Bailie Nicol Jarvie Blended Whisky

After tasting many whiskies, I've finally experienced a legendary "Aquavitæ world" bottling: the Bailie Nicol Jarvie. This blended Scotch vanished from shelves in 2014. Research shows the bottler was Macdonald & Muir (which later became the Glenmorangie Company). It was reputed to have the 'highest malt content of any blended Scotch whisky.' Islay, Speyside, and the Highlands contributed to this dram. Grain whisky came from Girvan. The youngest component was at least 8 years old, bottled at 40% ABV. The aroma begins with a very clean, fresh apple note, hazelnut, and some salinity. Caramel chocolate is definitely present. Pears and honey emerge. It's a fresh, very typical whisky scent. Spicy on the nose, like oregano. A second pass reveals a maritime scene: lots of sea salt and sand. Coconut bronzer. Rum and raisin ice cream. A very clean, well-presented aroma. Toffee notes too. Honey, toffee, hay, cider, and salt – it mirrors the nose perfectly. It's very pleasant and easy to drink. Grassy/hay is the most prominent note. A nice ashy, tobacco/cigar finish. A decent amount of peatiness is present. This is the kind of smoky/salty finish that established the good reputation of Scotch whiskies. Upon a second sip, it became much sweeter, with a solid toffee note. Actually, this is a pretty balanced, fairly enjoyable dram. I bet it pairs perfectly with a cigar, and it's not overwhelmingly peaty; it actually has a hint of smokiness, only on the aftertaste. It's really nice, very "Cowboy-esque" in style. I'm sad it's no longer available because I bet it wasn't expensive and could be a great everyday dram. My rating is 89 out of 100.

A wonderful blend we discovered by chance. Flavorful in all the right ways and goes down incredibly smoothly. Pure class. They don't produce them like this anymore.

Strong alcohol presence, yet balanced, potent but smooth, with fruity and intense notes.