Whisky Discovery #71

Cutty Sark Original (40% abv)

Blended Scotch Whisky

circa £18.00 70cl

Tweet Tasting Cutty Sark Original Scots Whisky

The first dram of the Cutty Sark Twitter Tasting hosted by Steve Rush of @TheWhiskyWire and Kirsteen Campbell, Master Blender from Cutty Sark @cuttysarkblend

Cutty Sark Original is one of the top 10 best-selling blended scotch whiskies in the world, although not often seen in the UK it was very prominent on the supermarkets on a recent visit to Spain.
Carefully selected single malt whiskies, predominantly from Speyside (the cradle of single malt whisky distillation), are expertly blended with top quality grain whiskies to make Cutty Sark.

It is matured predominantly in American oak casks which impart less colour to the spirit but impart further subtle and complex flavours. But Kirsteen also told us that some European Oak refill too.

Once matured, the malts are blended together, as are the grain whiskies. This process is a particular feature of Cutty Sark and ensures the final blend is harmonised and, therefore, consistent in colour and flavour. Kirsteen informed us that they use a Solera Vat system for marrying (which I had to look up too!)

I asked what the the malt vs grain ratio was in this blend, but was quickly informed that this was a commercial secret and that I would be hard pressed to find a blend to reveal that. Funnily the Teachers Highland Cream I had been recently enjoying proudly stated that their blend contained at least 45% single malts, hence my question to Kirsteen.

My favourite tweet of the evening for this expression came from @LRWhisky who tweeted:

"on the nose alone it's well worth the asking price"

So what did I think?

Colour: Light Straw

Nose: Light, gentle, grassy, fresh hay and fragrant, sweet vanilla, jelly beans, floral, Very faint seaweed, Estery. A very complex but delicious nose.

Body: Light and smooth

Palate: Very light-bodied, sweet, smooth and fresh but with interesting flavours. Malted Milk biscuits, light grain presence, barley, vanilla and oak character from the American oak casks, fruity mixed peels.

Finish: Good length, warming, malt, salty tang to the end

The nose on this whisky was absolutely stunning, the whiskies used are probably quite young hence the sweet candied nose, but this was a great start to the twitter tasting event. Light and very smooth to drink this would be a great whisky to introduce new drinkers to, and the consensus of the Twitter tasters that this was a great summer whisky. I loved it and will be happy to have this on my shelf.