Clan MacGregor Review


Country: Scotland
Brand: Clan MacGregor
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS (probably 3 Years)
Alcohol: 40%

Colour: Golden Sunlight  

Nose: Light. I get lots of Grain and slightly Sharp Alcohol, the usual suspects in a Bottom Shelf Blended Scotch. I also find a little Grass and Straw, Dried Fruit, Toasted Nuts, Young Green Branches, Brown Sugar, light Spices, a touch of Honey and some Caramel. When nosing the empty glass later on I was quite surprised to find Floral Tones and a bit of Fruit (Peach or Apricot).

Palate: Watery, Sugary Sweet and Hot with Grains, young Oak, Nut Shells, Pine, Grass, Dried Fruit, Toffee, light Vanilla and Pepper.

Finish: Short, Sweet and Hot with Grains, Sugar, light Oak, Toffee and Pepper.

With a bit of Water, the Alcohol retreats somewhat on the Nose. On the Palate I get a bit of Dried Apricot as well. But the Blend becomes too Thin and starts to smell and taste like a flavoured Vodka.

Rating: 70

Nose: 18 – Taste: 17.5 – Finish: 17 – Overall: 17.5


General Remarks: According to the packaging, the real life Clan MacGregor has a renowned history dating back to the 14th Century. The bottle includes The Lion's Head, the personal crest of the 24th Clan Chief , Sir Gregor MacGregor. This Whisky is blended and bottled by Alexander MacGregor & Company of Glasgow. It is a Blend of 15 Malt Whiskies and selected Grain Whiskies. It is said that the Kininvie Distillery, located in the backyard of The Balvenie, is the main Malt used in Clan MacGregor. This Blend is very cheap. Prices vary between 15 and 20 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average

Drinking Experience On The Rocks: Thin but Drinkable. If you want, you could consider giving it a bit of a face lift by mixing in a Smoky Blend like JW Black.

Conclusion: The Clan MacGregor Blend does not give us many interesting Aromas and Flavours. No irritating off-notes as well. The Nose is quite acceptable given the low price and it's a pity that the Fruity Speyside tones I found when I nosed the empty glass are overpowered by the other Aromas when your glass is filled. But on the Palate and in the Short Finish the Clan MacGregor underperforms. It's basically a Watery mixture of Grain, Sugar and Pepper. I've said it before and I will say it again. At this price level it's better to drink a Standard Bourbon.  

Jan van den Ende                                                               January 27, 2014

87 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love it, my grandaddy was from Scotland and he got me hooked on it. I really don't care for American whisky. I think its all a matter of taste and if you like it or not.

Jan van den Ende said...

Thanks For Commenting! A pity you didn't leave your name. You're quite right of course. It's always a matter of taste. And taste is a very personal thing. In my opinon though it's hard to find a decent quality Scotch at this price level. I think that Bourbons offer more quality at this specific price level. But, like you say, there are many people who find Bourbon too sweet or otherwise don't care for that flavour profile. Cheers, Jan.

Anonymous said...

This is now on sale with coupon at Smart / Final for 12.99 for 1.75 liter here in Vegas...I would rather drink a peat infused Islay single malt, but with our budget that would come out to about one dram per week...Since between us we drink about 8 drams an evening this purchase is a no brainer, especially since this blend is either used in a cocktail or with a single ice cube added...Since there is no Lotto here we likely will be drinking this for years to come...Cheers

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi there, thanks for commenting! A pity you didnt leave your name! I agree with you that price is of course aways an issue to be considered. You might want to follow my suggestion one day and mix in a bit of for instance JW Black. It improves quickly this way. How about starting you own Lotto over there? Cheers, Jan.

Anonymous said...

If a bail of hay could fart, this is what it would taste like. All kidding aside, this is my favorite of the bottom shelf. I keep it on hand while I wait to have extra money for a nicer scotch. Also, doesn't bother me if the wife wants to mix it with cola or use it to clean something.

Jan van den Ende said...

LOL, fortunately they don't! Thanks for commenting. Next time please leave your name! LIke I said above, you might want to try to mix Clan MacGregor (3 parts) with some Malt whisky or a good blend like JW Black (1 part). It really improves quickly that way! Cheers!
Jan

Unknown said...

Thanks for the idea to mix with JW black. I'll give it a try. I prefer Single malt scotch but am
Looking for something with the smokey flavor easier on the wallet.

Jan van den Ende said...

