What no MacNair's Lum Reek 10 yr old CS!?! That stuff is the nectar of the gods!!! No blended malt line up can be complete with out it, IMHO 😜 I've only got batch 1 and 2 and they are both brilliant, but batch 2 is right up there with my very favorite drams I've tried, that don't cost the earth
Because Jake is revolted so much by bourbon... maybe we can make some suggestions that may change his mind?? I would love to see you try something else out of your comfort zone.
He needs to talk to the Balcones, Crowded Barrel and Pinhook Crews. I will still say (if you're an American like me) that bourbon flavor (maple sweet, corn sweet, cherry cordial, stewed stone fruit sweet) is so much a part of our nostalgic memory that we are just acquired. Very much like Peat is to the Scots and Irish then by proxy the English. I work as an Educator in coffee and tasting science just really helps prove this. So not speaking for him but still might be a lost cause😂 sorry Jake!
@@Jakenbaekewhisky I'd like to think I'm fairly open minded and generally I have quite an expansive pallet (although I don't suffer poor quality food/drink ever thanks to being raised by a mother who trained as a chef and had ridiculously high standards). you might be right, but I will do everything I can to find more bourbon that I enjoy - thus far I've found ~3 expressions that I really enjoy, but they range from £150-£3k and each time I'd rather pick a few Scotch/Irish whiskies in place of the bourbon I was enjoying based on the pricing
@@TheWhiskyBaron I feel you Jake! I'm a huge Scotch fan and can handle most Rye (but prefer them colder and with a lot of water, think ~30% abv, which I'll never do to a good Scotch). But Bourbon.. nope. it's not undrinkable, but it's all overoaked and not pleasant. I've tried most of the Buffallo Trace and Balcones options and none made me happy. Angels Envy (the port one) made me think of Wild Turkey 101 and I barely got any port influence through the massive oak bomb. There's got to be a bourbon that changes our mind like that Maple syrup Canadian corn thingy you had recently, but I won't spend money on finding out anymore.
@@0oDaan12o0 interesting what you're saying about the overoaked element - I personally just find them too corn heavy. I'm determined to continue the hunt though as there must be something out there that's budget friendly and appealing
compass box orchard house, the story of the spaniard, the spice tree and the peat monster are blended malts. and i think very good, and i like that they tell you what whisky's are in the blend. And i started my whisky journey with monkey shoulder(also blended malt) beter than the naked malt. still need to get myself a green label. this episode also needs a revisit 😉
agreed Erwin, we'll revisit and go through some of the recommendations here in the comments. we knew we had missed loads but there are some real bangers being suggested here. sláinte!
Interested to know what your issue with Douglas Laing is. I think Rock Island is my least favourite of their products but they do do some bangers at reasonable prices. I’m not sure I could bring myself to buy their Rangers themed products or any other Old Firm themed drinks as a North East resident….
love this! fair enough Ed and not necessarily against their liquid ourselves, just had some shit go down with them. stay tuned and we'll break it down for you all soon
Any VEGA from Iain @NSS would have been excellent. Big Peat missing. Also cannae go wrong with a Compass Box. Don't do CL again, people will start buying it!!
Im a fan of OP cask strength. In Canada (BC/West Coast) we have a distillery called Macaloney's. In their early days a few Blended Malt Scotches were released (probably to properly up the early days cash flow). Sipping on Prince Dougals Dram right now. Blair Athol, Teaninich, Clynelish, Auchroisk, 46%, NCF for under 30 gbp. Its a banger for the price
can't say I've heard of that one before but sounds tasty. great to hear you've got a good blended malt in your glass whilst dreaming along Rob, sláinte!
apologies - we've been touring the length and breath of Scotland this past month or so capturing new content for the podcast and for The Whisky Baron channel. we'll get on it ASAP
Blends and blended malts are really having a renaissance in recent years, going from strength to strength. I came home from my last trip to Scotland with 9-10 bottles in my luggage. More than half were blends! Campbeltown Loch, Thompson Bros., Cadenhead's, etc. Just superb quality for the price point.
couldn't agree more - so many great options out there and comparatively to the single malt market they are staying fairly steady on price. definitely a space worth shopping in. sláinte!
I'm desperately trying to talk a malt head friend into accepting blends and I'm using your previous discusions of Campbeltown Loch, JW Green and Blue Label as well as now this as a basis for turning him from the dark side. Thanks you chaps.
Another top tier episode, my dudes. I really appreciate the shout out and do think that a Compass Box episode would be great (even though the great John Glaser has left 😮). Would love to know what the beef of Douglas Laing stemmed from? I have their batch one of Timorous Beastie and it's a really clean, distillate forward fruity dram that I picked up for a decent price. Once again, lovely episode my lads 👏🏼
always happy to shout out our day ones JJ! I know, it would have been great to do an episode with him on CB but alas, twas not to be forgot we had brought that up in this episode - may need to stay tuned to find out in a future episode!
