Hype-worthy? | Maclean's Nose REVIEW

[@shaddepadde]

Very good that you stick to your honest opinions and dont get influensed by things like Ralphy making it his whisky of the year.

[@rupertansell4662]

I think Ralfy emphasised it is his “whisky FOR the year”…I’ve no idea how that differs from whisky OF the year but apparently it does 🤔

[@shaddepadde]

@@rupertansell4662 my point remain the same either way :)

[@CloudyMcCloud00]

@@rupertansell4662 Ralfy does whisky for the current year (i.e. 2024); whereas everyone else (apparently) does whisky of the preceding year (i.e. 2023). He used to say "of" the current year; but this year, as he's obviously noticed no one else does it that way, he's back pedalling a bit!

[@alehhandro1]

Everyone has a different palate, I guess the best way to sort it out who’s “more right” - Geoff or Ralfy - is to taste each whisky they review. Can I borrow a few grand?

[@deeshmond]

100% agree. There’s a bit too much bowing down to Ralfy imo

[@levonhovhannisyan2181]

I feel this was chosen as a whisky of the year by "a certain popular youtuber" not because of the oustanding characteristics, but rather as an encouregement to other blend producers, like to show people what an affordable blend could be. Imagine, for instance, Red Label being like this. Then the life would be heaven 😁

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah he explained that it was to send a message, which is fair. 🥃

[@deeshmond]

@@Gwhiskyit’s still gotta be tasty to be WOTY tho! There’s plenty of other, better whiskies that fit the bill of being well priced and bottled with integrity, including blends (eg Orchard House is better priced in my market than this and waaayyy better imo)

[@samueld1]

It's a "whisky for the year" not "whisky of the year". It's intended to be a whisky for you to buy and try, and it IS NOT the best whisky Ralfy has had that is available to most people.

[@levonhovhannisyan2181]

@@deeshmond Still, we're talking about blended malt, but the industry of blends (malts and grains) does need a cick to deliver better products.

[@levonhovhannisyan2181]

@@samueld1 Does it make a difference? 😁

[@howardbecdove9780]

Hallelujah! This review helps me keep the faith. Incidentally, 82 is exactly what Ralphy gave to the Speyburn 15, of which I bought (2 bottles) based on your high recommendation. Tasted just now. WOW ! A friend has just brought an 18 back from the UK, and the Ledgaig 18 (based on your review) Sincerely, I have bought more whiskys based on your recommendations than anyone else. I’d be happy to list them - at least 20. I can think of at least four distilleries, where our tastes differ, but for (my) previously untried whiskys you have definitely helped me explore what has become a passion. Thanks.

[@Gwhisky]

Well colour me flattered! Glad to hear we share (mostly) similar tastes. Cheers and thank you! 🙏

[@hilary544]

Geoff- my first offense to this bottling was right on the label where “who’s” was mistaken for “whose.” I even emailed The People in Charge about it, and I never got a reply. This error kept me from opening my bottle until desperation set in. I’m a teacher of grammar and can’t forgive such errors, but alas, I had to crack the fucker open. It was OK. I’ve heard and read a lot from and about MacClean, but this blend would not have done his nose justice. I disagree with the Well-Known KZbinr that this deserves “Whisky of the Year.” Than you Geoff for this review. You would spell the label correctly.

[@xiamengbaby]

I bought a bottle after Ralfy's hyping it up. It still tastes blendy to me, which is a taste I don't care for in scotch whisky. For not too much more $, i can buy a decent single malt that i would enjoy much more (Glen Cadam 10, Bunnahabhain 12, Deanston 12, even Loch Lomond 12 I enjoy more for about the same price.). Not to mention a bunch of modestly priced American whiskeys that i would reach for first (since I'm in the US).

[@welshtoro3256]

I totally agree, It did nothing for me. In all honesty I was glad to see the back of it.

[@JohnsDrams]

I feel like you could end up making an Exodia series with this one - left elbow of Maclean, Starboard Ankle of Maclean. You get it.

[@peatbull3426]

once again: it is Ralfy Whisky FOR the year of 2024 because its decent budget dram for many of us struggling in actual economic climate and NOT Whisky of the year. Hope you get it. Thanks for attention. Slàinte everyone 🤠🥂🙋🏻‍♂️

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah he explained why he picked it, and it's a well-justified opinion.

