Lower East Side (40%, OB, 2018)

• Category: Blended malt scotch whisky
• Origin:  Various
• Bottling: The Borders Distillery, OB
• ABV: 40%
• Cost: ~£35

What they say

Lower East Side

Liberty – the freedom to do things your way – was the driving force of the Scottish Enlightenment and is the central tenet of the constitutions of the free world.

At the confluence of these champions of freedom is Lower East Side®: a smooth, easy-drinking Blended Malt Scotch Whisky of exceptional quality.

This is a whisky to drink your way, when you like it, how you like it.

You’ll find it in the most forward-thinking bars: free-poured over ice, stirred liberally into a Manhattan and openly mixing with the world’s greatest drinks to create stylish new cocktails.

To drink Lower East Side is to celebrate liberty. And there’s only one way to do this: your way

Official tasting notes:

The result is a smooth, harmonious blend of single malts, initially revealing notes of vanilla and almonds.  Round, supple and fruity, this delicious whisky also features a hint of honey and a mild, yet distinctive smokiness.  Together these attributes make for a fine characterful liquid, fit for enjoyment no matter where, when or how.

What I say

Bottled by The Borders Distillery, Lower East Side is a blended malt whisky aimed at the cocktail and bar scene (on trade). Produced to their own recipe this blended malt gives The Borders distillery something to play around with in terms of creating flavour profiles that they are aiming for their single malt whisky. Furthermore, this and their Blended Scotch Whisky range Clan Fraser allows them to establish products to sell in their distillery shop and also put out into bars and pubs around Hawick and the rest of the world, establishing their distribution network in preparation for their single malt whisky to come of age.

The cool Yellow-labelled bottle is equally inspired by New York’s Lower East Side as Scotland’s Lower East Side in the Borders!

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Full amber gold (10/20), medium tears leave medium-large legs.
• Nose: Sweet honey and ground almond marzipan are the predominant flavours there is plenty of malted barley cereal, vanilla, clean white floral and fruits and fresh white oak.
• Taste: Medium-light on the palate, the honey sweetness and almonds predominate the palate, freshly pressed clear apple juice with a twist of lemon and lime juices, some vanilla and sugary tablet, fresh white oak and blossom florality precede a pinch of cinnamon and white pepper spices and a wisp of smoke.
• Finish: Medium, honeyed fruits and gentle smokiness persist.

Overall

A very drinkable blended malt whisky, puts many entry-level ‘vanilla’ single malts to shame. A great balance and depth of marzipan/almonds and smoke pervades the honeyed barley malt and American oak maturation influences. Fresh and summery and ideal for drinking either neat or mixed.

Score 81/100

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