Grangestone Highland Single Malt Sherry Cask Finish

I won't get into the nose/ palate/ finish, etc., because based on these reviews, the taste varies wildly, so what one person detects, another might not. So, I'll just share my thoughts... My experience with scotch is limited. But I know what I enjoy! I prefer a smooth sherry cask with little to NO burn on the finish. The reason I waited so long to start drinking "whiskey" was because I assumed it all tasted like Yukon Jack (remember those high school parties, haha). Thankfully, I tried a triple distilled basic Jameson's that I really liked. That bottle set me on the path to finding the best one. Fortunately, not long after, I sampled a Kilbrins 10 year Oloroso cask whiskey. I LOVED IT! It was very straightforward but good! Later, I wanted to try something older, so I found a Glenfiddich 14 single malt. It was alright. It was a HUGE jump in complexity (compared to the Irish whiskey). It had that new band-aid scent with a finish tasting like a mermaid's armpit. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't love it either. This led me to the Glenfiddich 12yr Sherry cask on sale (as low as $21 per bottle), so I bought several. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THAT! I still do. The only reason I'm not drinking it now is that I'm frugal and it's not currently on sale. This finally brings me to the actual review... I discovered the Grangestone sherry cask was on sale if I bought three, bringing the cost down to about $26 each... Initial impression: good. The bottle and packaging are nice. The bottle itself is quite thick and somewhat heavy. I don't mind, but older individuals with arthritis might find it challenging. The liquid's color is a pleasant medium/dark cola. Second, the cork. As soon as I opened it, I could smell the good stuff! It smelled MUCH sweeter than the GF12yr sherry. I let it breathe for a few hours, but it didn't seem to alter much. The GF12yr sherry, in my opinion, needed to air out before drinking, just so you know. Third, the taste. I tried a straight shot, no ice, no water. I must say it's smoother than the GF (but also 40% ABV compared to 43%). I didn't detect much, if any, fiery alcohol taste on either the front or back end. It is VERY SWEET, which I actually like, but any sweeter and I think it would be too much. It does lack the strong peat flavor that most other scotches have. To me, it drinks like a robust Irish whiskey with a hint of scotch flavor. I use it for mixing, so I'm content with it. Overall, it's great! It has all the elements I desire in a sherry scotch, but could it be a bit bolder? Could it have more of that "scotch" character, you know? I knocked off half a point for that... I can confirm I didn't notice any "burnt" aromas. No "rubbing alcohol" smells or tastes. No saltiness, etc... it's your standard scotch/whiskey finished in sherry casks. Nothing more, nothing less. I use whiskey/scotch in an "OC Manhattan." Orange County Manhattan. I added a lemon and a bit of maple syrup to a somewhat traditional Manhattan (using a master of mixes Manhattan mix). Recipe: In a shaker... 1 squeezed improved Mayer lemon or equivalent juice, 2 Tbsp maple syrup, 4 count pour of your preferred whiskey/scotch, top with a quick 2 count pour of the MoM Manhattan mix (more or less to taste), shake for 15 to 20 seconds then pour over ice into an 11-12oz rocks glass, top with a few amaretto/amaro black cherries from Italy (trust me, you'll never go back to traditional maraschino cherries after this). There you have an OC Manhattan (my family is from Brooklyn, NY, and I was the first born in OC, Southern California, after my grandfather brought the family to the Long Beach docks after the Brooklyn yard closed). So, I call it that for the added citrus, haha.

This scotch is intended as an entry-level dram, produced and aged to serve as a beginner's scotch. It aims to be an easily drinkable imitation of a more expensive and superior scotch, without significantly compromising aroma and flavor. Regarding the nose, prominent sherry notes are evident, accompanied by plum and subtle hints of vanilla and caramel deep within the subtle aromas, offering a minor preview of the taste. On the palate, a pleasant sherry spice develops through the finish and is unexpectedly delightful. The smokiness is mild, and the liquid is rather rough and acidic with a malty flavor that coats the tongue. The consistency is inconsistent, with significant variations in taste from one sip to another, making it difficult to discern a steady profile. The finish's spice is enjoyable and inviting, but the strong malt flavor overpowers the delicate notes of fruit and vanilla. Oak makes a pleasant appearance. It's challenging not to appreciate this scotch; it's rough, edgy, and charming. While the aromas and taste leave much to be desired, it's sufficient to encourage a desire for a more profound experience. What it lacks in polish and uniformity, it compensates for with bold and occasionally rich flavors, resulting in a fairly balanced and pleasing experience – a great start for what's to come.