Thanks for commenting Emily. I also prefer single malt but with today's prices it's becoming very difficult. If you like smoky whisky you could also try to buy for instance an Ardbeg 10 Years and add a little (1/5) to a smoky Blend like JW Black or Black Grouse. It works well! Cheers, Jan.

t-bolts said...

How do I reach clan Macgregor I hav a great commercial for them
James Macgregor

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi James, I'm afraid I don't know. I googled Alexander MacGregor & Co Ltd in Glasgow but nothing pops up. You probably did that as well. I will keep on looking and if I find something I will let you know here.
Cheers!
Jan

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi James, from a colleague who knows the Whisky Business very well I learned that the Clan MacGregor is in fact produced by William Grant & Sons. You can contact them via e-mail at: press@wgrant.com
Cheers and Good Luck!
Jan

t-bolts said...

Hi jam appreciate your help I emailed clan Macgregor so we'll see what they say I'll keep you posted

Jan van den Ende said...

You're welcome James! I'm curious indeed so please keep me posted!
Cheers!
Jan

Unknown said...

good headache better hangover

Jan van den Ende said...

Hey Tomas, Better Luck Next Bottle!
Cheers,
Jan

R.G.ACOSTA M. said...

i spotted clan mcgregor for 100 pesos ,about 6 u.s. dollars ,at a walmart in juarez mexico,thanks for the review,i will be picking some up and tryig it this weekend.i hope ice and ginger ale are enough.

Anonymous said...

About to open and taste first time. Amazing price. Nice web site and blog. I will let you know. On the rocks. Ben Witzig

Anonymous said...

When you haven't had a scotch in years, the first impression is very nostalgic. Authenitic comes to mind. I would have to have a single malt, a top shelf and another, maybe Dewars or such at same time to compare. I intend to use with Dram Buie... Rusty Nail for holidays, one of my favorites. Should be more than adequate.

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Ben, Thanks for commenting and for your kind words.Look forward to hear your opinion! Cheers!
Jan

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi, 6 Dollars is really nothing! In Brazil it easily costs 35 Dollars. At 6 Dollars you can't go wrong when you mix it!
Cheers and Have a Great Weekend!
Jan

tj said...

why do some bottles have black lids and some have red lids?

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi TJ, thanks for commenting. I honestly don't know. Here in Brazil I have only seen the black lids. But as far as I know it's the same whisky.
Cheers!
Jan

Anonymous said...

Hello Jan What would you say is the best Scotch blended under $ 30 Thanks

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi there! A pity you didn't leave your name! It's difficult to say because I don't know where you live and prices vary a lot around the world. But there's a post on my blog called: Complete Ranking of Reviewed Whiskies. Did you get a chance to look at that? I still believe that the JW Black has the best price/quality ratio but I suppose it's a bit more expensive.Under 30 US Dollars you can't expect Whisky Paradise especially in today's booming market. Another option is Jameson from Ireland that also has a good P/Q ratio. In general, at this price level you're better of with Bourbon than with Scotch! Hope this helps!
Cheers!
Jan

Bob burkhammer said...

I actually enjoy this scotch. For my friends that dont enjoy the edge it brings i add either 100% grape juice or a cranberry apple juice mix which rather bring a burtsing flavor to the pallet. I'm a jw blue drinker but since times have came rather tough as of late i had to back down to a cheaper alternative and find this as well as jamison to be my go to picks. Hope the juice add helps some of you

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Bob, thanks for your reaction and the tip! All cheaper Blends including the Clan McGregor are better enjoyed over ice or in the mix than neat. Still, I think that at this price level Bourbon is the better alternative!'
Cheers!
Jan

Bob burkhammer said...

I agree. I enjoy Evan williams as a nice bottom shelf bourbon. There's plenty of alternatives out there for the budget drinker it all falls on taste prefrence

Jan van den Ende said...

Yep Bob! I will review Bulleit in the next few weeks. Look out for it! Cheers!
Jan.

Anonymous said...

Going to give this a try in a few days: it's on offer here in Bulgaria from April 1st at the equivalent of USD5.70. At that price point, it has to be worth buying a few bottles! Kostas

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Kostas, thanks for commenting. I suppose you mean US$ 7? Because 70 Dollars would be paying way too much for this Blend. At 7 US Dollars however, you can't go wrong!
Cheers!
Jan

Unknown said...

Awsome drink ever

Jan van den Ende said...

Thanks for your opinion Harrison! If you like this Blend try out a Single Malt like Ardbeg 10 or Laphroaig 10 is you ever get the chance. You will like it a lot!
Cheers!
Jan

Unknown said...

