Country : Scotland
Brand: The Famous Grouse
Type: Blended Whisky
Age: Unspecified
Alcohol: 40%
Tasting Date: 28/08/2011 + 06/09/2012
Colour: Golden
Nose: Full and (Bitter) Sweet. Malt, Grain, Floral Tones (Lavender), Young Oak, Honey and hints of Sherry and Smoke. Quite some things going on here which is a pleasant surprise. You will need to get around some Alcohol.
Taste: The delivery is light with Malt and Grains, Citrus, Wood,Vanilla Spice, a bit of Honey and a whiff of smoke.
Finish: A bit on the short side with some Toffee and Spices and somewhat disappointing after the promising nose. I detected a touch of bitterness (Sulphur and/or Refill Casks) that I could easily live without.
I added a few drops of water that revealed more Grain, Caramel and Sherry on the nose. It also brought some more Toffee to the finish and therefore I conclude that this blend accepts a few drops of water.
Rating: 76
Nose: 20 - Taste: 19 - Finish: 18 - Overall: 19
General Remarks: This blend contains Macallan and Highland Park single Malt along with other Grain- and Malt whiskies. It’s the best selling blend in Scotland. Because of all this I was really curious to taste the spirit. It's nothing special but quite drinkable.
Drinking Experience Neat : Good
Drinking Experience On The Rocks: Light but not bad.
Conclusion: A reasonably balanced blend with an attractive price tag. The nose is very interesting but taste and finish can't quite live up to that.
Jan van den Ende September 2012