[@piotrledochowski5824]

For me it is very very good Daily dram i hope that every future blend will have quality like that.

[@Paasken]

You bring a lot of valid points to the table here, and I agree with most of them. To me it’s a little less sharp and young than you describe. And thank you for an honest review. I think the main ‘point’ of this release is that it’s a craft presented whisky, by an acclaimed producer at an outstanding price, and the timing is important here too. It’s coming out at a time when everything was jumping in price, so it was a breath of fresh air to see something like this. I would say the liquid is somewhat above average, like 6/10, but add that to the above and that’s why it’s received the praise it has. Atleast in my humble opinion.

[@hamo4558]

A lovely blend, but I'm posting now as a warning & advice for others who also enjoy this drop...... Drink it !! It doesn't not last well. I've been slowly sipping on & off over 6 months. About half a bottle gone. 6 months on & its flat. It's lost its spring in its step. For now its like a blend between Caol Ila & Chivas 18 ( blend I do from time to time). Its not bad, but its not the same as the bottle the bottle I opened.

[@dextercool]

Good to have an "objective" view on this hype-train whisky - I guess it is part of the revival of interest in blends - sounds decent due to integrity bottling - thus given the price, it probably deserves its place on the shelf as a solid pour. Might be nicer in later years when less young.

[@WhiskyWolf514]

I got that sense that it might be a little over-hyped. I will definitely give it a shot at some point but knowing I can get the Ardna AD for 15 euro more....it's a no brainier. But someday, it's time should come. Hehe Thanks for the review Geoff! Witty and honest as always! Well done! 💥 🥃🥃

[@johnnyjustice9988]

Try a bottle, you won't be disappointed. It's better than any in Glenfiddich line 12-15, which are all chill filtered, 40%. It's better that Glenmorangie 10. It's got more kinetics going on that Deanston Virgin Oak, at 40% discount. Deanston 12 used to be my fav but it's $70.00 now.

[@tomgstew]

I love it as a good value, high-quality blend

[@whiskymaltcontentreviews]

I have this bottle 8 months on my shelf. This one is great example how oxidation can improve whisky in time . Great quality for price. Cheers

[@dantasker9310]

I bought a bottle last year for around $65 NZ, which seemed pretty reasonable for the specs, even if a blend. I haven't opened it yet, but did wonder with all the hype if i might be disappointed...I guess we shall see! I wish Thompson Bros was available here, i suspect that's more my cup of tea, but really anything decent for under $70 is appreciated at this point. I've taken to top dressing cheaper bottles with older, higher abv whisky, often works quite well 😅.

[@SimonneNZ]

I find Famous Grouse topped off with Ileach Islay Cask Strength works well for me as a budget dram. 🙂 I wish Thompson Bros was available here too.

[@bananatree1234567]

I like the honest review. Have got it at home, but haven't tasted it yet. I do disagree about the design. I like it and I love that the sticker isn't just one monotonous color with the distillery's name plastered on it and a number below it. Obviously a matter of taste though, I get it.

[@Atthapong15]

I opted out of buying a bottle because of the label design, apart from being a blend cuz none of the recent hyped blends have wowed me.

[@AlinJapan]

A fair review -- it's good for what it is, but I too would go for the Thompson's blend.over this. Actually, I would simply pay the extra for the standard Ardnamurchan, which really is impressive.

[@Gwhisky]

Same! 🥃

[@hamo4558]

I really do like this one. It's even fairly priced in Aus, but hard to get a hold of. I love the Ardnamurchan & Geln Scotia too. Maybe it my bottle, but I'm not getting the metallic note you're referring to. Maybe I'm lucky. Great review & respect your independance like another commenter said.

[@WhiskyNotesCS]

It's funny how some people act in our scene... if someone doesn't like a whisky that much and a whiskytuber made a similar experience, then it's a "honest review". Why?? Guys.... Whisky is different for everyone! It's all about the own taste. I myself like this blend because it's a quality and solid blend for a good price. AND i bought it BEFORE Ralfy "hyped" it up. 😉 Good Review of course, Geoff!

[@TT.-.]

It is what it is… if you expect blend and treat it like a blend, basically knocking it back within 5-10 minutes without adding water, you will get a blend. I myself also bought 4 bottles of this stuff months before Ralfy even said anything. Also mind you Serge gave it 88 but no one seems to bat an eye…

[@lesliemarshall3764]

OTOH there’s a lot of bandwagon jumping where a positive review by one high profile personality will generate a rash of similar positive reviews, frankly just to get the clicks and juice the algorithm.

