Buchanan's De Luxe 12 Year

This is my first experience with this particular blended scotch. I've acquired this, alongside Kirkland 12 Year Blended scotch, Dewar's 12, and Cutty Sark Prohibition, seeking a top contender in the "handle of scotch" category. I enjoy an occasional Rob Roy, Bobby Burns, scotch & soda, or a simple pour on ice, especially with a large coconut water cube. Which blend emerges as the superior choice? I'm evaluating these alongside Johnnie Walker Black, Naked Malt, Monkey Shoulder, and others to keep my cocktail repertoire varied. Tasted neat from a grappa copita, this blend presents a pleasant honeyed character, with sweet breakfast cereal, apples, subtle pears, and a faint trace of dry smoke. This smoke is unlike the typical Islay profile; it's more akin to the ashy smoke found in many mezcals. It's subtle, distinctive, and rather pleasing. What is not pleasing, however? That frustrating pour spout restrictor on the Buchanan's bottle. It's quite unnecessary, but I'll consider it a nod to Luxardo Maraschino and move past it... On the palate, this whiskey offers a sweet initial taste, a satisfying malty body with a hint of cigarette ash, and a quick, sweet finish accompanied by faint notes of black pepper. It's well-balanced, provides some dry fruitiness, and possesses slightly more depth than the Kirkland 12 blend. It lacks the "juicy" quality of the Dewar's 12. In a Rob Roy, this performs exceptionally well. I'm using a 2:1 ratio with Cnia Mata Spanish Tinto Reservo, which resembles a blend of Punt e Mes and Antica. The Buchanan's possesses sufficient character to hold its own against this robust yet nuanced vermouth, offering good mouthfeel, evolving flavors, and excellent resilience against the slight dilution from melting ice. This is a truly excellent blended scotch. In my local market, its price point falls between Dewar's 12 and Johnnie Walker Black. I enjoy it enough to include it in my regular rotation, but I'd hesitate to purchase it in handle sizes. I plan to revisit this expression in the future. I've noticed a pineapple variant of this spirit and am curious about its potential in an unconventional Rob Roy variation. That might be an experiment worth undertaking. As it stands, this is a solid blend. It doesn't offer the greatest value for money, nor is it an essential addition to my collection, but it's worth the initial purchase to discover.

Nose: Distinct red and green apple notes mingle with other orchard fruit aromas. It evokes a peach-scented hand soap. A background of wet grass and earthy notes is present. Hints of mint and other dried herbs. Perhaps a whisper of cigarette smoke, though this might be influenced by someone else's suggestion. Palate: Red apple with a synthetic strawberry flavoring. It also has an apple juice-like quality. The mid-palate reveals round malt notes with hints of caramel, vanilla, and white bread, but the texture is noticeably thin. A fleeting taste of cinnamon-dusted custard with toffee pieces accompanies the progression to the finish. The finish has a mild warmth with a baking spice character. The earthy notes from the nose reappear, suggesting peat elements – it's reminiscent of damp moss, which isn't entirely unpleasant but not exceptional either. This blend is largely forgettable. It doesn't possess the enduring appeal of JW Black, which even experienced scotch drinkers might revisit. It's not a malt-forward spirit like Famous Grouse or Monkey Shoulder, nor does it compare to any Compass Box offerings. The most positive aspect I can identify is a perceived similarity to the highly regarded JW Green, but with the notes seemingly misplaced and out of order. The earthy and herbal characteristics of Green, combined with a solid malt foundation, a rich mouthfeel, and a hint of sea-sprayed bonfire, are here distorted. Instead, the herbs are wilted, submerged in diluted apple juice, and sprinkled with cereal, all while a cigarette burns nearby. That being said, finishing the bottle was not a chore; it's not undrinkable. I wouldn't even call it bad, just bland and easily overlooked. It's also overpriced, though that's not unexpected, and it remains relatively inexpensive, making its value proposition forgettable as well.

