In addition to my regular single malt favourites, I add a blended whisky to my tasting schedule to spice things up now and again. Last year, this led me to the Black Grouse whisky, which I loved and I paired with some spicy Indian food. On reading up about the Grouse brand, I noted that they made a Naked Grouse blended Scotch whisky.
And with a name like that, I had to have it. So, on the way back from London, I grabbed this award-winning Grouse. I see that it is available in SA as well. The Famous Grouse is a brand of blended Scotch whisky, first produced by Matthew Gloag & Son.
The Edrington Group owns the Famous Grouse brand as well as The Macallan, Cutty Sark and Highland Park. This Naked Grouse has a high proportion of spirit from Macallan & Highland Park. The Macallan bringing the sweet sherry influence, and Highland Park bringing a slightly malty, smoky sharpness.
This is the previous blended Scotch whisky release. The new release was relaunched as a blended malt. Other releases in the range include the Famous Grouse Smoky Black whisky.
The Naked Grouse whisky has been matured in sun-dried sherry oak casks. I have also managed to add two more bottles to my Famous collection: the Famous Grouse Port Wood Cask and the Black Grouse Alpha edition.
In keeping with the Naked theme, the labelling is limited with only a Grouse embossed in the glass. So let get Naked…
Related Article: Bell’s Special Reserve whisky
Naked Grouse Whisky Review
ABV: 40%
COLOUR: A very dark colour. It is a rather unusual dark mahogany red colour.
NOSE: Sherry sweet. It made me think of a glass of Old Brown Sherry in front of a log fire. That sticky sweet, warming smell after spending the afternoon hiking in the cold mountains. There are notes of toffee, caramel and vanilla.
Hints of cherry and ripe red fruits float around. The nose promises a rich, delicious experience.
PALATE: An interesting flavour development. The first sip is just spicy notes. Sweetness develops a bit more by the second sip. The second sip has remnants of bubblegum, plump cherries and bits of butterscotch.
But not the rich sweetness promised by the nose. There are notes of oak, cinnamon, cardamom and grape. Water softens the spices a bit but does not release any additional sweetness.
FINISH: Medium length and end in notes of dried fruit, toffee and faint hints of chocolate.
RATING: VERY GOOD
After all the positive reviews I read about this Naked Grouse whisky, as well as the rich sweet nose, I was expecting a more complex and richer dram. It did not quite live up to my expectations. What did you think of this Naked Grouse?
I have also managed to taste the Famous Grouse Bourbon Cask blended whisky and captured my tasting notes for this affordable release as well.
Also Read: Grant’s Sherry Cask whisky
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