I had heard about Teacher's Highland Cream as being an excellent blended scotch for years. Websites devoted to scotch had many threads with extensive discussions of this blended scotch. Personally, I was always skeptical mainly for two reasons. First, the price. It's not expensive at all. Secondly, its a blend. I would think to myself, "how can a blend be very good?" So, I bought a bottle. And what a bottle it was.
Serving
Single large ice cube (also very enjoyable with a drop or two of distilled water).
Nose
Scent of dulse, seaweed and salt air wafting up. Impressive! I visualize standing at a cliff face on a windy, overcast day in Scotland.
Palate
The taste is sea salt, smoke, very faint peat and iodine with a bacon/malt backbone. This is a heavy scotch in the mouth, and many enjoy rolling it around a bit before swallowing. Anise, black licorice and lots of malt round this blend out.
Finish
Lingering sea salt, dulse, malt and a faint echo of peat. Teachers is a complex dram that offers a lot of different flavours to consider. It will really grow on you as you become more acquainted with it. If you are new to scotch drinking and enjoy a dram and wanting to avoid peat monsters, well try drinking this with an ice cube or two. As the ice melts, it mellows out the drink and by the time you finish you will be very satisfied. Teachers has been around for over 100 yrs and is in the top five best selling blends in the world. I can see why.
Teachers can be distinguished from other scotches because of its unusually high single malt content that runs a minimum of 45% of the content. Scotch blends are a combination of grain and malt whisky. The latter contributes flavour while the former softens a flavour that otherwise would be very rough and biting on the palate. Accordingly, more flavour if you have more malt content.
Teachers has a rich flavour and grain whiskeys that soften it sufficiently such that it doesnt have the cheap bite that some whiskeys often have.
Great Price Point!
Another great point to consider is price. I have drank many more expensive blends and single malts that cannot hold a candle to a tumbler of Teachers. So, don't be put off by the low price. Part of the reason the price is reasonable is because the whisky's core is comprised of two single malts (Ardmore and Glendronach) that by themselves are not particularly interesting (nor popular, hence most production is for this blend) but when blended in this bottling produce a very memorable flavour profile.
Sometimes, a blend is comprised of expensive single malts and that causes the price of the malt naturally to be expensive. Johnnie Walker Black Label is an example, as one of its key ingredients is Talisker that enjoys high prices and wide spread popularity as a single malt. (If you like some peat and plenty of smoke balanced out with some caramel notes then try Black Label).
Looking for a gift for your father, brother, son, this is the ticket! They wont be disappointed.
Cheers!
Jason Debly
© Jason Debly, 2009 - 2012. All rights reserved.
Posts
Your right on re teachers, friend & I opened a bottle his late father had the other day. It's everything you say it is in your review.Ray.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it Ray! Teacher's is a great discovery!
ReplyDeleteI usually don't drink whiskey but sometimes I do and Teacher's Highland Cream caught my eye at the store. I instantly remember hearing high praise for it, so I bought it. It was very nice, lot more flavourful than Red Label and sorts. 80 proof drinks never really taste pleasant to me but this one was almost tolerable.
ReplyDeleteSam, Teacher's is indeed very flavorful and in it's price range is very good. So many bottom shelf blends lack flavor. For example, Grant's Family Reserve is incredibly thin such that you could gulp it down like Gatorade in search of flavor. I think it is not so much the proof of the spirit but simply the recipe of the blend.
ReplyDeleteThere are other blends that offer great flavor like Black Bottle and White Horse.
For $12 more or so, please consider Johnnie Walker Black Label. It delivers great full flavor.
Cheers!
I have been a fan of Teachers for over 20 years. Dispite its popularity world wide, it is a rather difficult brand to buy here in southern New England. A single retailer in my area stocks it, but I have yet to find a single establishment from Boston to Providence with a bottle on the bar.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that you have not encountered bar in your area that carries Teachers.
