A bunch of Grains #1

The Snow Grouse NAS 40% Blended Grain

The first Famous Grouse with no Glenturret in the mix? So this is a regular blend just without any malt share, cheap produce then. Could it be good like older versions of the hedonism, or just like any other young cheap blend? The label says this is a smooth chill filtered whisky (a trade-mark owned by the grouse gang as there's a "TM" stated above the phrase???). Anyone care to explain me the difference between smooth and regular chill-filtration, and if this is a trademark? Smells light, bitter, kräuter-likör, vodka, burnt potato mash. The taste is light and minty, not bad, but this lightness that I found in the Good Knight the other day is here as well. If I tasted this one blind I'd be certain it was some sort of bitter herbal liquor, Gammel Dansk?

Weakish and undemanding grains, not my kind of whisky: 3


Greenore 15yo 43% OB

Irish grain whisky, usually I'd be skeptical, but the 8yo Greenore showed to be a pleasant surprise last time I tasted it, this one could very well be the same? Smells spicier, spicy tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, sweet and acidic. The taste is peppery, a bit like the 14yo Oban, light pepperiness and fresh highland-style. It's old style whisky, not many modern scotch whiskies has this style. perfect balance between oak, pepperiness and malt.

Much like some young Highland whiskies bottled in the 70's: 7


Glen Grain Class 10yo 2000-2010 50% Malts of Scotland

Another Blended Grain if I'm not mistaken, at considerably higher strength than the last two. By the way, this is batch#1, maybe I can try predict if there's going to be a second batch or not? The smell is minty, again this light style, like it's some kind of herbal after-meal schnapps. I wonder what sort of grain they have used producing these cheap blended grains. Or maybe what distilleries the input comes from. The taste is bittersweet and peppery, like dry gin mixed with hot n sweet candy spirit. With water. No good with water, dry and bitter.

It's not the worst I've tried, but it has no whisky characteristics: 3.5


North British 17yo 1991-2008 53.9% Signatory Vintage

A cask strength from Signatory, am I in for a surprise? I have no expectations of what to come from different grain distilleries as I'm not familiar i the territory of grain whisky. Except from a 28yo Cameronbridge that was utterly amazing I haven't tried any cask strength grains so this is almost a new thing for me. Let's see.. It smells sort of withdrawn, some hints of peppery notes and austere along some seaweed and salty dried fish. Intriguing, if not very complex. The taste is salty and dry with a mix of Lowland and Islay character. this dry fish, fried shrimp character mixes with some floral peppery notes. Much to my liking. The finish is long and dry, not that grand.

The finish was disappointing but other than that this works for me: 6


Cambus 18yo 1991-2009 55.4% Signatory Vintage

Another grain distillery that I'm up until now unfamiliar with. This one is lighter than the North British, the nose tells me of sifted wheat flour and rubber bands. The taste is better, sweet and peppery with some nice and clean licorice flavor. Sweet and dry on the finish, burnt matches and pharmacy smell, I think this might be one of the rawest 18yo's I've ever had, especially what possible cask influence is concerned. I have big problems seeing why this one should be added to the SV cask strength collection before the fantastic Fettercairn. My opinion at least.

an immature 18yo: 3



To say the least, this was an experience that will be repeated because now I'm even more confused about what to expect when tasting grain whisky. One thing that maybe stood out, but mostly in the Blended grains with low proof, were these light and minty flavors. I must have another grain tasting in not so long to discover more. As earlier mentioned in this post, I've had great grain whiskies before.