Single malt Scotch vs blended scotch, I do not see the advantage of single malts.
- Thread starter Ceiling Cat
- Start date
Single malts tend to cater to a more refined taste, while blends tend to cater to a more consistent flavour.
That's not to say that a refined palette won't enjoy a blend, and as has been mentioned there are a number of very high quality blended Scotch whiskies available. (There was a rumour once that JWBlue was partly mixed from 60-year old Chivas, but that isn't what they claim on their website).
There may be days when you ask for "Merlot", and other days when you ask for "Chateau du Pomp, 1983". Nothing wrong with either, and nothing that guaranteed one will taste better than the other or be less expensive than the other, but one has a specific flavour that the other may be more to your general taste.
That's not to say that a refined palette won't enjoy a blend, and as has been mentioned there are a number of very high quality blended Scotch whiskies available. (There was a rumour once that JWBlue was partly mixed from 60-year old Chivas, but that isn't what they claim on their website).
There may be days when you ask for "Merlot", and other days when you ask for "Chateau du Pomp, 1983". Nothing wrong with either, and nothing that guaranteed one will taste better than the other or be less expensive than the other, but one has a specific flavour that the other may be more to your general taste.
Yet if you tried a comparison tasting with the JW line, Red, Black Green Gold, Blue and now Platinum (ffs), you'd see the differences no matter where you palate is although describing it is another matter. Saying it would taste better with cola, doesn't count.
Same with Bowmores, Glenfarclas, or Highland Park series.
Nobody really thinks of JW (except for Red) when they talk about Blends. Instead, they're referring to Bells, Dewars, Famous Grouse, Grants, etc.
Following on from the OP's question, one might ask, why do they bother taking these precautions?
If the skill of being able to pick out the differences is so highly specialized and so rare, why is it precious?
Surely there can only be a handful of customers, in the whole world, who have more discernment than everybody at the distillers apart from these two. What kind of a business caters for only a tiny number of customers?
Even a JW Blue, as good as it is as a blend, does not live up to a less expensive fine single malt IMO.
Understanding scotch, or any fine liquor for that matter, is like understanding colours. Your perception of a specific colour is affected,
and possibly altered, by matching it to other colours in the same family of colours. Then the hues and tones will reveal themselves.
Scotch is the same way. If you did a sample tasting of 6 - 8 single malts, you'ld find the range in flavours is staggering.
That's why I prefer single malts. The characteristics are very defined and intense.
A blend always comes across a little muted, lacking a little edge in flavour, IMO.
Understanding scotch, or any fine liquor for that matter, is like understanding colours. Your perception of a specific colour is affected,
and possibly altered, by matching it to other colours in the same family of colours. Then the hues and tones will reveal themselves.
Scotch is the same way. If you did a sample tasting of 6 - 8 single malts, you'ld find the range in flavours is staggering.
That's why I prefer single malts. The characteristics are very defined and intense.
A blend always comes across a little muted, lacking a little edge in flavour, IMO.
You're asking me why someone one year can make a product taste a particular way and then the next year with different ingredients make a product taste the same way is precious? It a rare gift or skill, period. It precious because it is are or expensive to propagate. Most of what we taste is in the nose. We taste five categories, sweet, sour, bitter, salty and savory through receptors on the tongue. Outside if the that, the olfactory receptors take over with ability of recognize in the range of 100-200 smells in adults, oddly enough young children can recognize ~5x's more. With training people in the perfume and spirit business can generally expand that to ~1000 or more, although some sources claim 10,000 is possible.
Most customers will satisfy themselves with like or dislike, will I buy it again, and not much more.
In the animal world we are better than most birds, marine mammals and many insects. Colonial insects, vultures and some seabirds are the exceptions.
Dogs blow us out of the water and the top of the heap in dogs are bloodhounds at 1000 x's humans, capable of following a stale human trail 300 hours old.
If you like it it does. It's all personal tastes.
As far as the range you are totally correct.
Year to year variations ins less expensive single malts (< 100) is both fine and interesting. However when you go for a fine expensive scotch (say the Macallan 18-year old), then poor years really stand out.
Lately I've been into good Irish Whiskey with Black Bush my fav (and a good value). To me way better than the scotch blends but at a comparable price.
Lately I've been into good Irish Whiskey with Black Bush my fav (and a good value). To me way better than the scotch blends but at a comparable price.
Never been much of a drinker expect for a few wild years way back, scotch and water-sometimes sparkling water, was one of my favorite drinks. Can't even recall which brand I like the most..oh well, I do recall Yukon Jack which wasn't scotch so much and I drank that more straight from the bottle....maybe that is what messed me up, lol
I seen Jack Daniel’s to release unaged rye whiskey called “white dog”
http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2012/10/jack-daniels-to-release-unaged-rye-whiskey/
Containing a combination of 70% rye – 19% above the legal minimum for a rye whiskey – 18% corn and 12% malted barley, the white spirit has gone through Jack Daniels’ signature charcoal mellowing process, resulting in a taste master distiller Jeff Arnett describes as spiced, natural and complex.
Jack Daniel’s Unaged Rye will only be available in the US, with an initial December launch in select retail outlets in Tennessee, before an exclusive rollout into other US markets in January 2013.
I seen Jack Daniel’s to release unaged rye whiskey called “white dog”
http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2012/10/jack-daniels-to-release-unaged-rye-whiskey/
Containing a combination of 70% rye – 19% above the legal minimum for a rye whiskey – 18% corn and 12% malted barley, the white spirit has gone through Jack Daniels’ signature charcoal mellowing process, resulting in a taste master distiller Jeff Arnett describes as spiced, natural and complex.
Jack Daniel’s Unaged Rye will only be available in the US, with an initial December launch in select retail outlets in Tennessee, before an exclusive rollout into other US markets in January 2013.
I still ask the question: given that people with highly-discerning whiskey taste-buds are so rare, why are they so precious? The fact of their rarity takes away from their value. All that stuff about noses and dogs sounds like BS.
Just how many customers are there, for the blended whiskeys, who can tell the difference between the different brands without looking at the bottles? In Toronto - a handful? Why would that handful be so important to the distillery? And the same goes for customers who can tell the difference between this year's and last year's.
What kind of a whiskey connoisseur - someone who can tell the difference - cares if the Bells or Teachers is slightly different this year from last year? The real connoisseurs are drinking single malts.
Hmmm, I could tell the difference between the cheaper brands of scotch..I now recall my favorite brand, it was Dewar's white label...maybe not a single blend or really expensive but I liked it over say Johny Walker red and I paid a few dollars more for it when I could afford too.
A good Irish whisky is like a fine caramel while a good single malt is like a smooth hit of dark chocolate.
I like my tipple rustic so when I have a few extra pence I'll splash out for a bottle of Lagavulin 16 year old. As for JW, I haven't had a blend in a very long time but I'm happy to hear that they are re-introducing Glen Cardhu in Canada. A fine tipple it is!
I like my tipple rustic so when I have a few extra pence I'll splash out for a bottle of Lagavulin 16 year old. As for JW, I haven't had a blend in a very long time but I'm happy to hear that they are re-introducing Glen Cardhu in Canada. A fine tipple it is!
Take in a meal with The Companions of The Quaich and ask them about your concerns.
