Black Dog - ”One of the world’s finest Scotch Whisky”

At the end of a month of living it up with Black Dog I can state confidently that Black Dog is undoubtedly one of the world’s finest Scotch Whisky.

It does not matter whether you are a vegetarian or non vegetarian, Black Dog can be paired with any food and enjoyed thoroughly. This is true irrespective of your choice of regional food too. Whether you prefer Continental, Chinese, Indian (North, South, Western or Eastern) Black Dog will be the perfect accompaniment.

Black Dog offers a choice of four wonderful varieties to suit your palate and wallet. 

The eight year old Centenary,

The twelve year old Deluxe, 

The eighteen year old Reserve and 

The twenty one year old Quintessence.

True to their commitment of helping you Live in Style Black Dog has associated itself with top class entertainers in the field of Stand up Comedy and Music and hosts their performance in Indian metros to help the stressed out urban corporates. The comedy shows are called Black Dog Comedy evenings and their musical shows are generally titled Black Dog Easy evenings. So do look out for their shows in your city and go for it guys! Live it up! In style!

You cannot go wrong with Black Dog by your side! Be it entertaining or being entertained.

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.

Mount Vesuvius

We took a train to Erculaneum from Naples to visit the ticking time bomb - Mount Vesuvius. It was this volcano that erupted on 24 August in 79AD and destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum killing around 16000 people. Its last eruption was in 1944 during World War II when it killed around 50 people and destroyed planes of the Allied forces in Italy.

Just outside the Erculaneum station we took a mini bus to Mount Vesuvius. The climb from where the bus dropped us was a steep 800m and took us half an hour.

Once on top we walked around the lip of the crater and saw smoke emanating from some parts of the volcano. It was a pretty scary sight. Experts warn that a future major eruption cannot be predicted but it would be devastating.

The view of the bay of Naples from the top is amazing. And they have thoughtfully placed benches up there so that the tourists can sit and relax and enjoy the views. I could not have 

asked for a better place to sit and sip on the rejuvenating Black Dog, a very fine Scotch. The feeling as the golden liquid flowed down my throat was amazing. An amazing scotch - the 

Black Dog at an amazing location. Could not spend much time there however as we had to get down to our bus to get back. Once back in the Hotel in Naples I continued my affair with Black Dog.

A new dimension to Living in Style!

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.

Black Dog and Pizza

We took a train to Napoli or Naples from Rome. The journey was comfortable and took us just a couple of hours. Checked in to a hotel close to the Railway Terminus outside which there is the Bus terminus too. Plenty of pizza and coffee restaurants cheek by jowl with McDonalds lining the perimeter of the Terminus square.

Napoli is supposed to be the birth place of the Pizza and that obviously was our choice for dinner that night. Called for the Margherita. While on the walking tour of Rome the guide had

informed us that the Margherita pizza was tricoloured like the Italian flag Red (tomato sauce) White (mozzarella cheese) and Green (basil) and named after the Italian Queen Margherita.

To celebrate this wonderful creation we brought out the Black Dog eighteen year old that had a truly noble bouquet of luscious malty tones and rich velvety textures with a hint of oloroso sherry in the background. As we sipped it in between bites of the juicy delicious pizza we 

realized that the Black Dog was the perfect accompaniment with its round and mellow flavours with an impeccable balance of individual malt and grain whiskies and silky soft tones that dance on the tongue.

Perfect combination to Live in Style!

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.

Open Bus tour of Rome

Our Colosseum tour ended on the topmost existing level from where we could get some beautiful views of the lovely ancient city of Rome. As I looked below at the streets I saw an 

open roofed bus full of tourists going around the city. It kindled in me a desire to charter one of these buses, sit on the roofless top and go around the historic city of Rome with my 

favourite glass of Black Dog Centenary Scotch and celebrate the astonishing history of Rome with the finest scotch. I did precisely that in my fantasy.

