42 Blends - Premium/Old in years/Old vintages Nas-50 year

[lincoln imp]

I am big fan of blends especially blends from 1940's, 50's and 60's and over the years I have tasted loads, some excellent, some competent, some interesting and of course some utter rubbish but they are well worth exploring in my view, especially the older ones as they bear no resemblance to the type of blends that we are asked to pay for today.

I thought it was worth comparing old blends from post war WWII, with blends of great age and then some Nas blends that are much more expansive and classed in the premium category.

The best blends can rival a vast majority of single malts regardless of the age of single malts, remember an aged single malt if in a cask too long can be ruined.
I do not pretend that the best single malts are inferior because they are not but the best of these 42 tasted were 90-93 points which is an excellent score.

I also need to point out that I score on taste alone so I use the same yardstick for blends, blended malts and single malts, it is all about the taste.

If 2 whiskies score the same average score then the nod will go to the one with the best palate & finish, the nose part for me carries the weight.

There were only 2 real duffers here, the Grant's 25 was poor and the Gilbey's Spey Royal was worse but the Gilbey's had a low full level and was oxidised. I have tried another Gilbey's bottle from the same decade that was excellent which I scored 88 points average.

I have already put some notes up on this thread but if any person wants a specific tasting note just let me know and I will put it up.

Scores are for Nose/Palate/Finish

Coilltean 1965 41 year 45% Samaroli– 93/93/92
Hankey Bannister 40 year 2013 44.3% – 91/92/92
Whyte & Mackay 30 year 40% (brown frosted bottle) – 88/90/90
Huntly Blend Fine Old Scotch Whisky 70 proof 1947 – 88/90/89
Cluny 12 year ceramic jug 40% 1980’s – 88/90/89
Dewar’s Ancestor 12 year Deluxe 40% 1970’s - 88/90/89
The Lost Distilleries Blend Batch 4 50.9%– 88/90/89
Bell’s 20 year Royal Reserve 86 proof US bottle 1960’s - 89/88/89
Avonside 8 year 100 proof (57%) Jas Gordon & Co for Edward Giaccone – 87/89/88
Bonnie Charlie 70 proof 1950’s Charles Kinloch– 88/89/87
Johnnie Walker Private Collection 2015 46.8% - 86/88/89
Crawford’s 5 star 70 proof 1950’s spring cap – 87/88/88
Warehouse Blend Cadenhead 36 year 1980 46%– 87/88/88
Logan De Luxe 12 year 43% 1970’s -86/87/89
The Lost Distilleries Blend Batch 8 2016 53.1% – 87/87/88
Old Parr 12 years old 12 year 43GL 1970’s– 88/87/87
Peter Thompson’s Beneagles Extra Special 1960’s– 85/88/88
Grant’s Stand Fast 1960’s 70 proof– 86/89/86
Bell’s 12 year De Luxe 43% 1960’s - 86/88/87
Johnnie Walker Private Collection 2017 46.8% – 86/87/88
The Antiquary 1960’s 43.5% - 85/88/87
King of Scots ceramic decanter 43% Douglas Laing– 87/86/87
Johnnie Walker Blue Label King George V 43% -85/87/88
Johnnie Walker Private Collection 2014 46.8%– 85/87/87
Peter Thompsons Extra Special Beneagles - 85/85/87
Johnnie Walker Blue Label 43% - 51691 – 86/85/85
The Perspective Series 21 year 2019 43% Berry Brothers - 128071 - 83/86/85
Marchants Extra Special Gold Label 1950’s - 195920 – 84/85/85
Dewar’s white label 1950’s 43% - 83/84/85
The Half Century Blend 50 year 2017 46.4% TBWC - 85/84/83
The Half Century Blend 50 year 2018? 47.3% TBWC - 82/86/83
The Antiquary 1950’s abv not specified– 83/84/84
Blended Scotch Whisky Batch 1 23 year 48.2% TBWC -82/82/81
Blended Scotch Whisky Batch 3 22 year 41.8% TBWC – 82/80/83
Chivas Century of Malts 43% - 84/81/78
Ballantine’s 12 year 43% 1980’s - 82/77/84
Teviotdale 5 year 70 proof +/- 1970 - 77/81/80
The Half Century Blend 50 year 2016 45.5% TBWC– 87/74/77
Royal Salute 38 year Stone of Destiny 2014 40%– 75/70/78
White Heather 94 proof (US bottle) - 72/74/73
Grant’s 25 year Rare & Distinctive 40%– 72/65/68
Gilbey’s Spey Royal 1950’s 70 proof– 70/50/55 (oxidised)
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Pour me a glass please.