It's rare to find good blend with affordable price in a conservative country. Royal is my race... thumbs up..

Anonymous said...

good review I have been drinking Grants for many years I just bought a bottle of clan MacGregor. I love grants, for the price it is up there with the best, but the price is becoming the problem. At the store that I bought the clan
Macgregor at, there was a $2.00 off coupon for either Clan or grants. I'm wondering if their is some sort of colaberation going on.

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Jayant, thanks for commenting! Sorry for my late reply but I am traveling at the moment! I think it´s rare to find a good blend at an affordable price in any country! I still think JW Black has the best price-quality ratio of all standard blends but it´s not really cheap unfortunately!Cheers!
Jan

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi there, thanks for your comments and kind words! Please leave your name next time!I have not heard of any collaboration between these two blends but your guess is as good as mine! The price of all whisky is going up unfortunately and it´s no wonder people start looking for alternatives like Bourbon, Rum or Vodka. Cheers!
Jan

Mark said...

Fine review, Jan & I would agree this bottom shelf blend does nothing exceptional, - but - it also does nothing offensive.
Call it the Toyota Corolla of Scotch maybe?
Factor in the cheap cost & it makes for a perfectly serviceable scotch & soda. There's a time & place for single malts & August in Ohio is neither.

While I'd prefer a couple fingers of Talisker or Highland Park or Monkey Shoulder for that matter, when it's hot & humid, I enjoy a Scotch & Soda as much as any drink. Grants is my go to for this, but the local booze monger was out. I picked this up on a whim & am glad I did.

Happy drinking!

Mark in Ohio

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Mark, thanks for your kind comment. Sorry for the late reply but I was traveling (and drinking beer) in Europe! I agree with you that there's nothing offensive about this Blend. And it surely is cheap in most places. I understand your climatic issues as well. I have the same challenge here in Brazil. Still, I prefer a good standard Bourbon on the rocks when it's hot! Or a Caipirinha for that matter! Cheers Mark!

Sally said...

Hi Jan, just tied this Scotch with a club Soda, its really a light drink as well as light on color. It was a gift but I thought it had been watered down. Its a good drink for those trying scotch the first time. But I wouldnt drink it on the rocks. Maria

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Maria, thanks for commenting! I have to admit I never tried that combination. I'm used to drinking my Single Malts neat and most of the blends on the rocks. For people starting to drink whisky I would usually advice to begin the adventure with a nice simple Speyside Malt like the Glenlivet or something similar. Have a Great Weekend!
Cheers!
Jan

Anonymous said...

For many years are a great drink,but in the last eight month change label and test.Rigth know test more then alcohol with a fake test.Sorry,but this is my opinion ,after use this drink for over 14 years.

Jan van den Ende said...

Thanks for commenting! Please leave your name next time around! It's a very basic blend that does not have much to offer. I must admit I only tasted more recent bottles. Based on those, I agree with you! Cheers, Jan.

Unknown said...

I like it very much! Best of the bottom shelf. Like it straight and room temperature!

Hehehehdhesh said...

Though american whiskey was brewed and created by scotts irish immigrants back in the day! never forget our history

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi there, please leave your name next time when commenting. I'm really sorry about the extremely late reaction but I failed to notice that Google stopped advising whenever a comment is made! I'm glad you like the Clan MacGregor. I really hope you will have the opportunity to try an Islay Single Malt sometimes. You will love it!! Cheers, Jan.

Unknown said...

Me voy a escribir en español. Pues soy brasileño y mismo que hable en inglés, me siento más confortable en hablar en español. El whisky es muy agradable, tiene el sabor de un bueno escocés. Para chupar todo el día. Bueno sabor.

Anonymous said...

Que recomiendan para un principiante en whisky algo no muy seco y fuerte pedro

henry said...

hi yall im from australia & have returned from LA, though i havent tried this scotch yet i will admit that the price was pretty awesome for a 1.75litre of it
shame we dont have it here in australia even though we should
cant w8 2 try it

Jan van den Ende said...

Ola Estevao, muito obrigado pelo comentario. Que bom que voce gostou! Acho que vai gostar ainda mais se voce mistura 3/4 Clan MacGregor com 1/4 Johnnie Walker Black Label! Saludos!
Jan.

Jan van den Ende said...

Ola Pedro, desculpe a demora mas estava viajando. Para comecar apreciar Single Malts, Glenfiddich 12, Glenlivet 12 e Balvenie Double Wood sao boas opcoes. Cheers!
Jan.