Hi Jake, just a quick one. The Old Perth 94 is still available around £220 from Milroys, house of malt or top whiskies if you're looking for a bottle. My token effort at giving something back hahaha
Hi gents, thanks for another episode. Is any particular reason you didn't touched "Campbeltown Loch" which were sitting in your studio. In my opinion it would be N1 choice especially taking to consideration price/enjoyment factor (£40,-).👍
simply because it's featured in so many other recent episodes Yury. I wanted to include it but the lads don't want to become the Campbeltown Loch podcast - fair enough
Glad you liked the North Star pick for the SherryBomb Whisky Appreciation Society. In hindsight, I should have used the term "It's f*cking delicious" on my tasting notes. It would have been so much easier to write that. 😂 The price we put it out at was actually £75.
@@TheWhiskyBaron That's if they can send it to Aus 😁 I believe NSS are having an Australian exclusive Linkwood with only 90 or so bottles (split cask me thinks), so will be definitely ordering a few of those 👏🏻 Linkwood is top tier and cannot convince me otherwise
Love your plug for Summerton Club. I’m a member and it’s a great club. Got your grain and bought another bottle. Excited to hear you’re getting involved again
I really liked the episode! Made me think I should try to get more into the blended malts/whiskys. I am pretty new to the scene and I sort of had "I must buy single malts" mentality so far. I am unsure why, to be honest!
thanks for tuning in Ben, delighted we found you! definitely get involved - you'll likely save a fortune and find some real stunners whilst you're at it. sláinte and happy dramming my friend!
Hey gents! tbh, mouth sounds went down from my last comment, so it's fine) and yeah, not really commenting much, but watching/listening every episode coz content is good - thank you) about blends (inc blended malts) - would be really cool to hear your thoughts about compass box or maybe interview with someone from the company
Dmitry! you're a gent for jumping back in, good man. we're only having the craic! definitely need to get Compass Box involved ASAP - you're not the only one who has suggested this great brand. we're on it! sláinte
Sherry Bombers North Star. BELTER!!!!!! Sean and Iain found a great whisky there for the group. Old Perth PX is brilliant even though their customer service dept is a total waste if time.
Great episode again, so for me its either a blend of malts just for the sake of produce cheap whisky, or its a „real“ (i know it sounds dump) single malt even if there are different Distillerys in there. There are so serious good blends out there in order to produce some stunning liquid!! Like the thompson Brothers stuff oder die Campbeltown loch. Its a shame that some people downgrade a bottle in their mind just because of the wording „blend“, but there are definitely two kinds of blends for me. I dont know if anyone could follow me😂 i’m from Germany 🤷🏻♂️
Missed out on that Enigma and been chasing in auctions since, signed up to Cadenheads club to avoid that in the future. Other blends I have really been enjoying are the TB TB/BSW and the TB Lowries Blend. Huge shout out for Campbeltown Loch though, a real go to at the moment.
Great episode. Love to see the blended category being pushed which is often more bang for your buck. Not a blended malt but the North Star 10yo blended scotch whisky from cask series 21 is a banger for the £32 I paid for it.
Great episode lads. Listened & partially watched while cycling to work on a trans pennine trail this morning; must have looked a bit strange to passers-by- covered in mud & chuckling to myself a fair bit too as you lot started off on a saucy note lol. Keep them coming 👍
One of my favorite bottles of the last few years was a Berry Bros blended malt (1999 - 21yr) of unknown origin but rumored to be either Edrington stock or from Loch Lomond group. Berry's has recently released more from that 1999 parcel, now 24yrs old. It's well worth a look! Also they have a 1979 blended malt which is stunning and ridiculously well priced. Great show, fellas and yes, we need to know about the beef!
Another great episode gents. Moreish is not a common word in Canada and now that I’ve looked it up it’s a banger of a tasting note. Thanks for the education and thanks for opening my curiosities towards a few blends that I would never have heard of otherwise.
thanks Jan! great to have you as such a regular guest and delighted to pass a solid (if not somewhat vague) tasting note over to you. sláinte my friend!
Great review. I have only really been drinking whisky since getting introduced during pandemic and have had a few blends, but most of the ones you reviewed, I have not had. I have had JW (Black, 18, Blue, Green, Island Green), but the others I have had are Monkey Shoulder, Thompson Bros, Campbelltown Loch, and many of the Compass Box (love Compass box). Just picked up McCleans Nose but have yet to try. You have given me some additional drams to try. Love chasing the flavors regardless of Single, blend , or dare I say whisky, rum or tequila (And gin in a cocktail). Cheers
Great episode gents. And learnt a bit about different whiskys and whats blended whisky/malt etc.... I've managed to get my hands on a bottle of the Campbeltown Engima 15yo, I am looking forward to popping that! Also managed to get hold of the Highland Enigma yesterday on Auction for £55 plus fees. Looking forward to your Craigellachie episode...... 👀👀😂😂 and also a Cadenheads episode would be cool as they do so much and are priced well!
