Review: J&B Rare Blended Scotch Whisky

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Bottle purchased by EZdrinking

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Diageo

• Distilled by: Multiple Scottish Distilleries

• Still Type: Pot & Column Stills

• Spirit Type: Blended Scotch

• Strength: 43% ABV

• Price: $20

In 1749, Giacomo Justerini moved to from Bologna, Italy to London and with his business partner George Johnson, they established a wine and whiskey shop in the upscale Pall Mall shopping district. Years later in 1831, Alfred Brooks purchased their company and renamed it Justerini & Brooks. During Prohibition, J&B sent Eddie Tatham to the United States to evaluate the potential market for their Scotch. On his return, Justerini & Brooks designed a new blend which they named J&B Rare and released in 1933, as soon as Prohibition was repealed. By 1963, J&B Rare sold over one million cases and by 1974 it was the number one selling Scotch in the US. Competition from Cutty Sark, Dewars and Johnnie Walker slowly chipped away at their lead and in 2018 J&B Rare was the sixth most popular Scotch Whisky in the world, selling 3.2 million cases.

J&B Rare is a Blended Scotch which means it is a mixture of both Sottish malt whisky and Sottish grain whisky. J&B claims that their Rare blend is made from 40 different whiskies and according to one source these include grain whiskies from Cameronbridge and North British distilleries as well as malt whiskies from Auchroisk, Benrinnes, Glen Spey, and Strathmill.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Very pleasant and light aromas of red apple, malt, and a slight confectionery note like salt water taffy and a light note of smoke.

Palate: On the palate the whisky has a medium body that starts sweet and then develops a slight sharpness. The flavor has notes of oak, smoke, and malt all backed up with a corn sweetness.

Finish: The finish is medium long and semi-sweet with light flavors of malt, oak and a touch of iodine from the peat.

Conclusion: The malt madness that has overtaken many Scotch drinkers has caused them to overlook great blends like J&B and should definitely be given another chance. J&B Rare Blended Scotch Whisky is a great value blend that is a little too sharp to drink neat but works great on the rocks, or in a highball. Check this out of you are looking for a good blended Scotch with a bit more smoke and malt character then Johnnie Walker Red Label.

EZdrinking Top 10 Whiskies of 2017

Happy New Year! 2017 was a banner year for me. I was commissioned to write a book about bourbon called The Bourbon Bible which will be published in May 2018, and because of the book and my other spirit reviews, I tasted well over 120 whiskies in 2017. With all of these under my belt I felt like a top 10 list was in order. Now not all of these were newly released in 2017 but for many, it was my first time drinking them.

10. J&B Rare Blended Scotch Whisky

J&B Rare Blended Scotch Whisky is a great value blend that is a little too sharp to drink neat but works great on the rocks, or in a highball. Check this out of you are looking for a good blended Scotch with a bit more smoke and malt character then Johnnie Walker Red Label.

9. George Dickel Classic No.8 Sour Mash Tennessee Whiskey

George Dickel Classic No.8 Sour Mash Tennessee Whiskey has nice notes of apple cider and pear with a light aroma of caramel and oak lingering in the background. The finish is soft sweet and lingers with long notes of caramel, cinnamon, oak and pear. This is a very nice light flavor Whiskey that is slightly sweet and fruity. Excellent neat and works great in a tall refreshing cocktails.

8. Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey has rich notes of caramel, oak, and cinnamon followed by flavors of plums, and peaches. After swallowing, the whiskey is sightly warm in the mouth with a lingering note of stone fruit and vanilla. This is a very fine example of a craft bourbon that should be drunk neat or used in a cocktail.

7. Nelson's First 108 Tennessee Whiskey

Nelson's First 108 Tennessee Whiskey is a special release from the first 108, 30-gallon barrels of their self-distilled and aged spirit. The whiskey is incredibly complex with notes of caramel, vanilla, raisin, prunes, nutmeg, cocoa, tobacco, and rich black earth. This is a complex and interesting Tennessee Whisky that shows incredibly promise for the whiskeys that are likely to come from Nelson's Green Brier.

6. Waitsburg Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey

Waitsburg Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey is an aromatic and flavorful bourbon with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, creme brulee, and rum raisin followed by a touch of oak for balance. Overall this is a big sweet bourbon that is completely drinkable at 58% ABV and definitely a whiskey for those who like sweeter bourbons.

5. Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon Whiskey envelops you with deep and complex notes of fruit cake, dried fruit, baking spice, candied orange peel, dark cherries and raisin balanced by tobacco, leather and oak. This is a really fantastic and well balanced bourbon.

4. Johnnie Walker Wine Cask

Johnnie Walker Wine Cask is a really fruity and approachable expression of Johnnie Walker and is a really nice addition to the traditional lineup. This whisky also demonstrates how much character can come through the cask selection. For less than $30 this is a deal.

3. Garrison Brothers Single Barrel Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Garrison Brothers Single Barrel Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey has rich notes with dark aromas of vanilla, dried fruit, and tobacco, balanced with nice wood notes of cedar and oak accompanies by hints of smoke and dark chocolate. This is an excellent bourbon especially at only 3 years old. It is rich in flavor, incredibly smooth at 94 proof and well worth the investment if you are looking to splurge a little.

2.Elijah Craig Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 23 Years

Elijah Craig Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 23 Years is incredibly rich and concentrated with notes of dried fruit, rum raisin, cherries, plum, baking spice, vanilla and caramel, followed by a light bright note of alcohol. This is a rich and decadent bourbon that is both very sweet and well balanced with dryness from the oak. Definitely drink this neat and savory the rich complexity that comes from 23 years of developing and concentrating flavor in a an oak barrel.

