Time for a blended whisky again – the Black Grouse blended Scotch whisky. The Famous Grouse whisky is a brand of blended Scotch whisky, first produced by Matthew Gloag & Son in 1896. The brand is now produced and owned by The Edrington Group.
Its emblem is the Red Grouse, Scotland’s national game bird.Matthew Gloag was a grocer and wine merchant in Perth, Scotland. He purchased whiskies from distilleries around Scotland and sold them at his shop.
In 1860, his son, William Gloag, took over the company and began producing blended whiskies. But the Grouse brand only started taking shape when William’s nephew, also named Matthew, took over the company. He created The Grouse Brand blend in 1896.
This brand was so popular that they renamed it “The Famous Grouse” in 1905. Matthew Gloag’s daughter Phillippa first designed the label’s grouse icon. In 1970, Matthew Gloag & Son was sold to Highland Distillers, after the death of the chairman, Matthew Frederick Gloag.
The marketing and distributive power of the new company saw Famous Grouse become the highest selling Scotch in Scotland by 1980 and the second highest-selling in the United Kingdom.
In 2007 they released a peated version of the Famous Grouse called The Black Grouse whisky. The packaging displays a black grouse in place of the usual red grouse. It is readily available in South Africa and retails for around R250. Jim Murray awarded it 94 points in the Whisky Bible.
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The Black Grouse Whisky Review
The Black Grouse blended whisky combines the Famous Grouse blend with specially selected Islay whiskies to create this peaty expression.
COLOUR: A dark gold. It is not a very oily whisky.
ABV: 43%.
NOSE: Peat and smoke come through at once when nosing. There are some medicinal notes, sweetness and wood as well. Notes of fresh pear and malt.
PALATE: This Black Grouse is quite light on the palate. Peat and smoke are followed by spice. Especially ginger and pepper notes come through. There is a woodiness in the palate with notes of oak and rich chocolate sweetness. The peat and smoke notes continue into the finish.
FINISH: Medium length and ends with spicy notes. It is quite a complex whisky for the price point. This whisky proves again that you don’t have to pay exorbitant prices for good whisky. It has a finish that makes you want another glass. The peat is also not too overwhelming. Even a non-peat-head like me enjoyed this peaty expression.
RATING: EXCELLENT
It is an affordable whisky from the Edrington Group that you can proudly offer to whisky enthusiasts. It is also an amazing whisky to pair with Indian food. I have also used the Black Grouse whisky in a marinade for a Leg of Lamb that I roasted. The smoky notes work wonderfully with the meat.
At the end of 2015, the Black Grouse was renamed the Famous Grouse Smoky Black whisky. It has new labeling and I have captured my tasting notes for this release as well.
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