When I first started drinking scotch it was blended scotch whisky that was my drink. The first introduction was Johnnie Walker Black Label (a great blended scotch that I still enjoy!). While enjoying that I also started sipping The Famous Grouse. I used to have big ice cubes in a tumbler and pour in enough Famous Grouse to cover about 50% of the height of the ice cubes. Let it melt for a minute or two and then sip.
I drank Famous Grouse, Johnnie Walker Black and Teacher's Highland Cream fairly steady for about a year. Every once in a while I would try a single malt and simply fail to understand what was the big deal. Single malts seemed to be rougher, have more bite and burn whereas the aforementioned blends were always smooth, gentle and pleasingly sweet.
Times . . they are a changin'.
Eventually, after continuing to try many single malts, there was one that intrigued me, I think it was Dalwhinnie at the time. Thereafter, my blended scotch whiskies faded off into the distance and were replaced by bottles of single malts on the horizon. Nevertheless, because of this history, I always have a soft spot for blends.
I pride myself on not being a scotch snob. If you and I are sitting across from eachother in a bar and you declare that in your heart of hearts a preference for blended scotch whisky, I will not think less of you. That is your inalienable right as a scotch lover. The fact that you like blended scotch makes us brothers merely by other mothers. Too many scotch snobs and well meaning enthusiasts dismiss blended scotch as for lesser beings and alley way lushes. Not I!
So, I turn to this bottle of Famous Grouse in front of me and see if it still holds the fascination it once did for me all those years ago.
Nose (undiluted)
Malty and sherried. Peppery too. Not bad. Nothing to write home to Mom about though.
Palate (undiluted)
Super smooth like 1970's soul singer Lou Rawls crooning "Lady Love." Sugary, sweet sherry moving to a maltiness that frankly is on the cheap. Reminiscent of Whyte & Mackay (not a good thing).
Finish (undiluted)
Super short flavors of cloves and pepper.
Tasted neat, it's not sparking much passion. Let's try it the way I did years ago. That is with ice.
Nose (with ice)
More muted. Nevertheless, some malt notes do drift out of the glass.
Palate (with ice)
I gotta say I prefer this blend with ice. Once it has melted a bit, the cheap sherry flavor is weakened while the sweet maltiness remains. Refreshing and simple.
Finish (with ice)
Pepper, cloves and carmelized onions.
General Impressions
Well, I am disappointed to say that all the fond memories have not been revisited by this tasting. Kinda reminds me of the saying that "you can never go back." You can never go back to that great first love, the best time of your life, a favorite vacation, a hole-in-one or whatever it might be.
I have moved on it seems. My tastes have evolved. I no longer love her, the Famous Grouse. The embers have gone cold and I can't imagine how I liked her in the first place. I'm a little saddened.
I used to like Ballantines Finest a lot, but now cannot tolerate it at all. I think as a novice scotch whisky drinker I was pleased by smoothness, sweetness and a cheap maltiness. If I continued to drink just blended scotch whisky maybe the affair would have continued. Probably so. I kinda admire that guy who can stick with one blend all his life, whether it be Teacher's or Bells. I'm just not that guy.
Drinking Famous Grouse, Ballantines Finest and other bottom shelf blends is kinda like memories of highschool. The memories are fond, but if you could go back you wouldn't and if you did it would not be the same.
Cheers!
Jason Debly
P.S. Not all Famous Grouse offerings are as weak as the standard bottling. Click here for my comments on the very impressive Famous Grouse 18 years, a blend of only single malts.
Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2012. All rights reserved.
Posts
HI Jason, have you tried The Black Grouse?
ReplyDeleteYes, I have and was impressed. Good price for Islay blended scotch. I would recommend it.
ReplyDeleteHey Jason,
ReplyDeleteThis review caught my eye as I was just given a bottle of the Black Grouse to review. I decided to go out and get the Famous Grouse and start from square one so to speak.
Your notes on the Grouse are interesting. And I will have a lot of fun when I am done comparing notes again.
Cheers
Chip, a lot of people love Famous Grouse, I used to be one of them, but as I mentioned in my review, my tastes have evolved. I look forward to reading your review on the Rum Howler site.