I think you guys are a bit harsh on the Naked Malt, it's 40% and you just had a 46% before it, so it was bound to come off weak. For 20 euros a bottle, I got 6 of them last year. My mother in law likes the stuff and I can use it as the base for blending other stuff that needs a little sherry in it. Ofc it's not a 16+yo Single cask at Cask Strength, but for the price, it's fantastic.
Brilliant episode again guys , managed to buy and try a few blended malts the past year, currently really enjoying NAS 17 (decadent drinks) ,Saturnalia (Whisky sponge) and Campbeltown Loch. A north star episode would be great we usually spend an hour or 2 at the north star stand(they have all sorts of goodies hidden under the table ) at Glasgow whisky festival each year great fun. We definitely want Stevie to tell us the Douglas Laing story .
North Star is definitely one we want to get in the works so stay tuned Colin! and don't worry, the DL beef will come to light in short order - can't keep this story to ourselves forever
Great episode! So many people turn their nose up at Blends which is ridiculous. Would be interested on your thoughts on Monkey Shoulder. Usually £25 so it bang in that new drinker territory. It was one I tried early on but haven’t been back to in a while but find a lot of people online recommending it as an entry level dram. 🤷🏻♂️
Another great episode Highlighting blends which so often get overlooked. I love the mystery of some of them, trying to figure out the components that make them up. I can’t however believe you left out your beloved Campbeltown Loch!!! It made your whisky of the year list. Shocking 😉🤣 I keep missing out on the Enigma. Definitely need to get my hands on some.
I wanted it in there but we didn't want to become the Campbeltown Loch podcast! definitely get your hands on some of that Enigma, its cracking. sláinte!
Another good topic and video - congratulations. Old Perth CS, Limited PX CS, Limited P. Cort CS - all three are cask strength and good whisky - not perfect but quite good for the price, the presence of the cask is massive and if you really want to show someone what a sherry cask (several types of sherry cask) can do, there is nothing better. For me, Rock Island is my favorite from the DL line - because it won't be the most complex and most ... whiskey on the shelf - but - what it promises - on the costal line - it's definitely there and there are several versions, all slightly different, rly nice style whisky. Today, there are really many very good and affordable blends. (compass box, thompson b, etc. ) Unfortunately, many blends today still move along the lines of cheap panch - promoted by marketing.
thanks Beno, appreciate the continued support! you've listed some gems but trust me, there are a lot more out there so keep hunting my friend. sláinte!
A lot of whisky also completely changes like a month after opening. Seen so many ppl open kilkerran HP and not like it then go back a month later and wonder if they were crazy.
Remember having a Balvenie 15yr Single Cask 1st fill Sherry and adding a touch of Ardbeg Corryvreckan (like a 4:1 ratio), fucking delicious, haven’t managed to hit those heights blending wise since. I think the great thing about blended malts are that they allow you to try venerable age without spending a kings ransom. I know age isn’t everything but it is something that piques a lot of peoples curiosity, and blended malts offer a not-extortionate root into trying some.
love doing some home blending but you're right - so difficult to replicate such a success. I completely agree and whilst age isn't everything, it's nice to try something that's spent significant time aging to end up in your glass. sláinte!
@@TheWhiskyBaron I think big age statements take on a sort of mysticism when you haven’t tried one before - it definitely did for me - and whilst it may taste really good, it is still just whisky, which is good to remember when considering splashing out not inconsiderable sums. Mate home blending just feels like pot luck, ruined way more things than made something good, good craic tho.
@@hoodwiser7652 true, but when there is a big age statement on a bottle you can appreciate why the price tag can be so hefty - 20, 30 or even 50 years in cask is no joke! glad you're having the craic and no doubt learning a lot. keep it up! sláinte
Great video as per lads. I'm just back from a 3 day whisky adventure to Cambeltown, it was your experience which influenced me to get up there and I can only say thank you for that.
@@TheWhiskyBaron the distillery tours were great but I really enjoyed the Cadenheads and Glenscotia warehouse tastings we got to try some really amazing drams and got to engage with some other whisky geeks, we made some new friends from Holland. I wasn't expecting to but I enjoyed the glenscotia tasting the most, Claire the shop manager was an amazing host, she really knew her stuff and we had a good laugh.
@@richardkilley6838 I'm given to understand that the Cadenheads warehouse tasting has changed since I last visited so I'm keen to get back and try the new one! great to hear GS was such a highlight too - doesn't all have to be about Springbank! sláinte
Top episode, great subject. There are many great blends now, and sometimes that's just what you need to relax and enjoy an evening. Really look forward to The Whisky Baron Blend in years to come, like everything you do it will be top notch.
thanks Euan, appreciate your vote of confidence and support as always. as you say, so many great options out there so hopefully we'll put up a good fight in this competitive sector. sláinte!