As the bus took me around Rome, I sipped on the Black Dog Centenary scotch which has a pronounced rich malt and oak and sherry sweetness that spreads warmly in the mouth like silent waves. The aroma of matured wood and toasted malt that emerges everytime the glass is raised for a sip was incredible in the warm sunny weather of Rome as we passed the Colosseum and the Forum. We also noticed fountains in every Piazza (square) and corner. Apparently the water from any of these fountains is drinkable! I did the next best thing. 

Poured some of the pure water from the fountain into my glass of the finest scotch, the Black Dog Centenary and celebrated the historic city with a historic drink.

Live in Style guys!

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.

Romans, Friends, and Countrymen

Last night I flew to Rome on Easyjet which is a low cost carrier from London's Gatwick Airport. I was fortunate to get the seats at the Exit, else the seats are so close to each other that it gets very cramped. However, the flight left early and landed early too at Fiumicino Airport in Rome.
Though they say 'In Rome do as the Romans do' I decided to be different and carried my Black Dog with me to enjoy with the pizzas and pastas and cannelloni.

My first Italian dish that I had with my Black Dog was Spaghetti al Tonno (Spaghetti with Tuna). The

delicate flavours were a perfect combination for the malty, mellow woody taste of the Black Dog. The pairing was a hit even with a few die hard wine lovers from Italy!

So next time you want to have Italian food, dont worry about pairing it with wine. Pick up a Black Dog, a very fine scotch to go with it. You will not regret it. It is Living in Style!

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.

Change of guard

Had heard a lot of the Change of guard ceremony at the Buckingham Palace in London. It was a must see for me. So prepared myself adequately to witness it, or so I thought. As advised by various travel fora I reached there an hour early but found that the place was already teeming with spectators. I had to weave my way through the crowd to get a what I thought would be a vantage point. There was stll some time left for the ceremony to start. So did some people watching. There was this chivalrous guy who carried his girlfriend on his shoulders so she could get a good view.
Once the ceremony began, I realised that from my position I could only see the guards marching in and out

of the palace and not the actual change of guard.

Then  it was time for me to go home and relax with my favorite tipple. Got out my Black Dog 18 year old and poured it over ice. The colour was deep, golden, glossy and mahogany. The aroma was a truly noble bouquet of luscious malty tones and rich velvety textures with a hint of oloroso sherry in the background. And then I sipped it. The taste was round and mellow with an impeccable balance of individual malt and

grain whiskies and silky soft tones that dance on the tongue. Felt like Royalty! A perfect end to a spectacular day. My day was made!

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.

Tradition and modernity

Last evening when I sat with my cherished glass of cheer - the Black Dog,the harmony of delight orchestrated by a multitude of seductive aromas immediately transported me to the old world of 

charm and leisure.  At the same time, here I was sitting in a modern environment with all the creature comforts! How beautifully the two coexisted!

Just like the London Tower Bridge and the Southwark bridge, both which, side by side, bridge the two

banks of the ubiquitous river Thames in London. One can stand there on another bridge and keep watching these man made marvels and admire the creative forms of output of mankind then and now. It is just amazing! The Tower bridge till date opens up for big boats to pass which otherwise would not be able to go under the bridge with its spans down. What I find amazing is that all the mechanism is still maintained and not replaced with modern technology.

Just like my favorite Black Dog, the finest scotch from Scotland, which was perfected over a hundred

and thirty years ago and is still blended the same way and continues to give the same balanced, long and intense pleasure!

It defines Living in Style!

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.

Spiritual high

Yesterday I had a spiritual high when I stepped upon the hallowed ground of Abbey Road on the pedestrian crossing where the Fab Four or The Beatles had been featured crossing on their album of the same name.

This was my cherished dream since the past forty plus years and now that I was in London, did not want to miss the opportunity. So I asked Subhorup Dasgupta a music aficionado and he guided me to the Abbey Road site. Amazingly these guys have an earth cam positioned there and you will be 

filmed live as you cross! Then you check it out online in their archives in the particular time slot and viola! You can pause the moment you want and post it on any or all social media that you want it to be seen on and also mail it to yourself or anyone special. And that is precisely what I did.