ReplyDeleteI have just been given a bottle of Famous Grouse and am looking forward to that first wee dram. Will let you know how it went down. I drink scotch neat at room temp.
ReplyDeletePlease do let me and the readers know your impressions!
ReplyDeleteGreat P.S. I'm thinking of buying BALLINTINES FINIST I had 10 years ago as novice drinker. WILL this CHEAP GRAIN ake my headspin? I just know there was something tasty about it and mouth filling.
ReplyDeleteHi Jason,
ReplyDeleteYou're blog is great, but I'm wondering if you're being a little hard on Famous Grouse here? Yes, it's true that it will not wow you, and if money was not an issue, then I can't imagine ever going for the Grouse, so I do know what you're saying. But now, imagine that you had to buy some bottles that are under $25 (US). I guess that you will say "Well, Teacher's is great, and even cheaper than Grouse..." OK I'm not going to argue that one. I will also say that I am a big bourbon fan, and there are some good bourbons in that price range as you know. However, some days, I'm just not in the mood for the intensity of a bourbon. And, that same feeling would also make me hesitate to reach for Teacher's, as I find Teacher's a little intense. Some days, I just want a nice easy sipper, that'll go down smooth and also will offer up a few interesting flavors rather than being all one note, or overly sweet. In other words, I think Famous Grouse is in a different category than Teacher's, and I'm wondering if there is any direct competition for Grouse that could beat it?
Thanks for the blog,
Ryan
Hi! Ryan, I think there is some competition out there that is going head to head with Famous Grouse: White Horse and Black Bottle. If you hunt around, you can get great deals on those very smooth, yet interesting and well, down right intriguing blends. They are more Islay influenced, but dont let that scare you.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, there is nothing wrong with being a fan of Famous Grouse. If that is your "comfort scotch" then the most important judge (that would be you) has rendered a decision.
Cheers!
Jason,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the response. Unfortunately Black Bottle is not available in my area (state controlled liquor stores). White Horse is available in 1.75L only... we'll see if I'm feeling brave enough to try it in that quantity! I usually don't ever buy that size so that I don't get bored. I would have never thought to try it as a sipper since it is a shelf below Famous Grouse.
The only single malts in my area in the same price range as Grouse are McClellands Highland and Tamdhu (no age). I saw you had a favorable review of the latter. Would you recommend either over Famous Grouse?
Thanks,
Ryan
Tamdhu is an excellent single malt that is very reasonably priced! Highly recommended. Do give it a try. You will not be disappointed, and if you are, please post your impressions here for the other readers too.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Jason,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your advice! White Horse ended up going on clearance sale here, and I picked up the 1.75 L bottle for ridiculously cheap. And you are right! It is a similar taste profile to Grouse, but it is slightly more full-bodied and has a bit more going on in the finish. So, I concur with your recommendation to Grouse drinkers: go out and try White Horse. There's not much out there on the web about White Horse which is why I was hesitant to buy, but if you like Grouse, you will probably like White Horse.
Thanks, Ryan
Just bought a bottle after reading so much lately about The Famous Grouse.
ReplyDeleteI like it very much and especially with Ice & Soda.
Just bought my first bottle of Famous Grouse, in part because of a coupon, and then a bottle of MacCallan 12-year to offset the saving. The former tastes rough, with a burnt note that's not pleasing. Not nearly as well-rounded and complex as our house brand, Dewars. The MacCallan 12? I go along with the recent Michael Jackson guide, which gave it a 91.
ReplyDeleteMacallan 12 is a nice sherried single malt. No doubt about it. Trouble is the price is rather high compare to some other 12 year old malts like: GlenDronach 12 and Glenfarclas 12.
ReplyDeleteHI All,
ReplyDeleteI first heard of Famous Grouse while reading WEB Griffin novels.
In my younger days, I didn't like the taste of Scotch, Johnny Walker Red and White&Black being the only ones I'd tried.
So after reading about it in numerous WEB Griffin novels, I bought a bottle to try.
I like it.
And.....it's fun to "Flip The Bird" to friends!