There is a common assumption about peated whisky, which is that it belongs to cold weather. Rain on the windows, a fire burning, a heavy glass in your hand. The image is appealing, and it has shaped how a lot of people think about smoky Scotch, but it is not the whole story. Smoke works with citrus, it works with salt, and it works with cold, and Johnnie Walker Double Black is a good bottle for testing that idea. Especially because we are currently experiencing yet another heatwave here in the UK.
So the question is not whether Double Black works in July, but how you serve it when it is warm out and you still want the smoke.
What Is Johnnie Walker Double Black?
Johnnie Walker Double Black is a blended Scotch that takes the character of the original Black Label and pushes the smoke further. It launched in 2011, aimed at drinkers who like peat but do not want the full intensity of an Islay single malt.7 Bourbons to Buy Instead of Blanton’s
The blend draws on West Coast and Islay whiskies, matured in heavily charred oak casks. The result is sweet smoke, dried fruit, clove, and toasted oak, held in reasonable balance. It costs a little more than Black Label and delivers noticeably more presence.
Neat, Water, or Ice?
Start neat, at least for the first pour. Double Black opens with smoke, carries spice through the middle, and finishes on charred oak, and drinking it without anything added tells you what you are working with before you start adjusting.
A splash of water softens the alcohol and opens up the nose. Citrus, vanilla, and gentler wood notes come forward, and the smoke settles into the background rather than leading. It is a small change with a noticeable effect, and it is worth doing a few drops at a time rather than all at once.
Ice is where people get nervous. Laphroaig recommends serving its peated whisky at around 15 to 20°C, on the basis that if it is too cold, the aromas mute, and too warm means the alcohol might overpower the palate.
Cold does cost you some aroma, but what you get in return is refreshment, and on a hot afternoon that is a reasonable trade. As the ice melts, the whisky opens up and the sweeter notes come through, so the drink changes over time.
Additionally, Johnnie Walker Double Black also contains unpeated malts and grains, giving the drink an extra layer of sweetness and fruit. In my experience, it works better with the cold than a more heavily peated whisky.
The Summer Serves
Highball – Johnnie Walker recommends serving Double Black with soda water and a wedge of lime, and it is the serve to start with. Chill everything first, the glass and the soda in particular. Fill a tall glass with ice, pour one part whisky to three parts soda, and stir gently so you do not knock the bubbles out. Squeeze the lime over the top before dropping it in. The carbonation lifts the smoke, and the lime gives it something sharp to sit against.
Iced black tea with lemon – Brew the tea strong and chill it thoroughly, then build over ice with a measure of Double Black and a squeeze of lemon. Tea tannin and whisky smoke have a good deal in common, and the two sit together comfortably. It is a longer, softer drink than the highball, and it suits an afternoon rather than an evening.
Cola with grapefruit – Scotch and cola is a familiar combination, and Double Black takes it well. Use grapefruit rather than orange if you have the choice, since the bitterness stands up to the sweetness of the cola better than orange does. This is the least serious drink on the list and none the worse for it.
Smoky Old Fashioned – For the evening, stir Double Black with sugar and bitters over a large cube. The char and spice in the whisky come forward, and the drink turns darker and heavier than a bourbon version. A Manhattan made with sweet vermouth and orange bitters works on the same principle.
What to Eat With It
Double Black goes well with grilled meat. Grilled lamb, seared steak, tandoori chicken, and kebabs all sit well with it, since the char on the meat and the peat in the whisky are drawing on the same thing. Spice in a marinade picks up the clove and pepper in the blend.
Cheese is a reliable pairing. Aged cheddar or a mature gouda has enough salt and richness to stand up to the smoke without being flattened by it.
For something sweeter, try dark chocolate. The smoke reads as roasted rather than ashy alongside cocoa, and the dried fruit in the whisky’s finish becomes easier to pick out.
Double Black vs Black Label
The question worth answering is when to reach for one over the other. Black Label is the everyday bottle, balanced and unchallenging, and it works in almost any context without asking much of you. Double Black is smokier and heavier, and it wants a bit more attention.
If you are pouring for a group with mixed tastes, Black Label is the safer choice. If you want something with more character, or you are drinking with grilled food, or you are curious about peat but not ready for Laphroaig, Double Black is a great choice. It is also the one to hand to someone who thinks they dislike smoky whisky, since it makes the case gently.
Final Thoughts
Double Black rewards experimenting. Drink it neat, then put it in a highball, then try it alongside something off the grill, and see which version you keep coming back to.
None of those approaches is more correct than the others, and the whisky is affordable enough that you can work through all of them without worrying about depleting your supply.
So how will you drink your next dram of Double Black? Share your favorite serves in the comments below.
Read the full article at Smoky Whisky in Summer: How to Drink Johnnie Walker Double Black When The Weather Is Hot