ReplyDeleteTeacher's was where my love of scotch started and fortunately I still enjoy today as much as I did on that first sip. Can't say that for a lot of other blends I liked when I was a newbie.
Thanks for commentings!
My last TEACHERS was FOUL. Is this becasue JIM BEAM GLOBAL has this in a cola can now? That too was sick. Can anyone recommand ARDMORE ( that non aged one)? It cost twice the price of this blend. I know teachers is many malts and grains but will ardmore guarntee get me a good similer Teachers taste. what difference will there be? I think think jason scotch description of " taste is sea salt, smoke, very faint peat and iodine with a bacon/malt backbone" is pretty good.
ReplyDeleteTeacher's Highland Cream, in my opinion, is a great economy scotch blend, though I will admit there can be some inconsistency from batch to batch. Some years it is incredible while others it is a bit mediocre.
ReplyDeleteOn the nose, it is a little rough, petrol if you will at times, however on the palate it does deliver.
With your question about Ardmore, it is indeed a core malt of this blend and so if you do pick up some Ardmore, it will indeed be very similar to Teacher's but better. Matter of fact, my next review will be Ardmore, bottled by Gordon & Macphail. I like it, but do agree it is not cheap.
Thanks for your thoughts!
I decided to pick up a bottle today thanks to the good reviews I've seen (Ralfy also thinks highly of this blend). One thing I noticed right away is that the proof has increased to 86 proof (43% ABV) since the photos in this review still show 80 proof. Seems like this change took place in the last year or so.
ReplyDeleteThe proof of this blend depends upon where you buy it. In Canada, it is 40% abv, but in other markets it is 43%. Thanks for taking a chance on this blended scotch, I hope you enjoy it. Give it time, don't be quick to judge. It will grow on you.
ReplyDeleteJason
BEAM has this in COLA CAN NOW (YUK!!!)
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean TEACHERS is now just a MIXER -like Walker Red?
OR simply I got bad bottle? Like to know.
Bottle was like lethal spirits. poured out.
LAST bought regular few year ago. No problem. Little water. No mixing. I bought those one not long after it being released in COLA CAN. Love to buy another. PM on this. In Austrailia we get 40% stuff. Maybe I could import it or buy Ardmore TC.
I heard that Beam Global had started selling Teacher's in pop cans. Unbelievable way to destroy the brand and its goodwill that took generations to build up. I suspect that the metal cans also impart nasty flavor. A terrible thing.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely import Teachers in the traditional format.
It also wouldnt hurt to complain via email to Beam Global.
Thanks for commenting.
WHAT are KEY tasting difference between Ardmore and Teachers?
ReplyDeleteoily and smoke and savory is mention.
what about mouthfeel?
Teachers (when good)silky brittle feel + soft and chewy like. And the sherry if teachers had any
20cl 20p. DL Malt cask. few uk online stores.
1991. Jason says no wow factor.
TC. Mixed reviews. Is local. Hate big oak!
Teachers 43% can see online anywhere.
Last Teachers 700ml problem was mega high chemical reek. Very unpleasant for me.
simply is this a bad bottle, young grain.
my simple question is Teachers simply crap in Australia. It is in a cola can now. I bought both can + bottle at this time. both junk. good before the cola can release. Is simpy a bad bottle or has Teachers been reduced to simply mixing only. bottle was reeking unpleasant lethal spirity + dull artificial flavor.
ReplyDeleteI am still wondering on good dam teachers as ardmore tc maybe not be good for due to dry and bitter oak i read in reviews. Glendorach is $$$ for me unknowing if I like it. just dont like big tannic wood in my whisky.
tasting few Teachers 2y ago and good. yeah there some heat of the spirit. so what. fine.
desperate to enjoy again.
then I go to buy much later again and notice the Can. I look up on internet and Teachers says we now have moved to cola can. I buy the can and its artifical oversweet crap. I buy the bottle with my instincts say something will be wrong. It was sicker then walker red. spirit reek and dull flavor.
here what I want from review
"Full of crunchy maltiness. To drink this whisky is like biting into peanut brittle. Then toffee" silky and brittle bit my favorite bit. and savory.