My Internet crashed today, which is a terrible event for a tech enthusiast. No fishing due to the strange weather. What options remain? A Scotch whisky tasting, naturally! Today, I'm focusing on three interesting and affordably priced 12-year blends. Let's examine each one. The aroma of the Old Parr is earthy with notes of rich wildflower honey, soil, ripe apples, and pears, topped with hints of oxidized sherry. Buchanan's is lighter, featuring prominent notes of caramel candies, apple skins, strawberries, and a hint of lemon. The Chivas is the most delicate of the three. Granny Smith apple, dry autumn fields, fresh berries, and dry grain are all present. On the taste buds, these are fierce competitors. I haven't sampled Chivas since perhaps the last century. Let's consider this a new experience for me. Light apple skins, honey, and barley grain create a delicate sip. Sherry fruits appear mid-palate. The finish is short. This is an easy drink. Buchanan's is a regular in my rotation. It sits between Dewar's 12 (a close companion) and Johnnie Walker Black, which are also in my regular rotation. These are my dependable and satisfying "Rob Roy" staples. Buchanan's offers a richer mouthfeel than the Chivas, with slightly more intense flavor. Both seem quite similar, and it would be challenging to distinguish between them if not tasted side-by-side. Old Parr is even richer. Its creamy mouthfeel is accompanied by a waft of smoke, raw honey, and echoes of Spanish sherry. Simply delightful. The takeaway? These are all more than acceptable whiskies, and all are competitively priced. I can't imagine anyone tasting these three and finding any of them objectionable. They are all quite good! If I had to choose, my favorite today would be the Old Parr. That's simply where my taste buds are leading me at this moment. Tomorrow, it could easily be one of the others. I'm pleased they are all in my cabinet. Cheers!

This container has now become the most frustrating to open in all my years, surpassing Hudson Baby Bourbon. The cap would not unscrew; it wouldn't move at all. I needed a hammer and a flathead screwdriver just to access the marble stopper, which numerous people apparently had issues with, according to online discussions. I will attempt to set aside my irritation from that evening and offer an impartial assessment (perhaps.) Nose: Somewhat faint. With patience, some rather pleasant notes emerge. Orange, pineapple, and cucumber. Green, grainy, grassy characteristics. Malt, caramel, vanilla, and milk chocolate. A slight metallic grain note, which is a minor drawback. Oak. No hint of alcohol burn whatsoever. Palate: Green apple and pear. Apricot and banana. Cocoa and caramel. Vanilla and malt. Orange and pineapple. Toffee and milk chocolate. Cucumber and agave. Honey. None of the harsh notes detected on the nose. A solidly constructed palate. Finish: Malt, vanilla, milk chocolate. Cucumber and apricot. Banana and green apple. Orange, lemon, and cucumber. Mild baking spice and oak. Moderately long, which is unexpected at 40% ABV. A fine spirit. Disregarding the difficulty in opening the bottle, this is a superb blend. I'm aware it's a Diageo product, but I found little information regarding its single malt components. Dalwhinnie was mentioned in a couple of places. That's a solid foundation. I couldn't find any other details. Regardless of its composition, the blend is successful. This is likely the finest blended Scotch I've reviewed, though I do plan to purchase the Compass Box core range eventually. Buchanan's 12 is far superior to Hedonism, and I can acquire three bottles of the former for the price of one of the latter. $33 is an excellent value for a blend of this caliber. A great bottle to bring to a gathering for casual whiskey enthusiasts or to order at a low-key bar. 3.5 out of 5.

Years ago, I handled sound and lighting for a band that played Chinese restaurants. We frequented places that packed people in, and my aim was to make glasses shake on the bar shelves. We'd play three sets and leave between 1 and 2 AM, depending on the time zone. Back then, everyone smoked indoors. When I got home, the smell was on my clothes, and a shower would release a burst of old, stale cigarette smoke. That, unfortunately, is the smoky character in this scotch. The nose has hints of vanilla and malt, but mostly slightly bitter wood and smoke. The palate is more bitter wood and stale smoke with a fleeting malt sweetness, but I found the fruit lacking. The finish is dry, with the grain and wood tannins appearing alongside the tired smoke. For me, it's a bit too much like having a cigarette extinguished on your tongue, though it's quite popular in South America. Overall, it's not as bad as it sounds and has some decent malt qualities, but it won't be a repeat purchase for me... 70/100... it's still scotch, and perhaps one can grow accustomed to the smoke profile... A side note: people need to stop struggling with bottle pouring; just invert it over the glass and give it a little shake, and there you go.

A very light, sweet, honey floral aroma that brings Irish whiskey to mind, but with a touch of peat smoke. I also detect vanilla, a hint of lemon, mandarin, hay, honeydew melon, and even a little grilled pineapple with caramelization. It's sweet on the palate too, with a gentle peppery spice, but a surprising burst of peat much stronger than what was on the nose. There’s candied lemon peel, Bosc pear, mild caramel, tootsie roll, and a lot of ash. It's light-bodied, yet substantial, disappears quickly from the glass and leaves no legs. The finish is woody, sooty, mineral, even a bit metallic, like licking a used fireplace, but some of that caramel lingers with a pinch of cinnamon preventing it from being unpleasant. It's almost like the finish of some mezcals I've sampled. In general, a decent blend if you appreciate highland malts or are new to heavily peated Islays. Nose: 8 Taste: 8 Body: 7 Finish: 7