The Famous Grouse Smoky Black
Smoke without the weight of an Islay. Smoky Black is The Famous Grouse with a generous portion of peat-smoked malt from the Highlands: smoky and spicy, but also smooth and sweet. The ideal first step for anyone who wants to discover whether smoky whisky is for them.
Where does the smoke come from?
Smoky Black, formerly The Black Grouse, is a blend from Matthew Gloag & Son, the house behind The Famous Grouse. The base is the same smooth blend as the Finest, but a generous portion of peat-smoked Highland malt is added: barley dried over a peat fire during malting. That smoke seeps into the grain and returns later in the whisky.
The difference from the Finest is therefore significant. While that one revolves around honey and orange, here you taste smoke, dried fruit and spices such as anise and clove. Yet it remains smooth and sweet, much milder than an Islay single malt such as Laphroaig. That makes Smoky Black suitable for anyone who wants to get to know smoky whisky, and a good choice for cocktails with a touch of smoke.
In brief
Smoky, spicy and still smooth
Smoky and rich
Smoky, aromatic and rich. The peat is immediately recognizable, with dried fruit behind it.
Fruit and spices
Dried fruit, spicy with anise and clove, and a light smoke. Full and complex, yet remarkably smooth.
Long, sweet and smoky
A long finish in which sweetness and smoke gradually fade together.
Tasting profile of The Famous Grouse Smoky Black neat. The Finest scores 1 for smokiness, while Smoky Black scores 4.
How to taste Smoky Black
Neat, it reveals the most layers. Over ice or in a highball, the smoke softens and the whisky becomes fresher.
Neat with a drop of water
Pour 30 ml into a tasting glass and smell gently first: smoke, then fruit. After the first sip, add a few drops of water; the smoke softens and the spices come forward.
Tasting glasses →Smoky highball
50 ml Smoky Black over plenty of ice in a tall glass, topped up with 150 ml chilled soda water and a strip of lemon peel. The bubbles lift the smoke.
To the highball →Penicillin
50 ml Smoky Black, 20 ml lemon juice and 20 ml honey and ginger syrup, shaken and strained over an ice cube in a tumbler. Normally, an Islay whisky is floated on top; here, the smoke is already in the whisky.
To the recipe →Cocktails that call for smoke
A little smoke makes a whisky cocktail deeper and warmer. Smoky Black provides just enough without overpowering it.
Penicillin
Whisky, lemon, honey and ginger. With Smoky Black, you don't need a separate Islay.
Rusty Nail
Scotch and Drambuie over ice. The smoke keeps the honeyed liqueur in check.
Highball
Whisky and soda over plenty of ice. Light and refreshing, with smoke on the finish.
Hot Toddy
Whisky, hot water, honey and lemon. The smoke makes it even more comforting.The right glass for Smoky Black
A tulip-shaped tasting glass for drinking neat, a heavy tumbler for the Penicillin and Rusty Nail, a tall glass for the highball and a warm glass for the Hot Toddy.
More flavors of The Famous Grouse
The Famous Grouse
Where it began. The brand page tells you everything about The Famous Grouse: its origins, varieties and classic cocktails.
To The Famous Grouse →
The Famous Grouse Sherry Cask Finish
Orange, dark chocolate and toasted nuts. Richer and sweeter than the Finest, delicious neat or in an Old Fashioned.
View The Famous Grouse Sherry Cask Finish →Everything about whisky: the types, the best-known brands and the cocktails.
Questions about The Famous Grouse Smoky Black
Didn't find your question? Read more on the page about The Famous Grouse or browse our cocktail recipes.
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