1. Kings County Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Kings County Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey is rich and decadent with notes of fig, dried fruit, caramel, vanilla and baking spice. the whiskey very smooth with a medium body and slightly sweet on the palate. The finish is long and dry though there is a sense of sweetness from the lingering flavor of vanilla that is intermixed with oak and tobacco. This is a very complex bourbon that is packed full of flavor. Kings County had come into their own and are no longer dominated by small barrel flavors. Drink neat to experience all it's flavor and intensity, or add a little water to soften the alcohol slightly.

Review: Johnnie Walker Wine Cask Blended Scotch

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Bottle purchased by EZdrinking.

Owned by Diageo, Johnnie Walker Blender's Batch Wine Cask Blend Blended Scotch Whisky was distilled and matured in Scotland and bottled at 40% ABV.

AT A GLANCE

• Brand Owner: Diageo

• Distillery Unknown Scottish Distilleries

• Still Type: Column & Pot Stills

• Spirit Type: Blend of Scottish Grain and Malt Whiskies

• Age Statement: NAS

• Strength: 40% ABV

• Price: $30

For over 100 years Johnnie Walker has been making renowned Blended Scotch Whisky. For much of that time Johnnie Walker was represented by its Red and Black label expressions and in more recent years Johnnie Walker expanded their color series to include Double Black, Green, Gold, Platinum, and Blue Labels. Most of these blends played with ratios of grain and malt, more peat or less peat, and the maturity of the whisky.  While each color had a distinct flavor profile they are all basically in the same wheelhouse.

However, around 2007, Johnnie Walker's Master Blender Jim Beveridge began an experiment, maturing some of their whisky in barrels that previously held other wines and spirits. Blender Aimée Gibson, came upon some of these barrels and created a unique blend of Scottish grain and malt whiskies, some of which included whiskies aged in wine barrels. The Blender's Batch Wine Cask Blend is the sixth experiment in this series, and it was first released in September 2017.

Tasting Notes

Nose: The nose is very pleasant and inviting with notes of vanilla and marmalade with a touch of nectarines and sweet cherries.

Palate: On the palate there is an explosion of fruit with notes of sweet orange, nectarines, plum, and a hint of vanilla balance out with oak tannins.

Finish: The finish medium dry and while initially it is very warm, the warmth quickly fades and leaves the lasting notes of sweet white nectarines, with a touch of oak, vanilla, and a flavor reminiscent of a fruity Riesling. 

Conclusion: This is a really fruity and approachable Johnnie Walker that mellows out nicely with a little ice to cut the heat from the alcohol. Overall, it is a very nice addition to the traditional Johnnie Walker lineup and it demonstrates how much character can come through the cask selection. For less than $30 this is a deal and one of the best new, and affordable whiskies of 2017.

Review: Blended Whisky #1 Batch 5 Blended Scotch Aged 50 Years

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Free sample bottle provided by Atom Brands.

Blended Whisky #1 Batch 5 Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 50 Years, blended by That Boutique-y Whisky Company and bottled at 46.6% ABV

Price: $160.04 for 500ml

That Boutique-y Whisky Company is an independent whisky bottler who selects unique whiskies from around the world. Their Blended Whisky #1 was designed to highlight older malt and grain whiskies from Scotland that when blended creates a smooth and well balanced drinking experience. Batch 5 was released in 2017 and the youngest whisky in the blend is 50 years old.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Nose is full of rich aroma of vanilla, cinnamon and rum raisins. Underlying that is a vibrant note of oak and a slightly hint of smoke carried up on the alcohol. 

Palate: The whisky is very smooth for 46.6% ABV and is full bodied. The flavor starts sweet and fruity on the palate and as the whisky warms on the tongue it shows more of its oak character.

Finish: The finish is long and  slightly sweet with notes of plum and dark cherries. As the finish lingers the smoke comes through and mingles nicely with the residual fruitiness. 

Conclusion: This is a very complex blended Scotch that is vastly superior to some of the other very old blended Scotches on the market. This demonstrates that blended Scotch is not an inferior spirit to single malts but a different animal with the capacity for greatness and newance. 

Thank you to Master of Malt and That Boutique-y Whisky Company for providing the free sample.

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Review: Blended Whisky #1 Batch 3 Blended Scotch Aged 35 Years

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Free sample bottle provided by Atom Brands.

Blended Whisky #1 Batch 3 Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 35 Years, blended by That Boutique-y Whisky Company and bottled at 46.5% ABV

Price: $129.76 for 500ml

That Boutique-y Whisky Company is an independent whisky bottler who selects unique whiskies from around the world. Their Blended Whisky #1 was designed to highlight older malt and grain whiskies from Scotland that when blended creates a smooth and well balanced drinking experience. Batch 3 was released in 2016 and the youngest whisky in the blend was 35 years old.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Initially the nose has a strong alcohol bite but after it has a little time to breath, a very strong and fragrant aroma fills your nose. At first there are notes that remind me of Islay peat with its distinctive combination of smoke, iodine and sea air. And, underneath this first layer of aromas are notes of chocolate, fresh apple, and caramel. 

Palate: The palate is smooth with a light touch of heat from the alcohol and medium bodied. The whisky is pleasantly sweet on the tongue with a flavor that is not immediately obvious but reminds me of sweet corn bread. As the whisky warms in your mouth the flavor begins to reveal some of the smoke character followed by briny sea air.

Finish: The finish is mostly dominated by smoke with underlying notes of malt and a slight nuttiness.  

Conclusion: This is a very complex and flavorful blended Scotch that is easy to drink neat and will likely to appeal to those who prefer a touch more smokiness and peat in their whisky.

Thank you to Master of Malt and That Boutique-y Whisky Company for providing the free sample.