5 Really Cheap Blended Whiskies That Are Surprisingly Tasty
Blended Scotch whisky tends to get a bad rap these days as single malt whisky becomes ever more popular.
However, there are plenty of great blends out there that deserve a sip...or 10. For example, London-based blender Compass Box has created some truly hip and tasty blended whiskies that rank with the best single malts.
Then again, this post isn’t about the really nice high-end boutique blends looking to compete in the luxury market. That’s a story for another day.
This is about the cheap stuff. And I'm telling you that some of the cheap blended Scotch is surprisingly decent.
No, not all are good. Yes, most are probably best when drowned in Coca-Cola.
But I ask you to believe me when I say that the five whiskies I’ve selected here are worth trying, neat.
All can be found for under £25 pounds in the U.K. (and under $30 in the U.S.) - most, in fact, under £20 ($25).
Even though they won’t knock your socks off - let's be reasonable - they're definitely enjoyable and worth their prices.
I stand by these choices. For added pleasure, serve them to whisky-snob friends. Don’t tell them what they're drinking. Then sit back and enjoy their surprise at something they may have previously sneered at.
I first encountered this little piggy a few years back when I worked at a whisky store in Edinburgh. A customer asked for our best cheap whisky. There was a tasting stock that had a stash of whiskies next to the cash register for customers to try (and for the staff to sip on the sly). So I pulled a little bottle of this out, poured us both a small measure, and shared a toast. "It’s as smooth as a pig’s nose," the bottle boasts, and I’m inclined to agree. This is a creation of Richard Paterson (his Twitter handle: @the_nose), Whyte and Mackay’s master distiller, a revered personality in the whisky world.
Haig Club is unpleasant and overpriced. The Clubman, however, has received plaudits for being a great smooth whisky, and it’s half the price of the original Haig Club. I’ve sung its praises before and I’m happy to do so again. While currently only available in the U.K., it will be sold in other markets soon.
Read more at source: Forbes
