Clan MacGregor Blended Scotch Whisky

It's decent for the price, if you know what I mean. Lemony pledge, in a not-so-bad sorta way.

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.

I’ll be blunt and honest here. I don’t know how to rate this whiskey. Overall it’s not amazing. Basic notes you’d expect from a blended scotch. Has some peat to it. But this whiskey is $15. For that price range, its 5 stars. I think every scotch lover should have a bottle of this on hand at all times because it is very decent for such a low price. If you’ve had a few Ardbegs or Laphroaigs and let’s be honest, your palette is pretty tapped out for the night, this is a great budget whiskey to break out and finish off the night with. It’s not going to offer a rich complex experience, but it’ll do the job of a scotch

Very sweet basic blend that acts like it's going to bite but then backs off. I'd give this 3 stars if it was either more complex or was a single malt.