I have never ask store for refund or check bottle.
If its in a cola can 9not even priumum cola) then does that mean teachers is just a mixxer not for straight with drop of water anymore i could enjoy
should i try a little shop as a norm go to big superstore. should i be concerned is light is near bottle?
is this just bad in Australia now?
and parts of other world getting teachers?
it will cost me between 30 to 39 AU. It more the disappointment then money.
I have no idea if this Glendonarch is still in Teachers too as it is owned by Ben nevis now I read.
Where I live (Canada) Teachers comes only in a bottle. I have heard that it has been released in cans also. Strange I find for Beam Global to do this, but obviously they believe there is a market place for it in that format.
ReplyDeleteIn any case, to answer your question, a bottle of Teacher's is a good blended scotch. However, not everyone will like it. Maybe you should try some other blends. Another great blend is Black Bottle or try Johnnie Walker Black.
I suspect you just may not be fond of the Teachers flavors.
I am very found of teachers flavs + silky crunch. better then black. Is green got some crunch or all silk. Ardmore TC maybe too woody for me.
ReplyDeleteralfy says "maybe bad batch"
my "cola theory maybe wrong"
I could give another go.
Sometimes I see TEACHERS at insane Carmel Color while sometimes at Yellow. Maybe grab the faintest bottle I see.
I guess you get the 43%. We get the 40%. had 40% years ago. good. Just this years 1 bottle.
I came across Teacher's at my local shop (Coral Park Liquors) I only put the plug because I believe in small business and this is a mom & pop (with adult kids). They brought this in after a customer requested it; it took them a while be cause with the guy's Euro accent they kept searching for "t-shirt"...needless to say they finally figured it out or asked them to spell it out. I was pleasantly surprised at the smokey almost single malty-ness of this blend. Yes I know I do not use correct taster speech. However I truly enjoyed the scotch with ice! I know, but if you live in Miami drinking anything recommended at room temp requires ice!
ReplyDeleteCheers loved the blog and comments
Anonymous, don't worry about not having the "correct" speach for describing scotch because guess what? There is no 'correct' way to describe. It's your way! You are the judge of any scotch ultimately. You buy it, and you hopefully will enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteAnd don't be embarrassed by the fact that you like your scotch with ice. Tens of thousands of scotch fans to also. Nothing wrong with that. I initially was a big fan of ice in my whisky, but over time my tastes changed to where I prefered it neat. But hey, that's just me. Not you. Remember a man has got to march to the beat of his drum!
Thanks for commenting!
is a great find, i tasted a lot of whiskys and this one is really good. Soft but strong , sweet but not too much, smoky , and the price is incredible, i think that a lot of people will choose this one in a blind testing, against
ReplyDeletemore expensive whiskys, really good a i´m testing pure without water or ice, try it...you will be happy to find a great whisky very cheep, cheers!!!
Finally scored a bottle of Teachers and I have to say you are absolutely right -- great value for money. Love the smoky taste.
ReplyDeleteWhen I don't feel like going through the single malt rituals and just want scotch on the rocks, my go to blend has been Dewars. No more. Teachers is much better -- more flavorful and complex. And it was $15!
BTW, here in AZ the bottling is 43% ABV.
Thanks for the tip. I couldn't have made this discovery without you.
Hi Dryheat, glad I could be of assistance! Teacher's is best bargain out there and at $15 a bottle, I would almost feel guilty walking out of the store at that price with a bottle.
ReplyDeleteBuffalo Bill
ReplyDeleteTeachers is the best value in scotch! Very similar to White Horse.If I can't afford my all timer "Highland Park" Teachers is the one.