Blended malts is definitely a category to keep an eye on. It'll be interesting to see what new blended malts will roll onto the market to fill the price gap that got created by single malts moving up in price. There's even a 25yo enigma out for 70 gbp/90 eur right now. However I always approach with caution and don't get blinded by the age statement because they can be very hit and miss. Happy to hear and see that stevie is enjoying the enigma. That 1994 blackcurrant sounds right up my street. Sadly it got priced up by ~30% here which kind of puts it out of buy range. As for the mouth sounds, just wait till you start your ramen channel and the slurping techniques get discovered 😆. They're part of tasting get used to it.
As for naked malt: Naked Malt (aka Naked Grouse Blended Malt) first started to roll out in August 2017 in select global markets and is expected to appear in select US markets beginning April 2018. This is a blended malt whisky featuring single malts from Glenturret, Glenrothes, Highland Park and The Macallan. These were aged in first and second-fill American and European oak before blending together. The blend then finished in first-fill oloroso sherry butts for six months further. It is chill-filtered and bottled at either 43% or 40% ABV depending on the market. So sorry to have to disappoint you Jake.
agreed, there is a big hole being left by single malt price increases and it will be great to see more experimentation to fill the gap. how did you know we had a ramen channel in the works?! 😅
@@TheWhiskyBaron afaik it still "includes" malts from macallan, highland park and glenrothes in the blend, but will try to dig a bit deeper and let you know if i find something. Since they use the term includes, it can be anything.
@@TimHoekstra ye, I'm not convinced there's much of that stock going in there at all anymore. would be fascinated to find out though so let us know what you find!
You missed Thompson Brothers SRV5 from your lineup.
Great shout ❤
we missed a fair few but this is a banger. we'll have follow up episodes around the topic no doubt
great dram indeed
What no MacNair's Lum Reek 10 yr old CS!?! That stuff is the nectar of the gods!!! No blended malt line up can be complete with out it, IMHO 😜 I've only got batch 1 and 2 and they are both brilliant, but batch 2 is right up there with my very favorite drams I've tried, that don't cost the earth
Lum Reek is a great lineup, solid shout James. thanks for tuning in and getting involved as always, sláinte good man
Because Jake is revolted so much by bourbon... maybe we can make some suggestions that may change his mind?? I would love to see you try something else out of your comfort zone.
He needs to talk to the Balcones, Crowded Barrel and Pinhook Crews. I will still say (if you're an American like me) that bourbon flavor (maple sweet, corn sweet, cherry cordial, stewed stone fruit sweet) is so much a part of our nostalgic memory that we are just acquired. Very much like Peat is to the Scots and Irish then by proxy the English. I work as an Educator in coffee and tasting science just really helps prove this. So not speaking for him but still might be a lost cause😂 sorry Jake!
I'm open to having my mind changed!
@@Jakenbaekewhisky I'd like to think I'm fairly open minded and generally I have quite an expansive pallet (although I don't suffer poor quality food/drink ever thanks to being raised by a mother who trained as a chef and had ridiculously high standards). you might be right, but I will do everything I can to find more bourbon that I enjoy - thus far I've found ~3 expressions that I really enjoy, but they range from £150-£3k and each time I'd rather pick a few Scotch/Irish whiskies in place of the bourbon I was enjoying based on the pricing
@@TheWhiskyBaron I feel you Jake! I'm a huge Scotch fan and can handle most Rye (but prefer them colder and with a lot of water, think ~30% abv, which I'll never do to a good Scotch). But Bourbon.. nope. it's not undrinkable, but it's all overoaked and not pleasant. I've tried most of the Buffallo Trace and Balcones options and none made me happy. Angels Envy (the port one) made me think of Wild Turkey 101 and I barely got any port influence through the massive oak bomb.
There's got to be a bourbon that changes our mind like that Maple syrup Canadian corn thingy you had recently, but I won't spend money on finding out anymore.
@@0oDaan12o0 interesting what you're saying about the overoaked element - I personally just find them too corn heavy. I'm determined to continue the hunt though as there must be something out there that's budget friendly and appealing
compass box orchard house, the story of the spaniard, the spice tree and the peat monster are blended malts.
and i think very good, and i like that they tell you what whisky's are in the blend.
And i started my whisky journey with monkey shoulder(also blended malt) beter than the naked malt.
still need to get myself a green label.
this episode also needs a revisit 😉
agreed Erwin, we'll revisit and go through some of the recommendations here in the comments. we knew we had missed loads but there are some real bangers being suggested here. sláinte!
Ok, as nobody else has asked.
Whats the beef?
BEEF! stay tuned Daniel, we'll divulge all soon enough - need to call them out!
