Everything About Black Dog Whiskey and How It Got Its Name

Alcohol lovers specially Whiskey lovers must be aware of Black Dog Scotch Whiskey. Black Dog is a blended Scotch whisky brand produced by the Indian beverage company United Spirits Limited (USL). The whiskies in the blend come from Scotland as in 1883 the Black Dog brand of Scotch Whisky was blended and bottled by James MacKinlay in Scotland. For the first time for an order placed by Herbert Musgrave Phipson who was the owner of Phipson & Co. Wine Merchants from Bombay (Mumbai), India.

Since 1992, it has been bottled and marketed in India. According to International Wine and Spirits Research (IWSR), Black Dog was reported to be the world’s fastest-growing Scotch whisky by volume in 2013.

History of Black Dog Scotch Whisky and how it was named

In Parmori District Nasik in Maharashtra, Black Dog Scotch Whisky is bottled. It all started by importing the undiluted spirits from Scotland. This strategy was used to avoid the import duties imposed on liquor imports to India (Import duties are only about 30% when bottled in India but may be as high as 150% for liquor bottled prior to import).

When the order was placed owner of Phipson & Co. Wine Merchants from Bombay, a 19-year-old British employee of Phipson, Walter Samuel Millard was responsible for dispatching the consignment back to India- reaching in 1884.

The brand was named Millard Black Dog after a salmon dish

It is said that Walter Samuel Millard named it after his favourite salmon fishing fly, called the Black Dog. However, there is no solid proof that a brand of Scotch Whisky named was after a 19-year-old employee of Herbert Phipson.

In 1992, McDowell & Co (now USL) and United Distillers formed United Distillers India Limited. It was India’s first joint venture in the alcoholic beverages industry. The bottling operations started in Nashik to produce Black Dog for the Indian market.

It was reported in the media that USL in April 2004, planned to sell Black Dog in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Thailand. There were plans to manufacture Black Dog in Pakistan as the company wanted to widen its footprints in the SAARC region. They also planned on expanding to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Myanmar.

Other stories on the origin of the name Black Dog

In the 2006 novel by Rohit Handa, A Twisted Cue, the origin of the name Black Dog is described differently. The novel’s main character Mulkally, likes colonial myths and stories, one of which affected the origin of the label Black Dog. Mulkally claims that Black Dog was blended and bottled specially for the Bengal Club in Calcutta – hence “Kala Kutta” (Black Dog in Hindi) for Calcutta. But Mulkally knows that Black Dog was actually named after a salmon fly.

Black Dog Whiskey competitors in India

The main competitors of the brand in India outside of the United Spirits family include 100 Pipers Blended Scotch by Pernod Ricard. Teacher’s 50 from the Teachers’ family, a premium 12-year-old Scotch whisky. It is also blended and matured in Scotland but since August 1997, it has been bottled in India to celebrate India’s 50 years of independence, owned by Beam Suntory.

Black Dog Scotch Whisky blends

Black Dog Gold Reserve (Aged 12 Years) – It was the first variant of Black Dog, previously known as Black Dog Deluxe.

Black Dog Black Reserve – launched in New Delhi in September 2006 was earlier known as Black Dog Centenary. It is an eight-year-old Scotch whisky.

Black Dog Quintessence (Aged 21 Years (Gold rated)) – Originating from the Speyside Valley in Scotland. This blend includes 25 single malts and grain whiskies. Only 3,540 bottles have been produced as it is a limited edition.

Black Dog Reserve (Aged 18 Years) – A blend of aged malt and grain whiskies, aged for a minimum of 18 years in oak casks. At the International Wine and Spirit Competition 2011, it received the Gold Best in Class Award in the Scotch Whisky – Deluxe Blend – Aged 18 Years category. It was also rated gold at the Internationaler Spirituosen Wettbewerb 2013.

Black Dog Millard’s Private Reserve (Aged 14 years) – It is a blend of 14-year-old single malts, with new citrus flavours, a little bit of vanilla, and lightly toasted oak. It was launched in 2021. The product has been unveiled by actor Saif Ali Khan.

Marketing of Black Dog in India by Jazz concerts

On 22 February 2008, A Black Dog “Jazz Incident” was held in Mumbai. The Curtis King band also performed at Black Dog “Jazz Incident” held in Gurgaon, Haryana, India.

In 2008, to celebrate the 125th anniversary celebrations of Black Dog, the company held a 10-city concert tour by Stephen Kabakos. The concert included shows in Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Goa, Mysore, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Pune. In 2013 Black Dog’s 130th anniversary was celebrated in The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi by throwing a celebratory dinner.

Black Dog Whiskey in Bollywood

In the 1988 Bollywood film Shahenshah, Amrish Puri orders Black Dog whisky while watching an “item number” performance. Prem Chopra, the villain in the film asks him why he favours the brand, to which he replies

“Jab bhi mein gori haseeno ko dekhta hoon, mere dil me kale kutte bhaukne lagte hain. Tab mein Black Dog whisky peeta hoon.” (When I see fair-skinned beauties, black dogs bark in my heart. And then I drink Black Dog whisky.)

The name of the Whiskey label is indeed unique which makes people curious to know about the origin of its name. Who would have thought that the name Black Dog came from Salmon Fly? Did you know about this? Let us know in the comments.

Also read: 30 Interesting Facts About Alcohol Even The Regular Drinkers Are Unaware Of