Campbeltown Loch Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $70

- 92 Proof

- NAS

- Campbeltown

First off, let me start by saying that I had to use a stock photo for this one rather than my typical empty bottle photo because I waited too long to write this review, and that empty bottle ended up in the recycling bin as empty bottles are wont to do.  I still wanted to get this review up, though, so stock photo it is.

I honestly didn't even have this bottle on my radar, but one day I got a text from one of my liquor store guys with a picture and the question of, "Do you want it?"  My knee jerk reaction was, "Of course!" But, I refrained and did a bit digging, and I learned that this is a blend of all five whisky brands that hail from Campbeltown -- Springbank, Longrow, Hazelburn, Kilkerran and Glen Scotia. Springbank bottled the blend as the label suggests.  So, with that 30 seconds of research on my phone, my response was still, "Of course!"

The nose was soft and very malty. It reminded me of the inside of a Whoppers candy, even with the added chocolate note. I also got a good amount of sweet tobacco leaf. It seems a bit of an odd combination, but all that, along with notes of honey, lemongrass and butterscotch gave this a sweet, soft and interesting nose.

As to flavor, right up front I got the butterscotch that only seemed light on the nose. I also got a healthy amount of caramel, which, I acknowledge, is a very similar flavor, but one with some distinction. The tip of my tongue was hit with a light black pepper spice as well, helping detract from the immediately sweet profile.

As I worked my way through this bottle (which I did with relative speed), I got some brighter notes. Not quite the lemongrass I was getting on the nose, but there was a golden raisin note that I really enjoyed. I also got a sort of nutty, earthy note that was sweet at the same time, kind of like cashews with a bit of a grassy note.

The finish, however, is what made this bottle worth it for me. The finish was like a rich dessert, full of nougat and caramel, along a rich dark chocolate note that helped keep it from leaning too sweet. The bright notes seemed to fade away, leaving on the finish the taste of a well-made dark chocolate turtle bar. 

While the idea of the blend comes across as a gimmick, the fact of the matter is Springbank still staked their name to it, and, like seemingly everything Springbank does (yes, I'm a bit of a fanboy), this was another winner!

Grade: B+

The Whisky Exchange A Toast To Christmas 19 Year Blended Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $120

- 88.6 Proof

- 19 years

- Scotland

This is certainly my favorite gifted whiskey ever. This past Christmas, my family gave this bottle to me. It's a Christmas exclusive release from the Whisky Exchange, complete with personalized, dated label informing me, "Congratulations, you made the nice list!"  If I knew this was the reward for making the nice list, I would have been trying a whole lot harder this whole time!

This bottle is a 19 year blended malt matured in a sherry butt.  There is no indication as to the source of the whisky, with the only indication on the bottle being that it was "Obtained from a Private Collection."  Not really sure what that means. In fact, it doesn't even identify the region(s).  It does, however, indicate that this bottling was limited to only 520 bottles.  So, a review of this particular bottle might be pointless. But, I finished the bottle, so now I'm reviewing it.

As would be expected from a whiskey matured for 19 years in a sherry butt, the nose was very fruit forward. It was full of bright and fresh berries, including raspberry and strawberry. There was also some dark cherry mixed in as well. That was all accompanied by a sweet honey note, along with some light cereal notes, and even a hint of vanilla. This was, however, very fruit forward.

The flavor followed suit for the most part. Those berries all came through, with the raspberry note being the most notable. What I loved, though, is that these fruit-forward notes were always bright and fresh, rather than being rich and dark and heavy, as is so often the case from sherry cask whiskies. 

There was a layer of vanilla, as well as a very welcome and rich butterscotch note that seemed to underscore everything. The honey sweetness I got on the nose was also there.  I also got some darker fruit notes, like raisin or fig.

On the finish that raisin note seemed to actually linger a bit longer than the bright berry notes.  The vanilla also seemed to stick around as well. It was also on the finish that a black pepper spice creeped in, adding a bit of an unexpected but welcome surprise to it all.  

I don't know where this whisky came from, but I enjoyed every drop of it. Hopefully this becomes some sort of family tradition!!