To celebrate this memorable event in my life, yes, you guessed it right, I brought out the Black Dog and revelled in its beautifully rounded, heavy body, pronounced malty, mellow woody and fruity sweetness that spreads on the palate with every sip.

A great way to end a memorable day! Cheers to Black Dog, the finest scotch, that spreads cheer and warmth in all circumstances! A high that complements a spiritual high! Wow to that!

This is indeed Living in Style.

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.

Peri Peri

Now that am on food pairing with Black Dog let me initiate the fabulous Portugese snack or meal from the famous Nando’s. Picked up a Double Chicken Breast in Pitta along with their delectable Peri Peri sauce with Garlic bread.

Poured myself a glass of the finest scotch the Black Dog Reserve on ice. The complex yet delicate 

aroma of sherry and vanillic sweetness with whispers of soft peatiness in the background was heady and I sipped it to a luxurious and exciting taste.

Then I bit into the Pitta. Yummy. The Peri peri sauce and the tender chicken with the salad played around with the after taste of the Black Dog without smothering its fine lingering taste.

Both, the Black Dog Reserve and the Pitta seemed to be made for each other as they lived and let live in the same space!

Way to Live in Style.

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.

Masala Dosas and Black Dog

Indian food is celebrated in London not only by Indians but by everyone who has had the opportunity of tasting this cuisine.

Last evening was the turn of the famous Masala Dosa. My wife and daughter created these mouth watering delicacies to perfection.

The dosas were tangy, crisp and the perfect snack in the wet weather to accompany my favorite Black Dog!

I shared the happiness of imbibing this fine scotch with the delicious masala dosas with my guests and they were thrilled!

The round and mellow complex quixotic flavours with an impeccable balance of individual malt and grain whiskies and silky soft tones that dance on the tongue were perfect in their marriage to the tangy coriander flavored masala dosa.

Yes, the Black Dog sure pairs off well with tangy Indian cuisine!

Great way to Live in Style.

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.

Tandoori Nights

While walking around Covent Garden, saw this Indian restaurant called Indian Tandoori Nights, something like the famed Arabian nights, I wondered. Thought of going in to check it out but it was full and I was in no mood to wait hence stepped out and fantasised about what Tandoori Nights could be like with my favorite scotch Black Dog to give me company.

And when it is Black Dog the evening is definitely royal.
So there I sat comfortably ensconced in my recliner chair with the bottle of liquid gold waiting to be sipped and relished!
I clapped twice and voila the chicken sheekh kebabs appeared.

Poured the scotch on rocks and took the first sip. Was heavenly!The matured wood aroma and the pronounced rich malt took the evening to another level.
The chicken sheekh kebab was the perfect accompaniment with the Cilantro chutney dip.
The Black Dog does pair very well with Tandoori food!

Am glad I tried it. You must too! An evening of the finest scotch, the Black Dog and Tandoori food does indeed make for incredible Tandoori Nights!

So guys Live in Style!

Cheers!

Drink Responsibly.

Celebrate in Style

Finally the day had arrived. The day to celebrate. The day for which we had come all the way from India with a precious bottle of Gold - The Black Dog Reserve. Let me just remind you why this scotch is so precious. As they say it is a little science, a little art and a snifter full of magic! Black Dog’s master blenders have used all their talents and wizardry to perfect this label. The Highland malts lend Black Dog 12 year old their dry character. The Speyside malts add their complexity and refined smoothness while the Islay whiskies contribute their typical peaty character and the Lowland malts bring in their full bodied sweet character. These are carefully married together in the time honoured art of blending so that the older whiskies dominate!
As the tag line says - Let the World Wait! 

It was time to bring out the cherished Black Dog to celebrate. And celebrate we did! As the amber liquid with golden highlights was sipped and relished, the warmth of the relationships were enhanced and a feeling of cheer spread into the room.

The Black Dog Reserve was the perfect accompaniment to the Paneer Kadai and the British national 

dish, the Chicken tikka masala.

Undoubtedly a great time was had by all, thanks to the wonderful food accompanied by the finest scotch - Black Dog.

Live in Style!

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.

