McClelland's Single Malt Highland

A lighter-bodied spirit with a nose dominated by floral and honey notes, hints of hay, and, for me, a faint aroma reminiscent of the chocolatey air at Hershey Park/The Hershey Lodge (call it specific, but it's barely perceptible!) Taste-wise, it's not overly impressive. It offers a decent grass and honey-like sweetness, which isn't unpleasant by any means, very subtle smokiness, and a touch of oaky woodiness. Adding a small amount of ice or a few mL of cold water diminishes the bite considerably, but the flavor profile expands significantly. There's more vanilla, honey, and that slight woodiness with that touch of water. The finish is quite short; the brine and peat undertones are the last to linger, and they are hardly significant to this single malt highland whisky, though they are present in some form. For the cost, I wasn't let down, but I certainly wasn't amazed. It's excellent for easing a Scotch novice into the category, suitable for an affordable solitary evening, or for sharing with a few others at a time, and definitely good for a break from chores, work around the house, hobbies, or for a drink that doesn't demand much attention. All in all, it's a reasonable purchase, but I wouldn't go out of my way to add it to my collection.

Over the past few days, I've been visiting relatives in GA. During this time, some of the Scotch enthusiasts in my family have been sharing their preferred or go-to bottles with me, and I've been sharing my Bourbons and Gins with them. It's one of my favorite ways to celebrate a family reunion. Anyway, my father produced this bottle of McClelland's Highlands Single Malt for us to sample, and it had been sitting so long that the cork crumbled, sending pieces into the bottle. After straining all the cork fragments out of the scotch and cleaning the bottle, we each had a glass before dinner, and it was a delightful surprise. Served neat, I detected a pleasant fruitiness along with some wood and perhaps smoke. It's even better over ice, with the sharp taste I associate with Scotch smoothed out and other flavors becoming more prominent. Between this and Glenmorangie 10yr, I'm starting to understand the appeal of drinking Scotch. I'm eager to try the other 3 McClelland expressions; I've read the reviews and will add them to my list of scotches to sample, hopefully having 2 or 3 of the bottles to review by Christmas. Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy.

Appearance: This highland representative has a light gold color. Thin legs adhere to the inside of the glass. Nose: The aroma is simple yet pleasant, with notes of flowers, freshly cut hay, light peat, honey, some maltiness, and a few sharp, spiky notes. Taste: On the palate, the flavor is also straightforward – fruity and sweet, with notes of honey, grass, hay, various herbs, and I believe a random hint of pineapple. Finish: The short to medium finish leaves a lingering warmth and a malty honey aftertaste. Thoughts: This young, non-age-statement single malt from Glen Garioch is, in my view, a respectable bottom-shelf single malt. I bought it for a friend to mark his newborn son's arrival, and he absolutely loved it! (My friend enjoyed it too!) While superior options certainly exist, for under $30, it's not bad at all. Cheers!

This is my first real miss as far as Scotch goes. Get the Speyside, and not this one. The fusels are way too hot, with a burn that is so grainy and intense I had to verify the proof/abv. The flavor lacks any real character, with the exception of some rubber, plastic, and medicinal rubbing alcohol and some mild dried flowers. Plenty of heat, but almost no smoke. There is a musty staleness that is hard to shake. A droplet does mitigate some of the unpleasantness but doesn't improve any of the flavors. I will give this another shot because I wonder if the salad I ate is somehow coloring my experience here, but based on other reviews I would say that doesn't seem to be the case.

This is a wonderfully smooth sipper, though it doesn't possess the intricate flavors found in Highlands malts like Macallan. The aroma is predominantly floral, with subtle fruity undertones and faint hints of caramel candies. The palate mirrors this closely – I even detect floral notes similar to gin. The burn is virtually absent and it goes down easily. This Scotch would serve as an excellent introduction for novices and could be a great bridge for those familiar with Bourbons. It has sweetness, but no overwhelming peat and brine to shock an inexperienced palate. While its overall rating as a Scotch is lower, considering the price, this is a solid 3.5 stars.

This was my first single malt, having primarily consumed bourbon and rye previously. I picked it up because it was affordable. On the nose, it presented intensely sweet, with notes of flowers and fruit that had gone too far. The taste was quite disagreeable. The fruit and floral elements were present, but something felt wrong. It was akin to artificial fruit flavorings, or perhaps fruit from a can. The floral notes were also noticeable, but again, they seemed synthetic and chemical-like. It brought to mind the scented soap my grandmother kept behind the toilet. It also had a sweetness, but not one of honey, sugar, or caramel; rather, it was artificial, like sugar-free fruit candy.