Grade: B+

Dewar's Blended 21 Year Double Double Aged Blended Scotch Whisky

VITALS:
- $50 (375 ml)

- 92 Proof

- 21 Years

- Scotland

Not too long ago Whiskey Advocate came out with its list of the Top 20 Whiskies of 2019. The list drew a lot of criticism and skepticism, and rightly so.  But nonetheless, I made it a point to grab a couple of the bottles near the top of the list that I had not yet tried. One was their #1 rated whiskey, George Dickel Bottled In Bond.  I was not a fan, and I immediately questioned the credibility of the remainder of the rankings and how that whiskey could possibly have made the top of anybody's list. 

Nonetheless, I made it a point to grab another off the list, the #2 whiskey, Dewar's Blended 21 Year Double Aged Scotch. Granted, I grabbed this before actually trying the Dickel, but that was due in part to it having been recommended to me by the spirits manager from my local Binny's well-before this list actually came out. So, there wasn't a whole lot of hesitation in trying it, other than that it was $50 for a .375 ml bottle. But I figured I've paid more for less.

It's been a while since I've done a Scotch, and I feel like I've been doing myself a disservice. Between Scotch and bourbon, I think, as far as the smell goes, my preference is Scotch. I got a decent amount of oak and leather on the nose of this one. But, I also got sweet tobacco leaf, one of my favorite smells in the world. In addition to these earthy notes, though, I also got some bright notes of dried apricot, as well as a baked goods kind of note, kind of like banana bread. I also got the slightest grainy note, but it was sweet, like caramel corn. 

As to flavor, this was very malty and crackery, like a wheat thin type cracker -- savory but with a little bit of sweetness to it.  The banana bread that I got on the nose was fairly prominent as well, providing a bit of richness to go with that malty note. 

Much like the nose, the flavor also had a bright note to it, again reminding me of apricot, but sweeter than simply dried apricots. It was more like an apricot jam. I also got notes of banana (consistent with the banana bread flavor, I know), as well as a bit of a peppery spice. Additionally, I got a light coffee note, but not so bitter as to provide a rough edge. In fact, there was not a single rough edge, overstated flavor or overdone note to this whisky.  It really had great balance.

This is only 92 proof, but it had a great, buttery texture to it that provided a nice, long finish. What seemed to linger the most on the finish was the banana and black pepper spice. However, it was also on the finish that I really seemed to notice the Sherry cask influence, as I also got notes of raspberry and cranberry--bright berry notes with a touch of bitterness to it to keep it from getting too sweet.

I loved this whiskey. It was full of nuance and complexity, and somehow it all worked perfectly well together. It reminded me a lot of why I initially got into Scotch in the first place. On this one I can't fault Whiskey Advocate for such a high ranking. This was delicious! I only wish it came in a bigger bottle!

Grade: A

Great King St. by Compass Box Glasgow Blend Blended Scotch

VITALS:
- $35
- 86 Proof
- NAS
- Scotland

I know I've asked this question before to start off a post, but I'll ask it again -- who loves free whiskey?? I do! This bottle was a Christmas gift from last year that I've been (very) slowly working my way through. I haven't exactly been reviewing a lot of Scotches lately (or anything non-American for that matter), so eventually I got to where I made it a point to go in this direction so that I can finally make this post.

I've loved most everything that I've tried from Compass Box, including the Great King St. blends. This one is a blend of an Islay peated whiskey with a sherry-cask matured Speyside Scotch and a lowland whiskey. I've enjoyed the peat and sherry combination in other Scotches, so I was pretty excited to have this bottle placed into my hands.

Of course the peat is the first thing to hit the olfactory senses, with a nice campfire note. However, behind the smoke I got some floral notes as well as a bright berry note, like fresh raspberry. The smoke note is pervasive, however, and it all came together in a kind of sweet barbecue note.

When I took my first sip, I was surprised that the peat smoke was not nearly as strong as the nose had me expecting. It was certainly there, but it did not come anywhere close to overpowering the other delicious flavors in this whiskey.

It had a smooth and rich undercurrent of vanilla that was present from front to back, and seemed to be the flavor that stuck around the longest. I also got some fresh strawberry notes along with a honey note to add a significant amount of sweetness to contrast the smoke.

I found myself smacking my lips after nearly every sip, but thanks to the peat the sweetness was never cloying or overdone. The fact that this only clocked in at 86 proof probably helped avoid a syrupy quality that might otherwise have been there.

