Brand

Buchanan's whiskies

Buchanan’s is a mid-to-premium Scotch blend that is hugely successful in Latin America and among Hispanic drinkers in the United States. It bears the name of James Buchanan, a merchant who at the end of the 19th century carved out a place in the demanding London market and also created the famous Black & White brand. Today it belongs to Diageo. Its best-known version is the DeLuxe 12 Year Old, a smooth, rounded blend with an elegant presentation.

Created
Owner
Diageo
Origin
Scotland
In the catalogue
3 whiskies

History, style and where to start

3 whiskies

Guide to Buchanan's

History

James Buchanan was born in Canada, grew up in Scotland and settled in London in the 1880s to sell whisky. His strategy was to offer a lighter, smoother blend than usual, suited to the taste of London’s clubs and hotels, and he won supply contracts with the British Parliament. Success allowed him to buy and build distilleries in Scotland, among them Glentauchers, in Speyside. At the beginning of the 20th century his company joined Dewar’s and later became part of the Distillers Company, the large group of Scottish houses that ended up within Diageo. Over time the blend bearing his name focused on the markets of the Americas.

House style

Buchanan’s style is sweet and smooth, designed to please without demanding much. In the DeLuxe 12 Year Old there is orange, honey, milk chocolate and vanilla, with a light touch of sherry and spice. Speyside and Highland malts, including Dalwhinnie, give the body, and a very faint smoke appears at the end. It is a blend with a rounded profile, little harshness and a medium finish.

Average flavour profile of its 3 whiskies in the catalogue

Sweet
3.2
Fresh fruit
2.2
Ripe and dried fruit
1.5
Floral and herbal
1.2
Cereal and malt
1.5
Vanilla and creamy
2.0
Oak
1.7
Spicy
1.5
Toasted
1.5
Smoky
0.5
Maritime
0.0
Body and intensity
2.3

Where to start

Buchanan’s DeLuxe 12 Year Old is the main expression and the one in the catalogue. It fits if you’re after an aged, sweet and easy blend, to drink neat, on the rocks or in a long drink. If you like it, compare it with other 12-year-old blends, such as Chivas Regal or Johnnie Walker Black Label, to find the balance of sweetness and smoke you prefer.

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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The colours of this page are inspired by the look of Buchanan's. WhiskyMatch is independent and has no connection with the brand.