Old Parr 12 Year

This is one of the coolest and most unique bottles out there -- in fact, it looks more like a tequila bottle than a scotch one. It calls to mind a turtle shell, a coconut or cantaloupe, or even a grenade. I have no idea who came up with it, but I appreciate that it's easy to recognize even on a distant bar shelf. To its credit, there is no noticeable grain alcohol note on the nose, which is not always easy for a blend to pull off given that grain scotches tend to have that young spirit smell for longer than malt scotches. The nose has an almost inky quality, and screams Speyside: apple, sherry or Cabernet Sauvignon dark fruits, malt, hazelnut or chestnut, some balsamic vinegar, and spice. At first sip, this scotch is quite sweet, and the sherry emerges as candied fruit and raisins, almost chewy in texture despite only being 40%. The cereal sweetness adds a slight variation to that theme. That nuttiness remains noticeable, although it's a little more almond-like on the palate, and there's some spice in the mix as well. It's a classic sherried scotch profile, and smooth as butter. I get a medium-length finish with a touch of bitterness, a hint of smoke (although not a peaty smoke), and a lingering tart sweetness. It's not too unique, but it's good work on the part of the blenders. Honestly, if I didn't know it was a blend, I'd just assume it was from one of the standard sherry-aging Speyside distilleries. If this were a single malt and I'd paid $60 for it, it would be a 3-star review on this site. But in fact it's an inexpensive blend in the $35-40 range. Considering the value one gets, and in the holiday spirit, I'll round this guy up to 4 stars here. It'd be an 85-88 in my book by Distiller's rating system. Random note -- doesn't the name GOP render this a tailor-made gift for the conservatives in your life?

Very smooth.

First whiff and taste is herbal. Then the complexity unfolds. A sophisticated blended whiskey. Good value.