Interested to know what your issue with Douglas Laing is. I think Rock Island is my least favourite of their products but they do do some bangers at reasonable prices. I’m not sure I could bring myself to buy their Rangers themed products or any other Old Firm themed drinks as a North East resident….
love this! fair enough Ed and not necessarily against their liquid ourselves, just had some shit go down with them. stay tuned and we'll break it down for you all soon
What's the beef with Dougie Laing Jake!
love that everyone wants the dirty deets! stay tuned and we'll get into it for you Graham - might need a DL episode sooner than we thought
Any VEGA from Iain @NSS would have been excellent. Big Peat missing. Also cannae go wrong with a Compass Box. Don't do CL again, people will start buying it!!
we need to do a North Star episode! so true on the CL - shhh! it's.. awful..
Im a fan of OP cask strength. In Canada (BC/West Coast) we have a distillery called Macaloney's. In their early days a few Blended Malt Scotches were released (probably to properly up the early days cash flow). Sipping on Prince Dougals Dram right now. Blair Athol, Teaninich, Clynelish, Auchroisk, 46%, NCF for under 30 gbp. Its a banger for the price
can't say I've heard of that one before but sounds tasty. great to hear you've got a good blended malt in your glass whilst dreaming along Rob, sláinte!
Lads Glenfarclas 25 is reduced from £210 to £150 at the minute. Is that your doing? 😂
surely not! happy to take credit though 😅
WHHHHHYYYYY aren't these being updated on the Podcast apps?
apologies - we've been touring the length and breath of Scotland this past month or so capturing new content for the podcast and for The Whisky Baron channel. we'll get on it ASAP
Blends and blended malts are really having a renaissance in recent years, going from strength to strength. I came home from my last trip to Scotland with 9-10 bottles in my luggage. More than half were blends! Campbeltown Loch, Thompson Bros., Cadenhead's, etc. Just superb quality for the price point.
couldn't agree more - so many great options out there and comparatively to the single malt market they are staying fairly steady on price. definitely a space worth shopping in. sláinte!
The Thompson brothers Smws 6 and also McLeans nose r good blends
I'm desperately trying to talk a malt head friend into accepting blends and I'm using your previous discusions of Campbeltown Loch, JW Green and Blue Label as well as now this as a basis for turning him from the dark side. Thanks you chaps.
keep up the good work - someone has to do it! sounds like you've got the right juice to change their mind so you'll get there eventually. sláinte
Another top tier episode, my dudes. I really appreciate the shout out and do think that a Compass Box episode would be great (even though the great John Glaser has left 😮).
Would love to know what the beef of Douglas Laing stemmed from? I have their batch one of Timorous Beastie and it's a really clean, distillate forward fruity dram that I picked up for a decent price. Once again, lovely episode my lads 👏🏼
always happy to shout out our day ones JJ! I know, it would have been great to do an episode with him on CB but alas, twas not to be
forgot we had brought that up in this episode - may need to stay tuned to find out in a future episode!
Hi Jake, just a quick one. The Old Perth 94 is still available around £220 from Milroys, house of malt or top whiskies if you're looking for a bottle. My token effort at giving something back hahaha
I want to know what the Douglas Laing beef is!? Spill the goss 😅
Hi gents, thanks for another episode. Is any particular reason you didn't touched "Campbeltown Loch" which were sitting in your studio. In my opinion it would be N1 choice especially taking to consideration price/enjoyment factor (£40,-).👍
simply because it's featured in so many other recent episodes Yury. I wanted to include it but the lads don't want to become the Campbeltown Loch podcast - fair enough
Glad you liked the North Star pick for the SherryBomb Whisky Appreciation Society. In hindsight, I should have used the term "It's f*cking delicious" on my tasting notes. It would have been so much easier to write that. 😂
The price we put it out at was actually £75.
£75! you've genuinely got me considering joining Facebook for what I assume is your group Sean - well done my friend. amazing work
Does your group accept new members? I've just sent a request to join if ok 😅
@@jimmyjazz4605 nice one JJ! hopefully Sean can sort you out and you'll get involved in the next release!
@@TheWhiskyBaron That's if they can send it to Aus 😁 I believe NSS are having an Australian exclusive Linkwood with only 90 or so bottles (split cask me thinks), so will be definitely ordering a few of those 👏🏻 Linkwood is top tier and cannot convince me otherwise
@@jimmyjazz4605 fingers crossed. and 100% agree on Linkwood, it's one of my favourites. highly undervalued IMO
Love your plug for Summerton Club. I’m a member and it’s a great club. Got your grain and bought another bottle. Excited to hear you’re getting involved again
I really liked the episode! Made me think I should try to get more into the blended malts/whiskys. I am pretty new to the scene and I sort of had "I must buy single malts" mentality so far. I am unsure why, to be honest!
Marketing!
thanks for tuning in Ben, delighted we found you! definitely get involved - you'll likely save a fortune and find some real stunners whilst you're at it. sláinte and happy dramming my friend!
