Any One for a Scotch?

[stephenaf2003]

Not typically a blended guy, but it was dirt cheap.

 

[KarlHungus]

How was it?

 

[stephenaf2003]

How was it?

Unremarkable. One would think I should know better. I prefer to drink any whiskey straight, but occasionally will make a mixed drink, this will be a designated mixer whiskey.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Unremarkable. One would think I should know better. I prefer to drink any whiskey straight, but occasionally will make a mixed drink, this will be a designated mixer whiskey.

Strange (in this era of v.young NAS bottling) to see a 15 year old blend.

 

[KarlHungus]

Unremarkable. One would think I should know better. I prefer to drink any whiskey straight, but occasionally will make a mixed drink, this will be a designated mixer whiskey.

It's been a while since I've bought a blend. Thanks to you it will stay that way

 

[tweedlover]

Never tried any Dewar's. But, I find blends adequate on a taste to price ratio. Heck, tried Cutty Sark for the first time tonight and found it just fine. Perhaps, just as there is a "Poor Man's" watch thread, we need a "Poor Man's" Scotch thread.

 

[KarlHungus]

Here's one of those NAS bottlings. Delicious

 

[stephenaf2003]

It's been a while since I've bought a blend. Thanks to you it will stay that way

In truth, I should qualify my remarks, don’t let me steer you away from blends, it’s just every Dewars blend I have tried have not been to my tastes. The only other notable blends I’ve tried are Chivas Regal. I’ve found Chivas do appeal to my tastes, but as with all things YMMV. Just saying that other than my own preferences, I’m not someone that professes to have the ability to really discern what’s good. I agree with @tweedlover, sometimes blends can be worthwhile, because often they can be obtained for a great price.

 

[tweedlover]

In truth, I should qualify my remarks, don’t let me steer you away from blends, it’s just every Dewars blend I have tried have not been to my tastes. The only other notable blends I’ve tried are Chivas Regal. I’ve found Chivas do appeal to my tastes, but as with all things YMMV. Just saying that other than my own preferences, I’m not someone that professes to have the ability to really discern what’s good. I agree with @tweedlover, sometimes blends can be worthwhile, because often they can be obtained for a great price.

Whether it's red wine, (what I typically drink) or Scotch, I can't discern what's "really good" either. So, all the more reason to not spend a ton, though my budgetary limitations makes that moot.

 

[KarlHungus]

It's a fair point. I typically find that for the price where I can buy a blend to my liking (~$30-40) I'd rather just pay $10-15 more and get an entry single malt that I typically enjoy more. By definition blends are generally trying to appeal broadly whereas I like (and am fortunate to have the means) to try a range of single malts which offer more unique styles. But the concept of higher age statement blends at a good price is interesting, which is why I was curious at to your thoughts.

 

[edmorel]

There are some good blended whiskies, but price wise not much different than their single malt counterparts. So it comes down to what you are looking for taste wise. Some of the Japanese brands make good blends, Compass Box, and Johnnie Walker has a high end blend beside the blue label, which is 21 year old and it’s very good but pricey.

 

[Huntsman]

Blends, just like single malts, adhere to a 'house style' in a very similar way, and there are blends I strongly dislike just as there are malts I strongly dislike. Each accomplishes a different thing and it is unfair to dismiss blends as being 'designed to appeal broadly' - a blend in many ways is more of a symphony; a malt more of a solo or concerto. Malts are typically more idiosyncratic, much as there are suites for oboe. Bars without both are sorely lacking, IMO. Incidentally, I also dislike Dewar's rather a lot. Johnny Black, was my first scotch, and I loved it from the first sip -- setting up my love for all things Speyside, and especially Mortlach, which I've been drinking since it was only bottled by independents.

~ H

 

[tweedlover]

It's a fair point. I typically find that for the price where I can buy a blend to my liking (~$30-40) I'd rather just pay $10-15 more and get an entry single malt that I typically enjoy more. By definition blends are generally trying to appeal broadly whereas I like (and am fortunate to have the means) to try a range of single malts which offer more unique styles. But the concept of higher age statement blends at a good price is interesting, which is why I was curious at to your thoughts.

Around my neck of the woods, lower-end, (price-wise), single malts are roughly still two to three times the price of the blends I imbibe.

 

[KarlHungus]

There are some good blended whiskies, but price wise not much different than their single malt counterparts. So it comes down to what you are looking for taste wise. Some of the Japanese brands make good blends, Compass Box, and Johnnie Walker has a high end blend beside the blue label, which is 21 year old and it’s very good but pricey.

Blends, just like single malts, adhere to a 'house style' in a very similar way, and there are blends I strongly dislike just as there are malts I strongly dislike. Each accomplishes a different thing and it is unfair to dismiss blends as being 'designed to appeal broadly' - a blend in many ways is more of a symphony; a malt more of a solo or concerto. Malts are typically more idiosyncratic, much as there are suites for oboe. Bars without both are sorely lacking, IMO. Incidentally, I also dislike Dewar's rather a lot. Johnny Black, was my first scotch, and I loved it from the first sip -- setting up my love for all things Speyside, and especially Mortlach, which I've been drinking since it was only bottled by independents.

~ H

These both make very good points. I admit the first thing my mind goes to when I think of blends is mass production scotch brands (of these Johnnie Walker Black also among my favorites). Some of the Japanese blends I've tried (Nikka bottlings in particular) are divine. Thanks for reminding me what they are -- blends!

 

[stephenaf2003]

These both make very good points. I admit the first thing my mind goes to when I think of blends is mass production scotch brands (of these Johnnie Walker Black also among my favorites). Some of the Japanese blends I've tried (Nikka bottlings in particular) are divine. Thanks for reminding me what they are -- blends!

Yeah for me it’s a, they are what they are, kind of thing. There’s a reason blends are cheaper, they are much cheaper to produce. Of course most of us here know that even single malts are blends. The fact that SM, in most cases are more smooth, is a result of the more complicated processes involved in SM production. And that more timely process of course costs me the consumer more. I like some of the Johnny Walker offerings as well. That said, my taste buds generally prefer the results of single malts, as opposed to the results of whiskeys that must state blends on their label.