Haig Gold Label

Bottle number 5 from the batch of 12 blends I'm currently reviewing. Nose: Sherry and oak, slightly burnt brown sugar, dried fruit peel, raisins, sultanas, leather, pipe tobacco (unburnt). A little woody and earthy but very clean. A funky note that's hard to pin down but it's a very understated nose. Palate: Soft arrival, sweet but not dense or syrupy. Quite light in fact. Some malt and cereal notes - toasted grains and a hint of coconut, barley sugar and sweet juicy lemon. Finish: The developed palate flows into a sweet, soft finish with everything that has gone beforehand gracefully fading. No bitterness, no sour notes. The very faintest possible suggestion of smoke. This is a very understated old-fashioned style of blend that focuses on being smooth and easy to drink neat or with a dash of soda water. It will taste odd to most modern palates as contemporary blends, whether cheap or boutique, have stronger and more focused profiles. In comparison this seems vague, weak and poorly structured. The texture is lean and it's not a characterful blend. This is a whisky made for slow and constant sipping all afternoon while listening to the radio. It’s not meant to grab your attention or be challenging – quite the opposite. It’s the whisky equivalent of an old sweater you love wearing and can’t bear to part with even though it's tatty and out of fashion. It's in the same price band as Dewar's 12 year and cheaper malts like Glen Moray, and many people would understandably prefer those alternatives. It's certainly worth 2 stars, but I have something of a fondness for it so I'm ramping it up a little bit to 2.5. “Average” : 77/100 (2.5 stars)

My mom gave me this bottle. Being bottled in '79, she had it in the cupboard for almost 38 (!) years. Since I got into whisky lately, she thought I might like checking it out. It had been opened for exactly one time, but hadn't been touched ever since. Surprisingly the quality didn't seem to have suffered, but damn... 38 years... why doesn't whisky age in the bottle... :) I taste some peanut and raisins, and some mild peppery notes. The finish seems to reveal some idea of almonds and coconut and lingers long enough. Al considered, not bad at all, but not as good as I anticipated. Bottle will get empty over time though :).