@@IanBear1000 truth!
That Enigma is a banger, glad Stevie has come around.
we got him there in the end! such a great dram
Hey gents!
tbh, mouth sounds went down from my last comment, so it's fine) and yeah, not really commenting much, but watching/listening every episode coz content is good - thank you)
about blends (inc blended malts) - would be really cool to hear your thoughts about compass box or maybe interview with someone from the company
Dmitry! you're a gent for jumping back in, good man. we're only having the craic! definitely need to get Compass Box involved ASAP - you're not the only one who has suggested this great brand. we're on it! sláinte
Cadenheads release one glenfarclas every year They also release an unnamed Speyside which is Glenfarclas
yes indeed - joys of being the oldest Indie in Scotland! good knowledge Gav, sláinte
That North Star was a belter
so good! glad you got to try it Oliver, sláinte
Come on guys, we need some Kardashian level gossip about Douglas Laing haha.
shall we call them onto the pod to have it out Chris? I'm so down for it 😅
Sherry Bombers North Star.
BELTER!!!!!!
Sean and Iain found a great whisky there for the group.
Old Perth PX is brilliant even though their customer service dept is a total waste if time.
great to hear you've enjoyed some of these too James - sláinte!
That 1994 Old Perth is delicious. Purple fruit pastilles is what I get with it - the first and last tasting note I will ever bestow upon a whisky!
really great isn't it. great tasting note!
Great episode again, so for me its either a blend of malts just for the sake of produce cheap whisky, or its a „real“ (i know it sounds dump) single malt even if there are different Distillerys in there. There are so serious good blends out there in order to produce some stunning liquid!! Like the thompson Brothers stuff oder die Campbeltown loch. Its a shame that some people downgrade a bottle in their mind just because of the wording „blend“, but there are definitely two kinds of blends for me.
I dont know if anyone could follow me😂 i’m from Germany 🤷🏻♂️
I get where you're coming from Luca! not sure I'd explain it the same way myself but I appreciate the sentiment - sláinte!
Missed out on that Enigma and been chasing in auctions since, signed up to Cadenheads club to avoid that in the future. Other blends I have really been enjoying are the TB TB/BSW and the TB Lowries Blend. Huge shout out for Campbeltown Loch though, a real go to at the moment.
get along to a festival - they're still pouring it and I think they may even bring some bottles to sell with them..
big up the Loch! great shout
Great episode. Love to see the blended category being pushed which is often more bang for your buck. Not a blended malt but the North Star 10yo blended scotch whisky from cask series 21 is a banger for the £32 I paid for it.
we need to do a North Star episode Aaron so perhaps we can get this one in the lineup. thanks for tuning in and getting involved - sláinte
Have to disagree with Jan....please don't start blurting out pretentious tasting notes like a lot of whisky tube. "Grilled peaches" my arse.
😅😅😅
Spot on mate. They are definitely toasted peaches. Not grilled.
@@danielwilliams7925 I'm going to say they're semi-charred peaches.
lol. You may have a point :)
love this!
Great episode lads. Listened & partially watched while cycling to work on a trans pennine trail this morning; must have looked a bit strange to passers-by- covered in mud & chuckling to myself a fair bit too as you lot started off on a saucy note lol.
Keep them coming 👍
glad we can provide some entertainment on the way to work! sláinte my friend, see you on the next one
One of my favorite bottles of the last few years was a Berry Bros blended malt (1999 - 21yr) of unknown origin but rumored to be either Edrington stock or from Loch Lomond group. Berry's has recently released more from that 1999 parcel, now 24yrs old. It's well worth a look!
Also they have a 1979 blended malt which is stunning and ridiculously well priced.
Great show, fellas and yes, we need to know about the beef!
I believe it's Edrington but either way you're right - a real banger. stay tuned, the beef will be unveiled in short order Sascha! sláinte my friend
Just got back from Campbeltown and totally slept on that Enigma Series bottle, feeling very stupid right now!
Enjoyed this gents.
Look forward to the FULL uncut version(gossip)on Douglas Laing….when we meet up.
TBC 😅
TBC indeed! sláinte
Another great episode gents. Moreish is not a common word in Canada and now that I’ve looked it up it’s a banger of a tasting note. Thanks for the education and thanks for opening my curiosities towards a few blends that I would never have heard of otherwise.
thanks Jan! great to have you as such a regular guest and delighted to pass a solid (if not somewhat vague) tasting note over to you. sláinte my friend!
Great review. I have only really been drinking whisky since getting introduced during pandemic and have had a few blends, but most of the ones you reviewed, I have not had. I have had JW (Black, 18, Blue, Green, Island Green), but the others I have had are Monkey Shoulder, Thompson Bros, Campbelltown Loch, and many of the Compass Box (love Compass box). Just picked up McCleans Nose but have yet to try.