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Henry, sorry for my late reply but I was traveling! The Clan MacGregor has a very reasonable Price/Quality ratio but it remains a quite thin on the palate in my opinion. You can remedy that by adding say 25% of for instance Johnnie Walker Black. Cheers!
Jan.

Unknown said...

I have enjoyed this scotch, over icefor the past year and find it to be on par with more xpensive brands if not better than. Here in Panama, it has dissappeared in local stores, my store owner commonly sold it to customers by the case, she said she has called distributor and it is no longer available here. Can't you make more?
saludos,
Marshall McMurray

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Marshall, It's still available in Brazil as we speak. I have just checked the Clan MacGregor website and Panama is mentioned as one of the key markets. So I'm pretty sure it will reappear. Maybe you could leave a question at their website. Cheers and thanks for commenting!
Jan

Chandrashekar H said...

Very smooth . Liked it. No hangovers.Feel refreshing next day

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Chandrashekar, thanks for commenting! Glad you liked it! Cheers, Jan.

Unknown said...

Hi. Just wondering if Clan Mac Gregor is for sale anywhere in South Africa...I am born Mc Gregor, however our family crest is the exact same as on the bottle. I have no definitive info that states my family are direct descendants, but its still cool to think of it being a possibility!! I am trying to find a place here that sells Clan Mac Gregor in South Africa, but just can't seem to find it anywhere. I would love to try it at some stage...And what are your thoughts on the 1980 (my birth year) blend? And why do some bottles have a completely different crest on them? Is there a difference?
Many Thanx!!!
Kim Mc Gregor.

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Kim, thanks for your comment. Very nice story. Would be great if you could find out if your family is related to the Clan Mac Gregor. As far as your questions go I really don't know if it's for sale in South-Africa and I also can't tell you anything about the different crests apart from the fact that there might have been some packaging changes over time or perhaps some fraudulent bottles. But here's an e-mail address that should be able to help you with these questions: clan.macgregor@wgrant.com
The Blends of the 1980's, even the cheaper ones, have generally speaking better quality because of the fact that better casks were available to the Blending industry as Whisky demand wasn't so booming as today. Nevertheless, don't expect miracles as well because it is what it is, a Blended Whisky with around 70% of neutral Grain Whisky. Can't expect tons of flavours and Aromas. Good luck with your quest!
Kind Regard and Cheers!
Jan

Anonymous said...

As an avid scotch drinker i would recommend this blended. The price and also the smoothness are sure-fire winners across the board, a few cubes of ice and even a dash of lemonade are my preferred ways of consuming it. Good review and i agree the price of anything enjoyable has risen exponentially worldwide.

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi there, thanks for commenting! A pity you didn't leave your name! Thanks for your kind words! And yes, prices have gone through the roof these days! Can't say the same about quality in general I'm afraid! Let's hope that supply and demand will be more balanced in the future!
Cheers!
Jan

Jim Smith said...

Johnnie walker black is not good scotch ,get youself a fifth of ardbeg 10 ,and a fifth vitali vodka mix equal parts in a large decanter.you will never buy jwb again

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Jim, thanks for commenting. I never tried your suggestion but it looks interesting enough. I do not agree with you on JW Black. It's still the JW blend with the best price/quality ratio. Of course we should not compare a Blend to a Single Malt. The grain alcohol simply gives a Blend a different character. Cheers!
Jan

(PS): I didn't post your other comment. You don't have to agree with me of course but there are different ways to express that!

Jim Smith said...

Its no problem jan , i must have ended up with a sour batch of jw.peace

Jan van den Ende said...

No hard feelings whatsoever Jim.
Cheers!
Jan

Jim Smith said...

Scoresby is not bad budget whisky , i will try CLAN soon

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Jim, I haven't tried Scoresby as yet. In fact I never saw it here in Brazil. Cheers and a nice weekend!
Jan

Jim Smith said...

Greetings from California. ok guys spend a little more and get ballintines... Clan has no scotch flavor....

Jim Smith said...

Ok i just got 1.75 walmart. ..let me finish in a week

Jim Smith said...

Hi jan , just purchase laphroaig 10 and a large vodka....mix togather .....never again will you have to drink .. CLAN MCGREGOR......cheers jan calliforna....lol

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Jim, thanks for your comments and sorry for the late reply. I was traveling in the interior. To be honest I'm not a big fan of the Ballantine's Finest but I like the 12 Years. Good P/Q ratio. I'm a fan of the Laphroaig 10 years. I don't think I would add Vodka (LOL) Cheers, Jan.

