68
Black & White Scotch
In 1879, at the age of 30, James Buchanan started working in London as a sales
agent for Charles Mackinlay & Co., Scottish whisky blenders and merchants,
founded in 1815. Within five years he opened his own business and was one of
the earliest to sell whisky in bottles. Initially his blended whisky was called
The
Buchanan Blend.
When the name was subsequently changed to
The House of
Commons Blend
, that bottle with a black and white label had a great following
but people would not ask for it by name. Instead they asked for the black bottle
with the white label. So Buchanan renamed it
Black & White
, a name which is
still popular today. In 1915 his firmed joined with Dewar
s Scotch Whisky
Brands.
Today the Black & White brand is sold by Diageo, the world
s largest spirits
group. Other Diageo products include Guinness Stout, Smirnoff Vodka, Bailey
s
Irish Cream and Dom Pérignon Champagne.