The aroma presents scotch notes, yet it's primarily defined by a strawberry fruit snacks scent that's quite pleasant. The taste is unfortunately weak, with the scotch having too subtle a fruit presence to convey any maturity. It genuinely tastes as though strawberry fruit snacks were briefly steeped in young scotch. It's exceptionally watery and generally unappealing, though not actively offensive. The bouquet is remarkably sweet, reminiscent of strawberry with caramel that has been affected by scotch. The palate is surprisingly watery, carrying a distinctively strong, yet not viscous, sweet strawberry flavor. Scotch is detectable on the palate but very generic; the overall impression is that of a watery strawberry beverage. It's odd and poor. Grangestone Rum and Grangestone Bourbon are superior. This is, in a way, some of the most substandard scotch encountered, as it deviates entirely from what a finished product should be. While not entirely undrinkable, the flavor profile is genuinely strange and unsuitable. The nose offers strawberry alongside some sulfurous grass. The palate possesses some body and a touch of spice, being less watery than initially perceived. A rather unpleasant decaying flavor underlies the entire experience, lacking significant complexity.

Nose - artificial strawberry, pop rocks, lemon, honey, wet grass, caramel, mild to moderate ethanol sting. Taste - cloying strawberry, honey, orange, lemon, wet grass, sour apple, vanilla, subtle caramel, mild to moderate alcohol burn, finishing very quickly with sour, chemical strawberry and young alcohol flavors. Clearly trying not to be outdone by its bourbon cask-finished sibling, this is somehow even worse. The strawberry pop rock flavor is very noticeable, making other notes hard to discern. Its only redeeming quality is how easy it is to drink. So easy, in fact, that you could 'trick the other parents at the tee-ball game into thinking it's juice in my juice box.' This is the worst Scotch I've reviewed to date and rivals some of the worst liquors I've ever reviewed, surpassed only by Canadian Mist, which still haunts my dreams. Down the drain it goes. Never again.

I tasted four bottles blind: the bourbon cask, sherry cask, rum cask, and 12yr single malts from grangestone. The following nosing and tasting notes are from the blind tasting. On the nose, you get fresh pear with a light citrus, like lemon rind or a freshly cut lemon. Honey Graham crackers follow, and after it breathes a bit, the cinnamon really emerges. The taste brings toasted Graham crackers with marmalade and a light oakiness. Then the cinnamon builds into a prominent fireball candy flavor. The finish is short, but not too short. A light oakiness lingers with a spicy fireball candy note. Overall, this was my third favorite in the group, though it was very close to taking second. I loved how the cinnamon developed. Once that note appeared, however, it became hard to ignore and was overpowering. If it had been slightly more subdued, this might have taken second place over the 12yr.

This whisky is challenging to locate online. In reality, this is available at many Total Wine stores in the USA, and they offer tastings there, but it doesn't appear to be available anywhere online for even a picture or details about their other expressions. Regarding the whisky itself, this one was fruity with a very unusual conclusion. On the nose: Lemon; very Fruity, Citric, grapefruit, lemon pie, apples, currant, green mango. Pungent and fruity. On the palate, it has a very distinct fresh fruit profile. Apples, pears, cereal with honey, and a slight vanilla. Aftertaste is odd. Short conclusion, very fruity; There's something unusual, not bad, but not typical, like iron. Overall, this is a whisky that shows NO SHERRY INFLUENCE despite being a sherry cask finish. Unexciting and rather ordinary, you could probably use it instead of drinking juice. 72/100