Unknown said...

yes
Jan the MacGregor is not bad.lord its only $16.99 u.s. ,peace dear.

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi there, thanks for commenting. Please leave your name next time. At US$ 17 you can't go wrong of course! Cheers, Jan.

Anonymous said...

This was actually the first Scotch I ever drank. I really liked it. My spouse even liked it and they don't ordinarily like most whiskey. I have had several of the American whiskeys. Our favorite is an American bourbon whiskey (not JD) that usually costs more than twice what this does, so we really don't buy it often. MacGregor is usually our whiskey of choice just because of the price and the fact that it has been smoother than most other whiskey.

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi there, thanks for your comment. Please leave your name next time around. Sorry for the late reply but I was traveling. MacGregor is usually quite cheap and that makes it a very easy day-to-day whisky of choice. But I stick with a standard Bourbon at this price level! Cheers, Jan.

Human67942 said...

I first discovered this drink years ago when I walked into a liquor store not really knowing what I wanted. I did know that I was low on cash and was going to be facing a very bad day. The owner of this store was an angry Scottish (I didn't know this at the time) and hit me in the head with a medium sized bottle. $8 later I am walking briskly away with this bottle in my inside coat pocket. Once I got to work the bad day started and a short while later I took my first sip. Not bad was my thought. After dealing with, correcting, and smoothing 4-5 issues later I found I was quite pleased with this scotch. Clan McGregor is now my go to for a relaxing drink at the end of my day or at a small get together (although I mix it with cola now). For straight or on the rocks I do prefer a good brandy.

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi there, thanks for your comment. Please leave your name next time around. Thanks for the great story! And I agree with you, Clan is more for mixing than sipping! Cheers, Jan.

Unknown said...

I believe that the taste is in the pallet of the taster. I like clan McGregor and I'm sorry that it has such a low rating in the whole wide world of scotch.

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi there, thanks for your comment. Please leave your name next time around. You are absolutely right of course. And good for you that you like McGregor. When writing reviews I can only give my own honest opinion. Whether you like a whisky or not is highly personal. I do believe however that after having reviewed more than 900 whiskies and having tasted many more I can detect the difference between an excellent, a good, a mediocre or a bad whisky quality wise.
Cheers!
Jan

Indiana Mike said...

I just bought clan mcgregor at Walmart today for $16.98. I thought that was a good price here in Indianapolis, Indiana. I agree it is quite good. as a mixer, I like diet 7-up with a healthy shot of clan mcg on the rocks. Cheers!

Kdbm said...

Clan MacGregor it's the best whisky it's available all over India now if u compare with Red label i will suggest this one. With price and taste good

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Mike, thanks for commenting. I'm awfully sorry for the late reply but I was out of the country for over 3 months. Glad I'm back and ready to roll! McGregor certainly qualifies as a mixing whisky and even more so if you can get it at a reasonable price. It's not quite good enough as a sipping whisky though IMHO. Cheers my friend, Jan.

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Kdbm, thanks for commenting. I'm not sure that I agree with you that Clan McGregor is the best whisky around but it's agreeably priced and a bit better than JW Red. Cheers, Jan.

Anonymous said...

I liked, it has some personality. Above average.

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi there, thanks for your comment. Please leave your (first) name next time around to make it more personal. Like I said before, it's agreeably priced and a bit better than JW Red. Not good enough as a sipping Whisky though. Cheers, Jan.🥃

Wade said...

Very weak flavor, Landers is much more flavorful, 2 stars at best. Found out about scotch at a resort with Red Label, Lauders tastes the exact same for a better price.

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Wade, thanks for commenting. Weak flavor is the problem of many (relatively) cheap Blends as they contain for around 70% of Flavorless Alcohol. The rest is mostly very young (3-5 Years) Single Malt that matured in 3rd or 4th Refill casks. My to-go-to Blend remains JW Black Label. Cheers, Jan.🥃

William N. Wetherby said...

This is the worst shit I have ever tasted. To call this "Scotch" is an insult. I have been drinking Scotch Whisky since I was 12 years old and I know whereof I speak. I was raised in Scotland and me mother was a Wallace. This "Scotch" only cost $8.99. What would one expect?! To say that one tastes or smells fruit or nuts is speaking out of their arse. It's made from GRAIN, ye dumass cocksuckers.

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi William, thanks for commenting. Nosing and Tasting is always a very personal thing of course. But it's one of the lowest scores I have given to a blended whisky so I basically agree with you. I found the nose to be slightly better than most of its peers though. Cheers 🥃
Jan