Shieldaig The Classic Blended Scotch Whisky

The aroma of this is alcohol and what I detect as "cheap whisky smell." It's a somewhat musty, grainy, stale scent that isn't very appealing. After vigorous swirling, if I concentrate, I detect green apple, faint sultanas, and a trace of unidentifiable floral notes. On the palate, it's only slightly better than the aroma. The entry is sweet (surprisingly) and somewhat thin. It quickly fades just as you start to think, "well, this isn't so bad - in fact, it's kind of surprising - oh, wait..." From that point, it begins to break down. The mid-palate rapidly turns bitter, then sour. There might be a hint of smoke over a sweet chewing gum flavor, right after a bitter element that could be wood hits the taste buds. The finish is watery with a slight black pepper and a sour aftertaste that vaguely reminds me of Buffalo Trace. At no point does this improve beyond the initial sip. This doesn't compare to JW Black, Monkey Shoulder, or even Dewar's White Label. I might place this on the same level as Famous Grouse, or perhaps a step below. I don't care for it and wouldn't suggest this whisky, although it could be worse.

Nose: Pear, apple, honey, aged wood, decaying meat, an unidentified nut, cereal grain, bitter floral and herbal notes, with mild to moderate ethanol burn. Palate: Pear, honey, vanilla, cereal grain, hay, bitter herbal notes, cream, apple, yeasty moldy bread, subtle sulfur, moderate alcohol bite, finishing quickly and immaturely with grain, dry herbal, and plastic flavors. Another disappointment from that large liquor chain. It's hardly surprising. This bears a strong resemblance to a previous review of a different spirit. There's genuinely very little to appreciate about it. The nose is quite vibrant and grainy. The initial taste might be the most enjoyable aspect, as there's a suggestion of pleasant pear and honey notes, but it rapidly deteriorates through the development and finish. As a side note, I overheard an employee at that liquor store suggesting this to an unsuspecting customer. Assuming the salesperson wasn't intentionally misleading, it's likely the store pushes its own brands due to higher profit margins. For more reliable suggestions, it's better to visit your local independent liquor shop or find reviewers you trust online.

Nose: Some fruit, specifically apples and peaches. Malt. Very strong ethanol smell. Almost smells like Irish Poitín. Palate: Same fruits as the nose. Some spice. Oak. Hints of sweet jam. Not much to write home about. Pretty simple. Finish: Medium. Spice ending stronger and blending with some smokiness. Warm. Overall Thoughts: I'm aware it's a Total Wine house brand, which is already a poor start. Not a great dram. Definitely intended for kitschy Scotch cocktails. The aroma is the most intriguing aspect, and it's not particularly pleasant. I was eager to try a cheap sample, but I certainly wasn't setting my expectations high. Meh.

Wow, the nose has some unpleasant, rancid scotch notes. There's an unappealing herbal quality. The palate is watery with a nasty flavor that combines bitter and sweet with fruit and herbs that have a chemical balance. The flavor isn't completely uniform, but it's bad and has unpleasant elements that don't create complexity. It's difficult to drink this, although there are occasional pleasant fruity notes. There are many bad flavors present without complexity or appealing notes. It's clearly inferior to Bushmill's Black by several degrees.

Second tasting clarification: it's not as easy to drink as I initially believed. I won't be having it again. Extremely malty and musty, with a warming sensation on the nose. There are also hints of mushy apple, which I could do without. The palate is straightforward. It presents as butterscotch candy, and there's a lot of it. The finish lingers with a malty candy note (not malt balls, as there's no chocolate) for a short while. I find it appealing. I'd consider comparing it to a specific brand to see if it could be a suitable budget blend choice.

Nose: moderate sweetness, honey, apple, pear, slight ethanol note, peculiar herbal note, almost has an underlying sour quality but not quite. Taste: very flat, hardly anything to it, slight fruit note, a little barrel spice and char, thin and watery, a little burn at the end, short finish, unexciting. About as boring as you can get. Perhaps suitable for mixing with soda.