Country: Scotland
Brand: Vat 69
Bottled by: William Sanderson & Son, Edinburgh
Age: NAS
ABV: 40%
Colour: Light Gold
Nose: Not much going on here. Young Grain Whisky, Caramel, Green Wood,
bit of Malt and Custard, Margarine and Alcohol.
Taste: Sugared Herbal Tea, Caramel, Bitter Oak and Spice.
Finish: Short and Sugary Sweet with Alcohol, Bitter Wood and a touch
of Licorice.
With a few drops of Water, the Nose becomes a bit softer. Taste &
Finish however are just watered down. Better drink this...eh, better don't!
Rating: 68
Nose: 18 - Taste: 17- Finish: 16 - Overall: 17
General
Remarks: This Blend was produced for the first time in 1882 by William Sanderson
from Edinburgh. He organised a tasting panel to help assemble the Blend and out
of the 100 Barrels offered, the blended whisky from Cask # 69 was
considered the best of the session. Hence the name Vat 69. It's not a vatted
Blend however. It consists of around 40 different Single Malt and Grain
Whiskies. Today the brand is owned by the Diageo Group. Important markets
include India, South America, Australia and Southern Europe. In these regions,
whisky is often enjoyed over Ice or in Cocktails because of the hot climate.
It's cheap at around US$ 25.
Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average
Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Below Average
Conclusion: The Vat 69 is cheap and that's about it. The Nose tells us
that a lot of young Grain Whiskies have been used in this Blend.The Taste is
Sugary, Herbal and Bitter at the same time. The Finish is mercifully short.
There is no way to enjoy this dram neat. And if you wanna mix, buy some Bourbon
instead.
P.S. I try not to think about the whisky in Vat 01-Vat 68!
Jan van den Ende November 11, 2012
