When single-malts were a novel idea

[Troglodyte]

I drink blended Scotch every day, and save my $$$ for the good stuff - Lagavulin being my favorite. Ardbeg has some good ones too. Cragganmore is my favorite for smoothness - and for freinds that dont enjoy the smoke.

i find it interesting that blending seems to just be a thing with Scotch. I think nearly all bourbon is bottled and sold by the original distiller.

Blending is not just for Scotch.

Rum producers have always done it, with only scant clues to what has been blended - the label might say something like 'A skillful blend of the finest Caribbean rums...' so we can make of that what we will!

Brandy and wines get the same treatment.

It was not really until the 1970s that whisky distillers thought single-malts worth marketing in their own right, as blends could be produced consistently well, and the blends of the past were good (really good in some cases) and at least the equal of what you might call entry-level malts of today.

It is now more than 40 years since I inherited my grandfather's stash of pre-war whisky - all blends, of course - that I drank my way through rather too quickly. What I remember of them justifies blending, that the few bottles of White Horse and Black & White (remember them?) were delightfully smokey and peaty, and like a somewhat mild Islay malt, or maybe Talisker.

As a test and comparison, I bought the then current versions of those two, and drank them alongside the old ones, and the difference was astonishing.

I have no objection to blends at all, and will regularly add a drop or two of a particular malt, which can transform the blend amazingly. Part of the problem with blends these days is that they are automatically mixed with stuff like Coke, and drunk ice-cold, so the blenders now cater for that.

If you ever get the chance, check out George Saintsbury's Notes on a Cellar Book. Writing in 1923, what he says about malt whisky is interesting - a Scotch distiller confided in him, and advised the author to stay away from anything old. After about 15 years, the distiller said, the whisky 'gets slimy'. It requires blending.

Saintsbury writes how he keeps independant jars of Clyne Lish, Smith's Glenlivet, Glen Grant, Talisker, and one of the Islay malts of Lagavulin, Ardbeg or Caol Isla to make his own personal blends. He had been doing that for more than 45 years in 1923.

It seems astonishing to us now, that having obtained good supplies of those whiskies that he would then mix them up - but that's just what blenders like Buchanan, J&B, Berry, etc, have always done, and their customers have thanked them for it.

But I would love to taste that Saintsbury blend.

[Troglodyte]

I wouldn't.



I wouldn't know. Don't recall ever having one.

No..?

You're depriving yourself, you know...

Unless you restrict yourself to specific single cask bottlings, you drink a form of blend every time you pour out a single-malt.

True, it's not a blend of malt and grain whiskies from different distilleries, but the bottled single-malt is a mix of the whiskies the distillery has available. The age statement will be the youngest spirit, but there may well be a selection of others in there to help it out.

I guess the only way to get the real taste of a whisky, is to be there at the first opening of the cask and to sample the undiluted, unmixed spirit - before it goes into wine or sherry barrels and is watered-down to reduce the alcohol level.

Poor punters like us never get such a treat - and there's good reason for that..!

[Liam]

I had my first taste of single malt in 1978 while visiting NE Scotland. A friend of My wife’s grandfather bought me a dram of Genmorangie. Prior to that I had only had Jonny Walker Red and thought that was what scotch tasted like. I was hooked for life. To this day if I have a dram of Glenmorangie Original I am transported back to that time and place. On the same trip we toured the Glendronach distillery and tasted their 8 year old single malt. At the time the bulk of their whisky went into Teachers’ Highland Cream.
Single malt at the time was bit of a novelty and the price a deterrent.

[Jock Scot]

"All whisky is good, its just that some whiskies are better than others," or so my father used to say. Over a fairly long life I have come to the conclusion he was right! He also was of the opinion that "whisky is a mood drink" in other words the taste alters depending on the occasion and its ambiance. He was right about that too!

For what it is worth, my favourite go to labels are Talisker as a single malt and Famous Grouse as a blend.

[kiltedsawyer]

Here in the states, I find Dewar's to be a great value. We toured the Aberfeldy Distillery last year and learned that the master blender has won several awards for her work and were further impressed to hear that she does it all with her nose, (she does not drink we're told.) Similarly, I find Glenfiddich a great value for a single malt but would never turn down a wee dram of Macallan. I would be interested to know what those of you closer to the source think of these.

Cheers,

David

[Father Bill]

I agree with friend Jock about Famous Grouse, though I prefer it on its own and it's available at the local Legion branch at which I am Padre. I've recently come to love Arran, though our despicable provincial monopoly distributer no longer imports it.

My first ever Scotch was Chivas, which I still keep because although it is not an overly distinguished blend, in my own opinion, it is indeed consumable and does the best job for my occasional backaches.

[PassingW]

I believe Jock's father summed things up nicely. That said, I've been fortunate to sample some fine whisky over the years, with Dallas Dhu ranking as a favourite. I do prefer single malt, single barrel, non-chill filtered at cask strength with a tiny bit of water. It's all lovely. And unrepeatable. It's only 10am here in Upstate NY, but I have already wistfully glanced at the liquor cabinet twice whilst writing. Surely a drop wouldn't harm anything....

[MacKenzie]

Unless you restrict yourself to specific single cask bottlings, you drink a form of blend every time you pour out a single-malt.

I am aware.

You're depriving yourself, you know...

Do you have a particular blend you would recommend? I like a hint of smokiness, but I do not care at all for the "peat monsters" (a term I learned here).


At the moment my favorite is Glenlivet Nadurra.

[Father Bill]

At the moment my favorite is Glenlivet Nadurra.

A very good choice. First tried it at their distillery.

[imrichmond]

For several years, my favourite blend was the very moderately priced Black Bottle, a distinctive Islay blend. This blend has a robust, almost fruity character. I love it, but, alas, can no longer get it. Our provincial liquor stores have de-listed it and the private stores tell me that it is impossible to obtain (no reason for this is cited). As for single malts, I concur with Jock on Talisker and I'm also very partial to Highland Park. My particular favourite, though, is Glenfarclas 12-year-old (the 15-year-old is great, too, but I can only afford it occasionally!).

Other blends that I can recall having enjoyed, but can no longer find are Bell's Islander (a lovely blend with a high concentration of island malts) and Queen Anne, reputed to contain one of the highest ratios of single malts to grain whiskey among the blends.

I, too, remember when single malts were a rarity. Back in the mid-1970s, when I lived in Ontario, Canada, the only single malts on offer at the local liquor stores at that time were Glenfiddich and Glenlivet. More exotic single malts were no doubt available at the specialty liquor stores in large centres like Toronto, but I lived in what was then the small-to-medium sized city of London.