Don't Be a Single-Malt Scotch Snob

[Quaich1]

I came across this interesting article. ( Don't shoot the messenger).

According to the article:
"Are you one of those highfalutin tipplers who will only drink single-malt? Get off your high horse! Many blended scotches are just as delicious and take even more artistry to make".

Whole article at:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/09/don-t-be-a-single-malt-scotch-snob.html



PS
I myself prefer single malts but I have a great fondness for a number of blends, some of which are superb.
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"Always carry a large flagon of whisky in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake."
W.C. Fields (1880-1946)

[Ihasadram]

I haven't sampled many blends, but the ones I have sampled have not been palatable to me. Many or even most single malts also have something in them that triggers my gag reflex or has some kind of unpleasantness. So I seek out those special single malts that I can really enjoy. With a blend, I just think it is extremely likely that at least one of the scotches in the blend is going to have something in it I don't care for. But I'm open to trying some well-respected blends once my exploration of single malts is complete. Might be a few decades.

[Keith]

There is no doubt that there are some superb well constructed quality blended whiskies available and i enjoy many blends but it is a fact that different grain whiskies ( although pleasant to drink if it is well aged and that ageing has taken place in a decent whisky barrel) lacks the character found in different individual malt whiskies.

When you add this massed produced and cheaper to produce grain whisky which has little character and flavour when young to malt whisky to create a blended whisky it isn't going match a single malt for character/taste/quality. There are some superb blended whiskies out there but these have usually been created using a higher malt content and older grain whisky which may has been matured in specific casks to add some flavour and character to it.

There are some excellent blended whiskies out there but the entry level blended whiskies do not match the entry level malts for quality. The article quotes people who in my opinion are on the payroll of the whisky industry one way or another.

If you want a blended whisky that is in the same league as a single malt whisky then you have to pay single malt whisky prices for it.

[Quaich1]

[Innes]

There are quite a few more expensive premium blended exceptions but in general standard blended whisky for me comes nowhere near the quality of single malts, this is not snobbishness it is a fact i have tasted enough of them to be able to say this and i dont agree with whisky reviewers like Jim Murray rating both on the same scale, it makes no sense to me.

[Landlord]

if i am a bit skint i like Glen Orchy, available at Lidl for only £13....

At least it has a little substance to it...

[Carson]

I always have a bottle of Teachers and Grants blended whisky in the cupboard, 2 decent blends for the price you pay but i wouldnt rate as highly as single malts. There are some cracking premium blends but you pay single malt prices for them.

[GBrough]

I have a few Blends I like, look at Green Label or Chivas Regal 18. However I have yet to find an Islay blend that is worth the money.
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The Laga 16.

It even tastes like an ashtray-WM

[Quaich1]

[GBrough]

I will pick it up.
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The Laga 16.

It even tastes like an ashtray-WM

[Quaich1]

[GBrough]

Of course I will let you know what I think, I imagine I will enjoy it because while I like Laphroaig 10 I prefer an Islay with a different style of peat.
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The Laga 16.

It even tastes like an ashtray-WM

[raithrover]

As the price of malts continues to accelerate, blends and grain are a viable alternative. Plenty on the market and some fun to be had checking them out.

[TyWebb]

Despite the growing popularity of single malts, it's still rare for me to run into a real Scotch fan (although my wife happens to be one - in fact she poured a dram as I'm typing this). I know a few others, but a craft beer discussion will engage far more folks.

Therefore, I consciously try not to come off as a Scotch-snob whenever the subject does come up. For example, a work colleague recently asked which whisky was peatier, Glenlivet or Macallan? In a very non-condescending manner I explained that I didn't consider either of them to be peated, but I'd be happy to recommend some peated whiskys if he ever wanted to venture in that direction.

I recently asked a restaurant server what single-malt Scotches they had. She said "ummm...Cheeeevas...Cutty SHark (sic)...". I politely asked if I could see the list she was reading from. "Balvenie Double-wood will be fine, thanks" was my reply.

I think I may have crossed the snob line when at another restaurant I was with a scotch drinker (albeit not too familiar with various malts) and a non-scotch drinker. This restaurant's list attempted to help the customers by indicating the region for each of their offerings. They listed Macallan as "Highland". I was compelled to explain how the Speyside area is distinct from the Scottish highlands in so far as distilleries are concerned. Then they listed Talisker as "Islay". Again, I had to explain that although it has the smokey peaty characteristics of many Islay whiskys, it's actually on the Isle of Skye, not Islay. I crossed the snob line when I added "I've actually been to this distillery". Or perhaps it was how I insisted on saying EYE-la as opposed to Iss-lay.

I say all that just to remind myself that the best way to help those unfamiliar with the wonderful spirit that we've come to love is to educate and enlighten in a friendly and welcoming manner - much in the way you all do in your postings to this forum and in your responses to newcomer questions.

Sorry for straying off of the single-malt vs. blend discussion. I'll go pour myself a dram now.

Slainte

[Kray]

If having the opinion that most blended whiskies are not as good as single malts makes me a whisky snob then i am a whisky snob.

I wonder if this is now the huge whisky marketing machine now working on premiumising Scotch blended whisky now that they have premiumised and inflated the prices of single malt whisky over the past 10 years or so.