Tony Sachs

Nose: Light smoke predominates, more so than with Black Label, but just beneath the surface are powerful sweet notes of toffee, honey, ripe red apple, peach and melon.<br><br>Palate: As with the nose, the smokiness of Double Black is more intense (double the intensity, perhaps?) of Black Label, complemented by flavors of sweet apple and pear dipped in honey. The smoke, along with hints of spices like cinnamon and clove, lingers on the tongue the longest. Johnnie Walker’s Black Label is one of the most beautifully balanced blended scotches, with a gentle sweetness tempered by light smoke. Double Black aims to crank up the dry smoky notes through an increase of peated malts in the blend, as well as with the use of heavily charred ex-sherry casks. The result is not just cranked-up smoke but cranked-up everything: a blended whisky for single malt lovers.