Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky

 Cutty Sark blended scotch whisky is probably the first scotch I can remember having, ever. I was probably 19 or 20, at an autumn bonfire in Damascus, Maryland where I grew up, and a handle of Cutty Sark was being passed around. I remember it being harsh, medicinal, and unpleasant. In the intervening years, my opinion of it has raised a bit, even though it still maintains something of a "bottom shelf" reputation. It's been many years since I had it last. 

A blend created by the Edrington Group (owners of Macallan, Highland Park, Glenrothes, Famous Grouse, and more), the exact components are unknown but supposed to consist mainly of grain whisky that is bolstered with some mysterious combination of Glenrothes, Tamdhu, Highland Park, Macallan, Glengoyne, and Bunnahabhain. That's a helluva (possible) pedigree. 

Originated created in 1923 by Berry Bros. & Rudd, it was named for a famous clipper ship - a "cutty sark" is a short skirt, as written in the poems of Robert Burns. A fun fact: the clipper ship on the label is painted by Swedish maritime artist Carl Georg August Wallin, and has been on the label since 1955. 

This bottle dates to about 2006, or so says the donor of the dram, Sir Robert Martin. With totally unknown origins, bottled at 40% ABV, and of course with no age statements of any kind, let's see how this blend fares after years of drinking single malts: 

Nose: Interesting - not as "cheap" and shallow as my dim memory recalls, but also not exactly attractive either. I get soft smoke like with Highland Park, a scent like hide glue, bitter citrus peel, vegetal/sulfurous scent, and strong cracked black pepper. No sweetness whatsoever in this glass. 

Mouthfeel: Thin, as expected at this ABV. 

Palate: The palate is *much* sweeter than the nose. Lots of bright fruit (apples and ... others), honey, caramel, and peppery oak. Hints of smoke. Cereal, almost like Frosted Flakes. Speyside influence is clear. 

Finish: Not a very substantial finish, really - smoke and vanilla and pepper wisp away rapidly. You get the finish you pay for in this case. 

Verdict: This is surprising in that it's a lot better than my memory served, and a lot better than it has a right to be at half or less than half the cost of a normal single malt. Wow, interesting. It's not going to blow anyone away, but it punches above its weight class. Perhaps that's the influence of whatever quality malts are getting dumped into this stuff, but there are definitely attractive flavors in here. 

What's odd is how divergent the nose and palate are - one is dry, sour, gluey, peppery ... the other is fruity and sweet with a malty backbone. Odd. Well, as far as blends go, you can do a LOT worse than this. Recommended for when you're on a budget.