That being said, after having had this bottle open, even for a few months, it seemed to develop a more oily body, and the flavors seemed to transform a little bit, just enough to develop some added complexity. What was previously a honey note seemed to come across as more of a butterscotch note. The fruit notes seemed to come across as more of a raspberry-almond note, with just a little bit of amaretto tang to it. And even though the vanilla seemed to lighten up, I instead got notes of chocolate and coffee, which still worked very well with the peat.

Although this isn't my favorite peated Scotch, this blend offered a lot of complexity that had me pondering nearly every sip I took, trying to pinpoint each different note that I was getting. And, for the most part, each flavor seemed to complement all of the others--exactly what a blend is supposed to accomplish.

Grade: B+

Dewar's White Label Blended Scotch Whisky

Normally I wouldn't go out of my way to pick up a bottle of Dewar's White Label for purposes of getting a bottle that I want to eventually review and put on my site. However, since this bottle was given to me as a gift (or, more accurately, left at my house by a friend who certainly knew better than to think I wouldn't drink it), I thought I'd go ahead and convey my thoughts on the matter.

Dewar's White Label is and always will be in my mind my Airport Hotel Scotch. It seems that whenever I travel for work and stay at a hotel near an airport, I can always count on White Label being stocked behind the bar. I have yet to find an airport hotel with great whiskey selection. Perhaps I'm not researching well enough before I travel. In any event, I find myself frequently enjoying a glass of White Label while sitting by myself at an airport hotel bar.

That being said, though, I really do enjoy the stuff. As a blended Scotch, it certainly differs from the traditional Scotch profiles, though it remains unquestionably a Scotch.  Up front it hits you with a smokey vanilla flavor, underscored by a not-so-subtle oakiness to it.  Most noticeable, though, is the spice.

This particular blended Scotch has a serious bite to it that I don't frequently find in Scotches. It's akin to the bite that I enjoy in my ryes. It has a great blend of both sweet and peppery spice that seem to work really well together (even if that spice caught me a bit off guard the first time I tried a pour).

On the back end it gets a bit more earthy, tasting a bit more herbal and grassy. It goes down very smooth, though and is very warming and relaxing.  Perhaps this is why I make it my go to pour in limited-selection bars.

I'm not going to tell you that this is a "phenomenal" pour, nor that it's my go-to drink. However, it's one that I frequently go back to the well on when options are limited, and one that I will continue to go to. At a cheap price it provides a nice, tasty dram, particularly when you're in the mood for a little spice.

Grade: B-

Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch Whisky

Monkey Shoulder has been a blended Scotch mainstay for me for quite some time now, but I finally got around to picking up a bottle for purposes of conducting a review.

I was actually turned onto the stuff by my good friend's father-in-law who fancies himself a Scotch now and then and he absolutely raved about the stuff. But, at that time, it wasn't available in the states.

Now, however, Monkey shoulder can be found in every liquor store, grocery store and convenience store, and at a pretty reasonable price. As I purchased this particular bottle, my local liquor store owner commented at how popular this particular Scotch is.

Monkey Shoulder is a blend of three single malts from the Balvenie, Glenfiddich and Kininvie distilleries. This particular bottle was labeled as bottled from batch 27.

At 40% ABV, this is a very inoffensive and easy to drink Scotch. It has a light nuttiness to it, balanced by a slightly smoky up front flavor. On the finish it is very sweet and buttery, however, and it seemed to get sweeter with every pour.

Monkey Shoulder seems to offer just a little bit of everything I like about Scotch. I like smoky flavor from the peat used in many Scotches, and I definitely appreciate the more savory, earthy, nutty flavor of Scotches as a change-up from the sweet, vanilla flavored bourbons.

Also, much like well-aged Speyside Scotches offered by Glenfiddich, I love the butterscotch coating that I get at the back of my throat a few sips in.  That's the kind of thing that makes me go back for that second (and sometimes third) glass!

Overall, this is not a very complex Scotch, and it is not strong in any one particular flavor profile. That being said, it is incredibly enjoyable on its own, and is the perfect bottle to serve as an introduction to newcomers to Scotch whisky.

Grade: B