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Wild about Whisky: A farewell to the Famous Grouse Malt range...immnently leaving our shores, never to be savoured again...a eulogy.
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Famous Grouse Malt 43% Sherry, musty wood note, a hint of smoke, liquorice allsorts, sweet orange marmalade. The palate offers sweet fruits with a dry grapey finish. Water opens up more of the smoke, sherry wood, citrus and an orange blossom fragrance, then a top note of vanilla and fruit gums. The palate becomes citrusy sweet and the finish drier. There is so much more of this dram on the nose than on the palate. 84
Famous Grouse Malt 12 yo 43% Rich sherry on the nose immediately sensing that this is the unaged malt on steroids. Richer, fuller, fruitier then orange chocolate starts to dominate. A little thicker on the palate but now more reminiscent of a seville orange marmalade with a similar dry grapey finish. Water opens with candied orange peel, a hint of smoke. This has now sweetened the seville a touch with toffee arriving on the tongue but still retains the dry wooded finish. The palate again disappointing after the stunning nose. 86
Famous Grouse Malt 18 yo 43% An odd funky note of overipe bananas dipped in a sherry marinade. The palate generously gives sherried honey, raisins and sultanas but an immensely dry finish. These disparate molecules added together eventually reveal themselves as floor polish. Advisable not to add water to this whisky as the astringent palate dries to a chilli tartness. 80
Famous Grouse 30 yo (Blue label) 43% Matabele ant predominates, with sweetened stewed prunes and Pedro Ximenez sherry. This dram is luscious, rich rumtopf, pineapple and a touch of smoke. The palate is rich, oily and tongue coating, molasses, salty with an Oloroso sherry finish. Water releases a battalion of matabele ants, rich spice and the pineapple now swamps the stewed prunes. Outstanding blended malt. 92
Famous Grouse Malt 30 yo (Purple label) 43% Imagine cut pieces of pineapple and prunes dipped into a flaming PX fondue. The matabele ants have left this nest, leaving a more subdued, sherried tropical fruit combo...a master blenders dream concoction, an exquisite balance of sweet fruits, sherry and old smoked oak. The palate is a sublime mix of syrupy sweet tropical fruits, salt and a rich lingering Oloroso and woody smoke finish. Arguably the greatest blended malt ever. 96 We shall miss them all...a huge loss to the industry!
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