Cutty Sark

After hearing good things about this blend I decided to give it a try. It’s a cheap blend from Edrington Group (even though they sold it recently I think this bottle is still from that era), but so is Famous Grouse and I really enjoyed that one, so why not drop the $20 and give it a go? Bottled at 40% ABV and chill filtered, but is a natural color of pale straw. The nose is intensely sweet up front. It’s almost completely dominated by ripe green pears, very sugary sweet. Also some white grape/peach juice and a very light coconut and pineapple. A floral note, perhaps apple blossoms. Salty, slightly biscuity with a very light lemon and honey. Ashy and wood smoke, but not your typical peaty profile. The palate is intense for 40%, but most of that is a young peppery grain harshness. More of those ripe pears...piles of them. Peach, apricot, salty and sour. Not much after that. Light to medium bodied, thin but creamy, mouthwatering. The finish is short with grain alcohol, pears and salt. I have to admit, I had a hard time trying to pull nosing notes out of this one. The pears were so dominant for me that I missed a lot. I had to check other reviews to get my bearings. The palate was a little more straightforward. Either way, this is not a whisky for sipping neat. It does, however, get masked by cola very well. I mixed Pepsi with this (about 3:1 pop to whisky) and there was hardly any alcoholic presence. For the money, which is forgivably low, I’d rather buy a bottle of Famous Grouse. At least with that you get a hint of Macallan and Highland Park. Will not buy again unless it’s to be specifically used as a mixer. Cheers

Very rough, best mixed, powerful afterbite

It is what it is

An incredible value, and a terrific gateway Scotch for the squeamish. Deceptively smooth. I'll be keeping this on my shelf. Neat: Saltwater taffy, brine that is somehow reminiscent of soy sauce. Metallic astringency. Some definite buttered popcorn business happening. With a droplet: the salt remains, but the peat becomes more mossy and boggy. The toffee and sugary malts bloom. The burn wafts away.