A combination of spirits distilled at more than one distillery in Scotland
The Exceptional Blend 1st Edition whisky review: A heavily-sherry influenced blend which may draw more from the casks than it does its component parts, I guess as with any blend it is hard to tell. Very well put together, a lot lighter and more summer fruits on the palate than the nose suggests which is a pleasant surprise. Very drinkable. 81/100
The Lost Distilleries Blend Batch 11 whisky review: A lovely blend that smacks of aged stock and I wouldn’t have been surprised if this was blended (or even single) malt. Quite a complex dram but that is unsurprising considering choice of components has been arrived at by availability and status (i.e. closed distillery). Perhaps a little zesty and spirity in places but here this adds character whereas other blends would smooth this out and diminish the tasting experience (in my opinion). 88/100
Grant’s Triple Wood Smoky Blended Scotch whisky review: A delightful little blend that opens on the nose with a definite peat and smoke. I’m sure this will frighten a few people off but the palate in contrast is just full of fruit and dark sugars, the smoke doesn’t really appear until much later. I’m definitely going to use this one in blind tastings as it really plays with the perceptions. Really rather fun! 80/100
Grant’s Rum Cask Finish blended Scotch whisky review: A little sweeter than the Triple Wood. My fear was I really haven’t been enjoying Rum-cask finished whiskies of late, but this one is a slight improvement over the entry-level blend. Perhaps it has polished that grain whisky edge off a little?
Grant’s Triple Wood blended scotch whisky review: A little grainy but decent flavours for an entry-level blend. Enough in here to stand up to mixing this into a long drink. 70/100
Bank Note 5 Years Old blended Scotch whisky review: A pleasant blended scotch whisky, while the grain component is evident the end result is surprisingly rounded and drinkable considering the youngest element in this blend is 5 years old. Some nice cask char and spice elements present too. 76/100
Lower East Side blended malt whisky review: 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. 81/100
Rock Oyster Cask Strength Batch 2 whisky review: A powerful addition or alternative to the standard Rock Oyster blend well worth a try. 85/100
Rock Oyster 18 Years Old whisky review: At the time of tasting I found it hard to separate this in preference from the power of the standard blend. With time, both maturation and time in the glass and on the palate, this 18 year old edition reveals more subtleties and complexity and so now just pips the standard by a point in my book. For the price differential however it is hard to pass by the standard Rock Oyster blend. 86/100
Rock Oyster whisky review: On revisit I’m still very impressed with this Island blend from Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts range of blended malt whisky. If anything this sample seemed a little smoother and more tame with a twist of some sharper citric elements added into it which works really well with the salt and smoke. 85/100
The Whiskyphiles 