Grant's 12 Year

Nose: Malt and honey, a touch of sherry and dried fruit, mild baking spices (nutmeg, caraway), a hint of orange, some vanilla and a tinge of oak. No obvious grain smell at all. The nose is a little shy and light, but it's really nice. Palate: Soft, smooth, velvety arrival. Nutty and malty milk chocolate, some light toffee, pannacotta. A delightful creamy texture. It's not a complex palate, but what is there is good. Finish: Short. The vanilla and chocolate notes stick around for a while before dissolving into a light honeyed finish. No sign whatsoever of sourness or metallic bitterness. I picked this up today at a local liquor store on a whim. I didn't know that Grant's made a 12 year old blend, and subsequent research has found that it is now discontinued. It's a pity because this could otherwise become a favourite affordable blended scotch. I've already decided to reserve this for sipping when I feel like something comforting and easy. Very nicely balanced, it's a soft and gently honeyed whisky that is frighteningly easy to drink. It reminds me of Grand Old Parr, Haig Gold and Dewar's 15 year - yes, it's another old-time blend that grandpa would have loved. There is no bite whatsoever on this - it is the model of an easy drinking spirit. It bears no resemblance whatsoever to either standard Grant's or Grant's Family Reserve, being light years ahead of either of those. The bottle has one of those plastic pouring gizmos that you find on many TRE spirit bottles so I'm guessing that it was normally only available duty free in Australia but some made its way into our retail system. It was the only bottle in the shop today, unfortunately. If they'd had more I'd go back and buy the rest. Apparently this contains 15-20 malt and grain whiskies in a 50:50 malt-to-grain ratio, and features Balvanie, Glenfiddich and Kinivie malts. The individual components are matured for 12 years before being married in first-fill bourbon casks for another 6 months. This final finishing is what imparts the velvety texture. I have a feeling that this is/was only available in Europe, Australasia and South America. If you do happen upon a bottle I'd recommend giving it a try - it's surprisingly good for a Grant's blended scotch and I'm rating it at the top of the "Average" band. "Average" : 79/100 (2.75 stars)