Whyte & Mackay Light (21.5%, OB, 2019)

By Barry Bradford on December 5, 2019 • ( 1 Comment )

Whyte & Mackay Light

Whisky Review

ABV: 21.5%
Age: NAS
Bottling: Whyte & Mackay, OB
Category: Spirit drink
Cost: £10
Origin: undisclosed
Vintage: undeclared

What they say

A lighter spirit drinker from Scotland, made from Scotch whisky married with Sherry. Crafted by the expert distillers at Whyte & Mackay, this spirit drink has been enriched by sweet Sherry casks and freshly emptied Bourbon barrels.

Official tasting notes:

Smooth with a subtle hint of smoke. Perfect straight, over ice, or with your favourite mixer.

What I say

Starter dram for the 2019 #WhyteChristmas twitter tasting from Whyte & Mackay and hosted by Steve @thewhiskywire was this reduced ABV spirit drink. A move into the “whisky light” realm of circa 20% ABV similar to fortified wines such as Port, Sherry or Liqueurs including both whisky and gin based drinks. This fits into a similar category as the latter, a lower alcohol spirit for use in cocktails, punch or with mixers. Perhaps an introductory drink for those perhaps wanting to explore the world of whisky without starting at 40% ABV?

My tasting notes:

Appearance: Full amber gold (10/20), large, watery tears and thick legs
Nose: Butterscotch and honey, some soft fruits, apple, pear, orange, caramel and toffee with time some chocolate covered raisin and sweet peat smoke.
Taste: Light, watery honey, touch of smoke and chocolate covered peanut and raisins
Finish: Medium-short, smoke and sweet

Overall

Great nose, a little watered down thereafter and that complexity really doesn’t come through on the palate which is a real shame as this smells amazing!