Red Nose Day

Yesterday was Red Nose Day in U.K. Since the past twenty five years this is a day for a nationwide fundraising drive by making people laugh. Not necessarily by having comedy performances in the auditoriums but by wearing red noses on the streets like clowns.

The money thus collected is used to give shelter to young people living on the streets and protection to those living with domestic abuse in the United Kingdom. In Africa, your money saves thousands from malaria and provides whole communities with fresh water and life-saving vaccines. The red nose evidently symbolises the trade mark of a clown. So laugh, make people laugh! Bring on the smiles.

Bringing on the laughs has been turned into a fine art by Russell Peters with whom Black Dog has associated to bring laughter into the lives of millions who attend the  

Black Dog Comedy evenings. This a perfect combination - the finest Scotch with the finest stand up comic! So the next time you spot a Black Dog Comedy evening in your city - go for it!

This is what Living in Style is all about!

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.

Comedy evenings

While walking around Liverpool Street in London came across an intriguing pub called ‘Dirty Dicks’. I immediately googled it and found out that it is an historic pub which takes its name from the dirty warehouse on Leadenhall Street. It was established in 1745!

It is not just a place to drink but it hosts everything from live bands, comedy nights, plays, karaoke parties and all else in between!

This took me back home to Black Dog and its famous Comedy evenings! The Emmy-nominated Hollywood comedian Rob Schneider has been on a five-city tour in India as part of the third season of Black Dog Comedy Evenings. Schneider is the star of the Deuce Bigalow movies and an Adam Sandler collaborator. The 48-year-old made his Indian debut in Pune on Wednesday at the Black Dog Comedy Evenings Season and travelled to other cities. The shows were hosted by scotch brand Black Dog.

Check out the complete set of pictures of the evening here

These Black Dog Comedy evenings are becoming a very welcome event to destress these days in urban India. An evening where one can come and laugh at the world and at oneself!

Perfect way to Live in Style

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.

London Underground

The London Underground is amazing! It is tuned to the convenience of the user. Have never seen a more user friendly transport system than this.

The platforms are clean and so are the train compartments. There are counters at the stations to assist  the passengers in case of any difficulty faced. There are also these guys stationed at various places to assist you just in case you find yourself at a loss at reading the maps which are so conveniently placed all over the place.

As a tourist you have an option of either pay as you go or buying a weekly pass so depending on the amount of travel you intend to do, you can opt accordingly.

Paper Maps of the underground are placed at strategic areas from where you can pick up for your planning or just look up at the maps that are placed on the station walls. You just cannot go wrong unless you deliberately choose to. You might have to change trains twice to reach your destination, and you will without any hiccups. As a valued passenger you will be constantly updated on any delays and advised on alternate arrangements by the authorities.

We have been travelling for the past 3 days on the London Underground and it has not ceased to fascinate me with its operations!

It brings to mind the Black Dog – a scotch that never ceases to satisfy! Black Dog is very user friendly and is

available as a 12year old, an 18year old, a 21year old and the Centenary 8year old. All these will ensure your reputation is flying high! Black Dog is the perfect blend that values its consumer and never takes one for granted by offering different options for different occasions.

Black Dog helps you Live in Style like the London Underground!

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.

Covent Garden Market

Considering that the rains still wished to accompany us let me take you through the Covent Garden market. It is like a festival out there!

There was a juggler who put up a fantastic showing of his art and had a lot of people cheering him.

Then there was a row of food stalls to ensure no one would go hungry while shopping.

Just after the food stalls we came across an ‘Apple Market’ no not selling apples but hand made art!

A short walk ahead were aromas wafting of pies and paella!

There was an ancient pub at one end and a Pie shop at another. Sandwiched between the two was the paella

cafe! On a board separating the pub from the Paella cafe was a ‘Polite notice – No Paella allowed in the Pub area’!

All the gallivanting here got me ready to revel in the century old Black Dog that was waiting for me patiently 

at home. So went home, poured the golden liquid on ice and sipped it to relax my old weary bones. Ah, what a lovely end to the day! This is real living in style!

Visit Live in Style for more!

Cheers!

Drink responsibly.