Review #: 414
Description: Cutty Sark
Spirit: Scotch
Background: A blended scotch first released by Berry Bros. & Rudd in 1923, the current bottle apparently incorporates grains from North British and Invergordon and Single Malts from allegedly 40 distilleries including Highland Park, Glenrothes, Macallan, and Bunnahabhain. Let’s see how the sub-$30 bottle tastes.
Distillery – Various
Bottler – Berry Bros & Rudd
Brand – Cutty Sark
Selection – N/A
ABV – 40%
Age – NAS
Nose – Lemon pepper, black tea, honeycomb cereal, blackberry, earthy, sourdough, almost like a cucumber/melon note
Taste – Unsweet tea, lemon, watered down honey, almost a chalky-fruit like sweetness (but very faint), melon
Finish – Slightly burnt toast with some bitterness but it transitions into a roasty and rich malt, black pepper, lemon zest, black coffee, smoked bbq
Score: 4
Would I buy a bottle? No, but not bad for a blended scotch to have around the house
Thoughts: Another one I tried in college and did not have fond memories of; its biggest weakness is just how thin it is. Some of the wateriness comes through that limits it, but honestly it has some nice flavors that do develop over the experience. I think a little bump in proof would do well for the texture and flavor.