You have given me some additional drams to try. Love chasing the flavors regardless of Single, blend , or dare I say whisky, rum or tequila (And gin in a cocktail).
Cheers
Just got my first bottle of The Enigma15 today. It is excellent. So happy I got it. A great blend that ticks all the boxes for a great dram. Cheers!
Great episode gents. And learnt a bit about different whiskys and whats blended whisky/malt etc.... I've managed to get my hands on a bottle of the Campbeltown Engima 15yo, I am looking forward to popping that! Also managed to get hold of the Highland Enigma yesterday on Auction for £55 plus fees.
Looking forward to your Craigellachie episode...... 👀👀😂😂 and also a Cadenheads episode would be cool as they do so much and are priced well!
"I hate people talking about Christmas Pudding" - I feel watched. 👀
I think you guys are a bit harsh on the Naked Malt, it's 40% and you just had a 46% before it, so it was bound to come off weak. For 20 euros a bottle, I got 6 of them last year. My mother in law likes the stuff and I can use it as the base for blending other stuff that needs a little sherry in it. Ofc it's not a 16+yo Single cask at Cask Strength, but for the price, it's fantastic.
I like the enigma 15 A lot 👌
Brilliant episode again guys , managed to buy and try a few blended malts the past year, currently really enjoying NAS 17 (decadent drinks) ,Saturnalia (Whisky sponge) and Campbeltown Loch. A north star episode would be great we usually spend an hour or 2 at the north star stand(they have all sorts of goodies hidden under the table ) at Glasgow whisky festival each year great fun. We definitely want Stevie to tell us the Douglas Laing story .
North Star is definitely one we want to get in the works so stay tuned Colin! and don't worry, the DL beef will come to light in short order - can't keep this story to ourselves forever
Great episode! So many people turn their nose up at Blends which is ridiculous. Would be interested on your thoughts on Monkey Shoulder. Usually £25 so it bang in that new drinker territory. It was one I tried early on but haven’t been back to in a while but find a lot of people online recommending it as an entry level dram. 🤷🏻♂️
Another great episode Highlighting blends which so often get overlooked. I love the mystery of some of them, trying to figure out the components that make them up. I can’t however believe you left out your beloved Campbeltown Loch!!! It made your whisky of the year list. Shocking 😉🤣
I keep missing out on the Enigma. Definitely need to get my hands on some.
I wanted it in there but we didn't want to become the Campbeltown Loch podcast! definitely get your hands on some of that Enigma, its cracking. sláinte!
That Cadenhead's Enigma is bloody fantastic whisky! Very happy with that one. I need to try more Old Perth.
so good! I need to try more OP myself after this one, was very impressive
Another good topic and video - congratulations.
Old Perth CS, Limited PX CS, Limited P. Cort CS - all three are cask strength and good whisky - not perfect but quite good for the price, the presence of the cask is massive and if you really want to show someone what a sherry cask (several types of sherry cask) can do, there is nothing better. For me, Rock Island is my favorite from the DL line - because it won't be the most complex and most ... whiskey on the shelf - but - what it promises - on the costal line - it's definitely there and there are several versions, all slightly different, rly nice style whisky. Today, there are really many very good and affordable blends. (compass box, thompson b, etc. ) Unfortunately, many blends today still move along the lines of cheap panch - promoted by marketing.
thanks Beno, appreciate the continued support! you've listed some gems but trust me, there are a lot more out there so keep hunting my friend. sláinte!
@@TheWhiskyBaron sometimes I feel it's too much - I don't have that much money... and time😀neverendigstory
@@-beno- you can never find them all but I think that's part of the joy and why community and sharing is so important
A lot of whisky also completely changes like a month after opening. Seen so many ppl open kilkerran HP and not like it then go back a month later and wonder if they were crazy.
From the moan from stevie and the sensual ooosh from Ian is it a safe buy? I don't want to be feeling I'm cheating on my girlfriend 😂😂
The Rock Oyster 18 is a fantastic bottling if you can get it.
* was a fantastic bottling.
not one I'd be hunting down but glad you're enjoying it!
Really enjoyed this episode lads. Top viewing. 👍🏻
thanks for joining us Danny, glad you enjoyed it! sláinte
Remember having a Balvenie 15yr Single Cask 1st fill Sherry and adding a touch of Ardbeg Corryvreckan (like a 4:1 ratio), fucking delicious, haven’t managed to hit those heights blending wise since.
I think the great thing about blended malts are that they allow you to try venerable age without spending a kings ransom. I know age isn’t everything but it is something that piques a lot of peoples curiosity, and blended malts offer a not-extortionate root into trying some.
love doing some home blending but you're right - so difficult to replicate such a success. I completely agree and whilst age isn't everything, it's nice to try something that's spent significant time aging to end up in your glass. sláinte!
