turns out drier and more savory than the bourbon version. In a Highball, pour over plenty of ice and top with cold soda water at roughly two to three parts soda to one part whisky. Express a lemon peel over the top, and the smoke becomes a pleasant background note rather than the main event. It also works in a Whisky Sour if you want a smoky edge, though a fresh-squeezed lemon and a short shake are worth the effort. At the table, expect it to pair well with smoked salmon, aged cheddar, roasted nuts and dark chocolate, where the smoke and oak find something to hold onto.