Malt Mission 2007 #158

Whyte & Mackay 13yo
Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£16.50

Vijay Mallya and his United Breweries Group recently bought Whyte & Mackay for £600million as growing affluence in India made whisky sales grow 26% over the past year, a trend that didn't come out of nowhere and one that smart-tycoon-y member-of-parliament-entrepreneurs like Mallya wouldn't dare miss. Unfortunately, W&M saw a £2.2million loss in the 12-month period before the takeover. Can King Madras turn everything he touches to gold?

W&M has a pretty good stable of malts and blends and may have performed poorly last year due to the relaunch of the Whyte and Mackay blends (with a fancy new Charles Rennie Mackintosh look) that never really had a chance to take off or get marketed properly. (Are they even available anywhere?) Jura, Dalmore, Fettercairn, Glayva and Whyte and Mackay are now set to invade India now that Mallya used his political pull to change the iNsAnE foreign spirits tariff in India, a change that was certainly unpopular among other domestic spirits producers.

Anyways, I won't talk too much about that. Truth is I don't have enough time to get my facts straight so f-it. If you want more info and opinion on the story, read THIS(BBC), THIS(Malt Maniacs), or THIS(Scotch Blog).

Let's drink Whyte and Mackay's The Thirteen. (All Whyte&Mackay tasted on the mission can be read HERE)

TASTING NOTES:

Soft and rich, pecans, butter tarts, vanilla candles, waffle cones, an ice cream parlour. Sherry influence is present but the tasty Invergordon (and other?) grains lead the sweeter, vanilla-ed appeal to 'drink me'.

Bigger body than the nose suggests, that dissipates quickly. Strange. Now you see it, now you don't. Rich sherry and nuts, Dairy Milk, and a touch of salt then Caramilk and honey, ginger, and a light finish of sherry, fresh figs, and older grain whisky.

SUMMARY:

An odd experience, and I know I have complained about this stuff before, but I quite enjoyed it today. The vanishing effect (in terms of mouth presence) on the palate was strange, but the lingering flavours made up for it. A late metallic flavour hurt my overall impression but affordability and drinkability combine to make this a worthwhile purchase to decide for yourself.

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Malt Mission 2007 #157

Famous Grouse Gold Reserve 12 yo
Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£22
$25(USD)

Perth was a nexus of blending houses in the 19th century. If you wanted, you could wander about town tasting the wares of John Dewar, Arthur Bell, and Matthew Gloag. Since 1820, Gloag ran a grocery in town and by 1860, his son started blending whiskies. By the end of the century was selling the Grouse Brand. It became well known among locals earning it the addition of 'famous' to its name.

The Famous Grouse is owned by The Edrington Group (Macallan, Highland Park, and others) and has been the #1 whisky in Scotland for many years. They have extended their range over the past decade, most recently with the launch of The Black Grouse, a peaty, Islay-themed blend specifically targeting the nordic and Scandanavian markets.

All Famous Grouse we've had on the mission can be read HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Weighty nose of rich, honeyed malt, sherry sweetness, and a touch of sulphur. Sesame seeds, oats, and pie crust. Well integrated smoke like exhaust as the impressions drive away.

Puff of gentle smoke then warm and toasty with sherry, dairy, and Honeycomb cereal. Filter coffee. Long finish of brown sugar and oatmeal.

SUMMARY:

Nothing too complex, but the weight of the sherry and heavy malty tones are very satisfying. The smoke that appears on the nose leads on the palate but gives way to the rich vanilla maltiness and sherry like a gentleman holding the door for young lady. Grain definitely takes a back seat in this number. Bunnahabhain and Highland Park are quite noticable so fans of either distillery could really dig this blend. For the price and flavour profile, it could be a good replacement for Jon, Mark and Robbo's Rich, Spicy One for those of you in markets that have lost that affordable line.

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