Malt Mission 2007 #61

Cutty Sark
Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£14
$23.15(CAD) *
$20(USD)

Spent the weekend in Edinburgh and had an absolutely brilliant time. This was a dram tasted with Matt Harsh at his flat in Leith, Scotland. His notes are in quotes. We had a few drams before the lovely food Mariah was preparing made our noses forget about whisky and be lured to the kitchen. More of what we tasted will be posted later this week.

London’s wine and spirit merchants Berry Bros & Rudd have been at the
same storefront since 1698. They've been blending whiskies since 1923 with a goal of including whiskies of high quality and natural light colour. James McBey designed the label still used today and Christened the malt, after the speedy clipper portrayed on every bottle, Cutty Sark. During prohibition in the United States, (when drinkers drank to drink and get drunk, not collect or nose and taste and all that crap) Cutty Sark established itself a loyal following and eventually became the first whisky to sell over 1million cases in the USA. It continues to do well in North America, Japan and Europe, with export sales of over 2 million cases.

Said to include, or have included at one time or another, Glenrothes, Tamdhu, Macallan, Bunnahabhain, Glenlassaugh, Glengoyne, and Highland Park and grain whisky from Invergordon and North British.

TASTING NOTES:

Sweet vanilla grains, blueberry yogurt, melting butter in a pan. "So much butterscotch and vanilla, it's nuts[...] But right under there is that, y'know, like malt. Just malt"

Watery texture, dry, metallic coppery taste. "Honey. Not rich. Like some cheap drop out of a flask. But pleasant." Nothing offensive, but very little of note.

SUMMARY:

Unusual complexion for a blend, the grains act as the body and the malts are what dance on top. "The malts warm the top and the grains smack you right underneath it". We preferred the nose. Yet more evidence that blenders are guided by their noses rather than palates.

* - LCBO website says this has been discontinued.

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