Has anyone here got any inside info on the composition of Black Bull? I have always discounted this whisky as a cheap mass-market blend, but lately the distributor has been putting a little tag on the shelf that says "60% malt". So a month or two ago I bought a bottle (more on that later). That got me to thinking about the brand. Of course, there's nothing on Google because it's a pretty inauspicious whisky. Even my usually trusty source for unusual whisky information, Gabanyi's "Whisk(e)y", has nothing on it.
The importer is John Gross & Co. out of Baltimore, which again put the wheels in motion. I seem to remember that there were some Laphroaig casks in port wood belonging to John Gross and I think that's where MMcD sourced their original bourbon wood Lagavulin too. So now I'm self-suggesting to myself, that the whisky has a slight Islay edge to it, wild and hairy. The blend itself is very spirity, in no small part due to it's 50%abv count, but despite it's bargain price and appearance, it's not bad at all for a n.a.s. blend. There even seemed to be some hints of older whiskies in there, with distinct woody astringency. Of course, now that I've opened up the possibilities, there are other things, real or imagined, that suggest brine, coconut and spiced apples. Over the course of the last few weeks, I've tried it on several occasions and have quite enjoyed it, both neat and o-t-r.
Anyone else tried this and liked it?
Sláinte, Bushido