White Horse
The earliest reference of a launch date for White Horse is 1890. Peter Mackie, founder and first blender of White Horse Scotch Whisky, has been described as “one third genius, one third megalomaniac, one third eccentric”. And by all accounts, he was all three.
“If we cannot afford to buy the best, especially in the matter of Scotch whisky,” he was fond of saying,” we should save our money and go without.” Affectionately known as “Restless Pete”, a name he acquired because of his unstoppable enthusiasm and unbridled genius, Sir Peter dedicated the rest of his life to producing only the best. The result was the White Horse blend. After Sir Peter Mackie’s demise in 1924, sales of White Horse doubled after it became the first whisky to dispense with corks and use a screw cap. Writing in his book Classic Blended Scotch, Jim Murray comments: “Restless Pete would have been proud of that small last independent hurrah.”
The single malt which gives White Horse its distinctive taste is Lagavulin. The legendary Lagavulin Distillery lies on the sea’s edge and the salt-laden sea spray soaks the peat used to dry the malted barley. It is this that gives Lagavulin its unique taste, which is subtly evident in White Horse.
White Horse is an extraordinary Scotch, not least of all because it is a blend of 40 whiskies drawn from a select range of malt and grain whiskies from across the Highlands, Lowlands and Islay. The result is an intriguing blend that resonates with undertones of the Islay malts at its heart – Caol Ila and Lagavulin to name but two – all characterised by the salt-laden sea spray that soaks the peat used the dry the malted barley.
White Horse gets its name from an old famous coach inn – The White Horse Cellar Inn – in Edinburgh, Scotland which was regularly visited by celebrities and royalty in the early 1700s.
White Horse delivers a smooth and distinctive taste, the result of an intriguing blend of crisp grain, clean malt and earthy peat. Drink it as the connoisseurs do…On the rocks or with a splash of soda or water. White Horse also enjoys the company of mixers such as Appletiser, ginger ale, lemonade and cola.