@@TheWhiskyBaron I think big age statements take on a sort of mysticism when you haven’t tried one before - it definitely did for me - and whilst it may taste really good, it is still just whisky, which is good to remember when considering splashing out not inconsiderable sums.
Mate home blending just feels like pot luck, ruined way more things than made something good, good craic tho.
@@hoodwiser7652 true, but when there is a big age statement on a bottle you can appreciate why the price tag can be so hefty - 20, 30 or even 50 years in cask is no joke!
glad you're having the craic and no doubt learning a lot. keep it up! sláinte
Great video as per lads. I'm just back from a 3 day whisky adventure to Cambeltown, it was your experience which influenced me to get up there and I can only say thank you for that.
Amazing stuff Richard - I won’t ask if you enjoyed it as I know you’ll have had a blast. What was the highlight though?
@@TheWhiskyBaron the distillery tours were great but I really enjoyed the Cadenheads and Glenscotia warehouse tastings we got to try some really amazing drams and got to engage with some other whisky geeks, we made some new friends from Holland. I wasn't expecting to but I enjoyed the glenscotia tasting the most, Claire the shop manager was an amazing host, she really knew her stuff and we had a good laugh.
@@richardkilley6838 I'm given to understand that the Cadenheads warehouse tasting has changed since I last visited so I'm keen to get back and try the new one! great to hear GS was such a highlight too - doesn't all have to be about Springbank! sláinte
Also need the DL beef explained 😂
the people want the BEEF!
Top episode, great subject. There are many great blends now, and sometimes that's just what you need to relax and enjoy an evening. Really look forward to The Whisky Baron Blend in years to come, like everything you do it will be top notch.
thanks Euan, appreciate your vote of confidence and support as always. as you say, so many great options out there so hopefully we'll put up a good fight in this competitive sector. sláinte!
When you release your blend you should call it ‘For sure’!
yes! love this Andrew; you've clearly been watching us too much! sláinte
Campbeltown Loch.
We can’t have it every episode 😂
@IanBear1000 sorry I am new to to the channel.
I wanted to include it again but they wouldn't let me! such a great dram, good shout
@@IanBear1000 yes we can!
@@alangray6961 sounds like we need to review it for our new viewers @IanBear1000
Blended malts is definitely a category to keep an eye on. It'll be interesting to see what new blended malts will roll onto the market to fill the price gap that got created by single malts moving up in price. There's even a 25yo enigma out for 70 gbp/90 eur right now. However I always approach with caution and don't get blinded by the age statement because they can be very hit and miss.
Happy to hear and see that stevie is enjoying the enigma. That 1994 blackcurrant sounds right up my street. Sadly it got priced up by ~30% here which kind of puts it out of buy range.
As for the mouth sounds, just wait till you start your ramen channel and the slurping techniques get discovered 😆. They're part of tasting get used to it.
As for naked malt:
Naked Malt (aka Naked Grouse Blended Malt) first started to roll out in August 2017 in select global markets and is expected to appear in select US markets beginning April 2018. This is a blended malt whisky featuring single malts from Glenturret, Glenrothes, Highland Park and The Macallan. These were aged in first and second-fill American and European oak before blending together. The blend then finished in first-fill oloroso sherry butts for six months further. It is chill-filtered and bottled at either 43% or 40% ABV depending on the market.
So sorry to have to disappoint you Jake.
agreed, there is a big hole being left by single malt price increases and it will be great to see more experimentation to fill the gap. how did you know we had a ramen channel in the works?! 😅
@@TimHoekstra is this still the same now though Tim? pretty sure it's changed.. I hope!
@@TheWhiskyBaron afaik it still "includes" malts from macallan, highland park and glenrothes in the blend, but will try to dig a bit deeper and let you know if i find something. Since they use the term includes, it can be anything.
@@TimHoekstra ye, I'm not convinced there's much of that stock going in there at all anymore. would be fascinated to find out though so let us know what you find!
Congratulations on the new born to the mystery viewer. I was worried he was going to say that he uses the podcast to put the baby to sleep!
I hope not! you'd risk their first words either being some sort of crude tasting note
@@TheWhiskyBaron "Honey, honey! Liam said 'Bolshie'."
@@jameskaaden6437 😂 love it
Nikka from the Barrel has Scotch Single Malt and Japanese grain whisky.
the bulk of flavour is Ben Nevis though, wouldn't you agree?
@@TheWhiskyBaron Ben Nevis is what they say!
@@ninetyZeven you disagree?
@@TheWhiskyBaron I do not disagree, Mr Baron. We are in fact
in agreement.
@@ninetyZeven nice one Coop! glad I'm not imagining things. sláinte
Oh you have to tell us what the beef is with Douglas Laing now. Can’t just tease it and not follow through 🫢🤣
we love a good tease! don't worry though, we'll get there. need to invite their certain members of their team on to have the beef out in person!