So I tried this on your recommendation. I have to admit that I'm a total scotch noob. Sure, I keep Jameson/Cutty on hand for mixing purposes but otherwise I basically just figure out what I like as I get into it. I got a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label from a friend of mine and it was one of the first scotches that I sipped over ice (2 cubes). I thought it was awesome and it convinced me that scotch was worth drinking by itself. I tried a number of scotches at a connoisseur friend's house and discovered that I'm not a big fan of peet, although I did develop a taste for (some variety) of Glenmorangie. Anyhow, I picked up a bottle of Teacher's for my own bar and tried 1/2 a pour over a cube. It was everything you described. Salt air, a bit of peet and smoke. Very sophisticated (by my palette, at least). I still prefer the Walker Black but at half the price, I'm pretty sure I will develop a taste for the Teacher's in short order. I'm looking forward to trying some of your other picks like the Black Bottle, Tomatin and Cragganmore.
ReplyDeleteThanks and keep up the good work!
Glad you gave Teacher's a chance. There certainly are some disappointing scotches in that price range but not Teachers. Matter of fact, I picked up a new bottle the other day and still marvel at how good it is.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Just tried this based on your recommendation Jason. Our tastes seem to be similar and I've been looking for some economy bottlings. I also tried Powers Gold and Redbreast, both are incredible.
ReplyDeleteI think Teachers is a lot like JWB, not too much of anything and not lacking flavor either. Some smoke, some peat, some sweetness. Blends tend to give you more of something that you might want to taste in a single malt, instead of a dominating flavor.
I also tried Famous Grouse 12 year Gold Reserve. This would make a nice review!
Glad you like Teacher's. Teacher's is a blend that will grow on you over time.
ReplyDeleteI agree that single malts differ from blends in the sense that the former tend to have one principal flavor dominating while blends give you a little of everything.
I haven't had Famous Grouse 12 in a while. Good suggestion!
...i tried Teacher's based on your recommendation. i believe we were sampling an eight year old Jim Beam (?) and discussing life, work, politics and family. Thank you for taking the time, and educating an old broker.
ReplyDeleteAlex (from Toronto)
Alex, it was my pleasure! Glad you like Teacher's. It will really grow on you and is proof that one does not have to spend a lot of money to have a nice scotch.
ReplyDeleteNext time you are down, we will tackle some more.
Cheers!
Thank you Jason for the nice review. Teachers Highland Cream is the most widely available Blended Scotch in India...when I first tasted it I didn't like it, the second try was less repulsive, but the third one got me in. We do not get a lot of blended scotch in India, tried Famous Grouse, J&B, Teachers 50, Cutty Sark, JW Doubl Black, Chivas 12, Black & White, Whyte and McKay, Ballentines. Can you suggest something else ?
ReplyDeleteHello Anirban:
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to hear from a reader in India. I know there are a few such readers, and this is no surprise to me as India is one of the growing whisky markets.
I think if you are paying for premium brands (with the higher prices) like Johnnie Walker Black and Chivas Regal 12, you should consider trying a single malt. The Edrington Group is a multinational drinks company that is trying to expand it's market share. Two of the great single malt brands it is marketing is Highland Park and The Macallan. Try to find the 12 year old bottlings where you are. But, be careful because there are a lot of whisky counterfeiters. So, it is important to buy from a respected liquor store.
Diageo is another company trying to gain a greater foothold in India. Try Talisker 10, Clynelish 14 (if you can find it) and others. Diageo has also created brands specifically for the local Indian market like: Blender's Pride and Royal Stag, but I would stay away from those.
Good luck!
Very nice. I bought a bottle today in Japan. Cost 10 bucks in yen. I love whiskey reviews, it's such a different language to that used for wine. I could read them for hours and hours, they bring forth so many images, places, smells.
ReplyDeleteThis is a new discovery for me, such reviews, and I love them.
Thanks.
I decided to pick this one up today for two reasons, one because the dominant single malt in Teacher's is Ardmore, and two because it was on sale at a local shoppe for just under US$18.00 (cheap as chips).
