Tastes

I’m leaving this one unrated for now as I want to give it a couple tastes since it is my first quarter cask scotch!

Faint nose. Immediate mouth is thin, light. A bit sweet. Remarkable how this one has virtually no distinct flavors on its arrival in the mouth. Not complex. Settles on the tongue with warmth and a little bit of smoke. This finish is very long. I bought this for $39. In that price category, there isn’t much competition. Aberfeldy 12 year sells for the same price here—I think Aberfeldy has an edge over this.

Enjoyable. Not surprising considering I’m a fan of all things Wild Turkey. The profile is not like most 10 year old bourbons, though. I expected a bit more complexity and richness. This bottle is surprisingly tame—maybe because it’s proofed down to 90. I love the powerful cherry on the nose and palate coupled with caramel and light spice. The profile is very similar to Evan Williams Single Barrel. Good stuff.

Almost nothing on the nose. Not much happening on the initial taste, either. It’s light and thin in the mouth. Warm honey lingers afterward. Dewars White Label and The Famous Grouse are better choices for a similar price point.

I keep this one around. I often mix it with Clan Macgregor. Don’t judge me until you try it.

I’m not going to elaborate on this one because there’s just not a lot to say. Perhaps it could be summed up simply by saying this whiskey tastes watered down straight out of the bottle. Even for a valued priced scotch, I would not spend the money again on this.

I tried this whiskey as part of my budget Scotch adventure. I’m looking for value-priced Scotches that stand out in the crowd. I want to find one or two that I can keep on hand that don’t break the budget. On the nose, this one doesn’t have much to offer—basically acetone. A thin whiskey in the mouth with a touch of oak, burn, and brine. The finish might be the highlight: warm honey. This is the second budget scotch I’ve ever had. The first was The Famous Grouse, which I forgot to review despite going through two bottles. Clan is priced (in my area) a full $10 less than Grouse, which definitely forces one to consider it a contender. I mean, $14 for a bottle of scotch! Wow! After three nights of sipping on this whisky, I’d say it’s not the worst I’ve tasted. I’ve had Speyside varieties that I have enjoyed less. Here’s the kicker with Clan, though: When you add a touch of water (as was advised by the good fellows at the Whiskey Vault), this whisky comes alive. After that, this tastes like something I can keep around. Looking forward to see where the budget scotch adventure takes me next. On to The Famous Grouse for a full review.

There is almost no smoke. Mostly a light, nectar sweet scotch. I would not get this again.