Country: Scotland
Brand: King Edward I
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS
ABV: 40 %
Date: 25/03/2013
Colour: Dark Reddish Amber. It's one of the darkest whiskies I've tasted so far.
Nose: Not unpleasant but a bit Musty, slightly Metallic and Inexpressive. Cereals, Oak, Demerara Sugar, chopped Walnuts and Dried Fruits like Apple, Apricot, Currants and Raisins are the main components. I also get hints of Old Leather Upholstery, Honey, Sherry, Heather and other Floral - and Earthy Tones. I wouldn't be surprised if this Blend would contain some Central Highland - and Speyside Malts and perhaps a sprinkle of Islay. Good balance between Malt and Grain.
Palate: Quite Thin with Grain, Malt, Orange and Lemon Peel, Earth, Pepper, Nutmeg and Cloves. Not much of interest going on here.
Finish: Middle-Long with some Fruit, Licorice, slightly Bitter Oak, Honey and light Spices like Pepper, Ginger and Nutmeg.
With some Water, the Fruity tones on the Nose become clearer and the Grains withdraw a bit. The Palate and Finish become more smooth although naturally a bit watered down. But despite the low ABV you can experiment with a few drops of Water.
Rating: 78
Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 19 - Finish: 19 - Overall: 19.5
The King Edward I is the third bottle from the left.
General Remarks: The whisky I'm tasting today is part of a box containing six Blended Scotch Whisky samples produced somewhere between 1955 and 1965. They are all named after English and Scottish royalties. This box-set is sold by the Dutch based Rare Whisky Site www.rarewhiskysite.com. The King Edward I is still for sale. On the site of the Whisky Exchange it costs around 190 US Dollars. The owners of the Brand seem to be John Dewar & Sons Ltd of Glasgow.
Drinking Experience Neat: Good.
Conclusion: No way I would spend 190 US Dollars for a bottle of the King Edward I. This Blend, though a bit Musty, is well-balanced on the Nose but does not show any interesting characteristics on the Palate and in the Finish. It's perfectly drinkable of course but I want my whisky to be more than just that!
Jan van den Ende March 2013