ReplyDeleteThe reason why I never considered this blend before is the same reason why Jason didn't (the low cost). That and the unattractive bourbon shaped bottle with its plain black and white label. True, its not as sexy as a Johnnie Walker. I guess I'm guilty for judging a book by its cover, but we'll see.
Ardmore Traditional Cask is a highland style single malt containing medium-heavy peat without the iodine characteristic of an Islay, from Speyside. I quite enjoy Ardmore Traditional Cask (although I think it could use more time in the cask). I have not yet opened my bottle of Teacher's, but I plan on doing a tasting comparison with Teacher's and Ardmore Traditional Cask soon.
-Marius
My recent purchases:
Ledaig 10
Ardmore Traditional Cask
Dewar's 12
Johnnie Walker Double Black
Teacher's Highland Cream
Marius,
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think of Teacher's Highland Cream and Johnnie Walker Double Black.
Jason
Jason,
ReplyDeleteI'll be sure to do that. I recently started a blog (http://whiskydiaries.blogspot.com/)to share my tasting reviews. Please check it out when you have a chance. Not much to look at so far though.
-Marius
Great news! Welcome to the world of independent whisky blogging! I'll post a link to your site soon when I have a chance.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the support.
ReplyDeleteHey Jason,
ReplyDeleteYou were asking what I thought about Teacher's and JW Double Black. I wrote reviews on both. Please feel free to read my reviews on my blog (whiskydiaries.blogspot.com).
Thanks
Marius, I just read your reviews of Teacher's and Johnnie Walker Double Black. Great and on point. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteI can perfectly describe the taste of this scotch in one word. Insecticide.
ReplyDeleteWell, Sir, everyone's entitled to an opinion.
ReplyDeleteHello Sir!
ReplyDeleteI like your reviews. They are honest and to the point.
In the time when money does not grow on trees, many people start to appreciate 'economic' blends. Teachers is one of them. I like Teachers as it is full of flavours in the price range where some of other whiskies are not.
Have you tryed it lately? Did realy change a lot? On worse?
In the last few months some reviewrs critisize it strongly . But to me is stil nice whisky.
Keep up the good work.
Regards, Toni
Hello Toni!
DeleteI have had Teacher's lately and think it is still great as ever. Certainly there can be a bit of variation from batch to batch. About three years ago, I noticed it was not as good as usual, but I think it is back in fine form.
I still love the stuff!
I stopped by the liquor store for a bottle of Laphroaig 10 ($50), noticed the Laphroaig 18 ($100), debated between the two while looking at what else they had. Noticed Teacher's on the bottom shelf, remembered your review, and figured I couldn't decide between the Laphroaigs. So, I picked up the Teachers for $19. Your review is spot on, this whisky delivers. Thanks for turning me on to this!
ReplyDeleteIt is a great day when you can walk out of the liquor store spending more than 50% less than what you anticipated!
DeleteSince you like Islay scotch, I highly recommend "Black Bottle" that also is in the same price range as Teacher's.
Good evening, I told you to read the article on teacher's buy a bottle in a supermarket at very low price compared to the whiskies of that segment, such as 100 pipers. My experience was similar to the one described in the blog; i felt a touch salty and smoky flavor and a final a little spicy, very different to what I'm accustomed to feel. My habit is to take the type blends old Parr, The antiquary 12 and J&B jet; and i must admit, it is very different; and i must admit, it is very different. In these days are for bringing me a Black Bottle whisky, i hope anxious tasting as i saw very good reviews of this low-cost whisky. i would like, if i could help you in the choice of some blends and single malts worth knowing in the premium category, without being the most costly. Many thanks and greetings from Argentina. (The Tiger of the pampas)
ReplyDeleteHi Tiger,
ReplyDeleteBlack Bottle is another excellent low cost blended scotch whisky. I am sure you will enjoy it as much as Teacher's.
Thank you for your thoughtful comments.