High Commissioner Blended Scotch

This is the best value Scotch I've discovered. While less expensive than Glen Grant, Red Label, Famous Grouse, and others, it lacks the harsh solvent character that irritates the throat and nose. Black Label comes next for me, offering superior alcohol quality and no bitterness, which High Commissioner does exhibit if allowed to linger on the palate, as is common with inexpensive blends. I sometimes find Black Label uninteresting, as it can be rather dull depending on the bottle, though smooth for its cost. Thus, I occasionally favor this one over it, surprisingly. It amuses me when I see tasting notes for whiskies at this price point, as the flavors are frequently obscured by chemical and solvent aromas, particularly with common supermarket blends. A positive aspect of this Scotch is its absence of that overpowering sweet, cereal taste found in Glen Grant. It presents as a mild single malt with a touch of grain alcohol astringency, which, considering the cost, is quite acceptable, in my view.

Aroma: Common, light whisky scents. Nothing remarkable, but nothing off-putting. Flavor: A sweet, light cereal taste initially, with a touch of malt & fruit as it develops, but it's very subtle. Again, it's well-balanced without major flaws. Finish: Short and unremarkable. No bitterness or sourness. The most fitting description for this is “inoffensive.” It lacks significant character, but given it's a bottom-shelf blend, there's nothing to fault in context. It avoids any strong ethanol presence and offers a pleasant, albeit restrained and ordinary, profile. It's a mixer, plain and simple, and a useful, affordable one. In a pinch, it can be enjoyed straight or on ice. It's superior to many other bottom-shelf blends but falls short of a couple of competitors in the same price range – notably Loch Lomond Reserve and Loch Lomond Original, from the same distillery. “Adequate”: 72/100 (2 stars)

Another fine blended spirit from Loch Lomond distillery, which I'd certainly pick over their standard single malts. The scent is quite faint, sweet, with honey and a hint of alcohol, packed with apples. It's surprising how little grain character is detectable on the nose; if you were tipsy enough, you could easily mistake it for a single malt. The palate mirrors this closely – intensely sweet, almost sugary, smooth, light, and gentle, brimming with brown sugar. More apple notes appear, alongside butterscotch, creme-brûlée, and dried apricots. It might come across as rather simple, passing quickly over the tongue, but it's enjoyable. The finish reveals its grain origins, being somewhat sharp and slightly bitter. High Commissioner stands apart from the LL lineup, and thankfully so, as it lacks the unpleasant damp and bitter qualities common in the core range.

Nose: Ethanol, malt and some distant peat and smoke but I could be mistaken as it so faint. Coloured blend. Taste of sweet malt and vanilla finishing in tart woody tannin but nicely balanced. For a cheap blend its nicely smooth and there are certainly worse to be had at this price point. It has a decent mouth feel and a touch of oil and a hint of salt and charcoal. 2.5 stars 86 points. Not bad at all if you are after a cheap blend.

Quite sour, as if a lot of rye remains; unusually dull on the nose. From the whiskey, there's a bourbon-like vanilla and hints of baked goods, amusing but flat, and it quickly devolves into dull consumption. It's not bad, but it doesn't even try to reach the best.

Mellow initially with sweet vanilla and oak notes. The finish is brief, with a lip-tingling spice.