Brand

Black & White whiskies

Black & White is one of the classic Scotch blends, born in the house of James Buchanan, the same merchant who gave his name to Buchanan’s. It is instantly recognisable by the two terriers on its label, one black and one white, which play on the brand’s name. It is an inexpensive, light whisky with a touch of smoke, found in bars and supermarkets around the world, and one of the cheapest blends on the shelf.

Created
Owner
Diageo
Origin
Scotland
In the catalogue
1 whisky

History, style and where to start

1 whisky

Guide to Black & White

History

James Buchanan was one of the great whisky merchants of Victorian London. At the end of the 19th century he sold a blend in a dark bottle with a white label, and customers began asking for it by its looks: “the black and white”. The house ended up adopting the nickname as its official name, and later added the two dogs to the label, a black Scottish terrier and a white West Highland. Over time Buchanan’s company became part of the big Scotch whisky groups, and today the brand is in Diageo’s portfolio, which sells it mainly as an affordable blend in Europe, Latin America and Asia.

House style

Black & White is a light, direct blend, with a large base of grain whisky and malts that bring cereal, some fruit and a touch of smoke in the background. It doesn’t look for complexity or great nuance: it is smooth, slightly dry and easy, with a short finish. Its natural territory is the long glass, with ice, a mixer or soda, where its simplicity is a virtue.

Flavour profile of its whisky in the catalogue

Sweet
2.0
Fresh fruit
1.5
Ripe and dried fruit
0.5
Floral and herbal
1.0
Cereal and malt
2.5
Vanilla and creamy
1.0
Oak
1.0
Spicy
1.5
Toasted
1.0
Smoky
1.0
Maritime
0.5
Body and intensity
1.5

Where to start

The classic Black & White is the catalogue’s only entry and the natural way to get to know the brand. If you’re after a cheap blend for mixing, it does the job well. If you like its touch of smoke, try White Horse next, another inexpensive classic with more Islay malt, or Johnnie Walker Red Label.

This text was generated and translated by AI and may contain errors. Founding year, owner and official website come partly from Wikidata.

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