Grant's Triple Wood Smoky

Nose: Smells quite tart, like cereal, with faint malt aromas. It's intensely alcoholic and redolent of immature, low-grade grain spirit. The barrels show no influence whatsoever (they must have been completely exhausted) and there's no scent of smoke. A disappointing and unoriginal aroma. Palate: A harsh, fiery, and unpleasant sharp entry that immediately becomes bitter, along with some of the most offensive "smoke" I've experienced. It doesn't resemble genuine peat smoke; it's more akin to a sweetening agent, like the wretched boisé sometimes added to cognac, or the taste of homemade spirit artificially aged with oak fragments. The consistency is weak and watery. Finish: Extremely brief. A lingering sweet and sour aftertaste, but it's purely the sweetness of ethanol. Awful. I had expectations that the peated iteration of a budget blended scotch would surpass the regular expression, but it's the contrary. This is very likely the most regrettable blended spirit I have ever sampled, and to make matters worse, it's hardly the least expensive option available. "Reject It Like A Mad Dog": 55/100 (0.5 stars)

This turned out better than anticipated for a Grant's. Nose: Charred smoke, Highland peat, plus the familiar grainy profile of the base Triple Wood. I didn't really care for that base one, but this Smoky edition possesses some intriguing character. Taste: Smoke shifts to Highland peat, followed by a good amount of grainy notes that, surprisingly, taste better than the base edition. I'm strongly considering that I actually like this blend. Finish: Smoke and peat conclude the dram with a moderate finish for its category. Final thoughts: I sampled this after Teacher's and can confidently state this is a slight improvement if you're seeking a peated blend. The peat here is very light and mellow, yet nicely integrated into the typical Grant's profile, which normally lacks any interesting qualities. I'd consider buying it again for mixing.

Beautifully smooth, virtually no smoke, but more complex than the standard triple wood. In the category of easy-drinking whiskies to sip while doing something else, the price-to-performance is great; it's uncomplicated but not offensive. Actually, I enjoyed it.

Grain, honey, and a significant amount of alcohol. It develops tones similar to a solvent. A hint of peat emerges towards the finish but is overshadowed by the intense burn of the alcohol. Nevertheless, it surpasses the standard Grants offering.

A subtle smoky essence that gives way to sweet, buttery toffee, indicating its youth. Some cereal notes are present alongside a gentle fruitiness. The finish is brief.

A bit of smokiness and woodiness, combined with alcoholic richness, makes this Grant's quite palatable.