[@TT.-.]

@@lesliemarshall3764 that’s true but in this case, a lot of positive reviews came months before Ralfy reviewed it… 88 from Whiskyfun, 7/10 (equivalent to 90) on Dramface, 84.51 on Whiskybase, reddit reviews usually 85+, etc… Speyburn 15, another hyped up whisky by comparison, was more divisive, receiving 80 on whiskyfun, 83.45 on Whiskybase, and 7/10 on dramface

[@kirbycalgary2844]

I totally agree with you Jeff I bought a bottle of this after seeing the oSWA reviews for $50 Canadian it was OK but it didn’t punch me in the head for the same price. I will get the Craigallachie 13. Mind you when it’s on sale.

[@deeshmond]

For whisky selection, I’m jealous you live in Calgary! I always need to order my whiskies into Vancouver from there. Guessing you saw the Craigellachie 13 is on big sale at BSW…

[@SimonneNZ]

I paid $68 NZD, and it is acceptable at that price. I don't know if it is the grain whisky in it, but I find it a bit harsh. I'm not sure if I will replace the bottle, and I certainly wouldn't replace the bottle if the price increased. If I shop around, I can get the Deanston Virgin Oak or Loch Lomond 12 for around the same price.

[@howardfoster4393]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. It is difficult to compare this to single or blended malts. As you said, there are many of these £5 to £10 more in price which are significantly better. However, if you compare this to any other blended whisky, I do think it is right up there. I have not enjoyed a blended whisky this much for a long time because I find most of them have a higher grain content. Also unusual to see a craft presentation of a blended whisky. Big Ardnamurchan fan so that does help 😃

[@jaybowling]

I agree with your assessment of the whisky. I will say that the value is great for what I paid. I was able to pick it up for $32, which is a very good price considering how much the price of whisky from Scotland has increased in the US over the past few years.

[@Shane4Bass]

I'm trying it for the first time and I'm glad I bought it. For 290 RMB this is worth the price. Definitely not rough either.

[@RoadtoDram]

Thanks for the great review, fully agree that this is a rugged dram. I appreciate that you raise two points that are key when judging this and any other whisky, price and personal taste. I like the taste profile of McLean’s Nose a lot more , for example, than the Tomatin Legacy you mention. I also like it because of the price where I am. Before the OSWA and Ralfy’s review, in my market (Europe) it was a good 15% cheaper than the Tomatin Legacy. I completely understand other comments cool response when I see the prices they mention.

[@eviltrain24]

Nice. I don't have concrete thoughts for this one yet and likely won't for a good while as I'm planning on taking an extended break from alcohol this year. (Maybe I'll hit this a few more times in July when I take a break from taking a break). Right now, it's roughly comparable to Orchard House, TB/BSW, SRV5, Speyburn 15, Timorous Beastie, Pendyrin Madeira, and Deanston Virgin Oak.

[@bingerbub]

I fully agree with your judgement. I went quite quickly through the bottle, since I tried it again and again, every time someone told me how good it is…well, the bottle is empty and I don’t see me replacing it. I rather enjoy the Campbeltown Loch, or the TB/BSW if we want to stay within the Blend category.

[@sandrofazzolari8833]

Fair enough 😊thanks Geoff! Ciao 👋 S.

[@uilleachan]

Worth the hype? For the money, yes. Not a fan of Ardnamurchan per se but I think this blend is good for what it is.

[@torbjornkarlsen]

I considered it but I live in Norway and it was 50% more expensive here than in the UK so I didn't get it. I have learned to check and compare prices after impulse buying a bottle which turned out to be almost twice the UK price. Luckily there's some great priced whiskies too, although none of them are very cheap anywhere.

[@robertmason2311]

I tried it at a tasting way before it started winning awards and thought it was m'eh. I love Ardnamuchan so was surprised when I then found out that it was the base for this.

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Woah. I was trying crazy hard to find this. Thank you for helping me understand this is good, but I should not lose friends trying to find this. Cheers!

[@Eunegin23]

Would be interesting to hear/read the comments weeks BEFORE the mini-hype and compare it to now. The very same whisky gets better when you are told it's great.

[@GregoryKodolanyiRitter]

I loved this whisky. Cheers

[@Gwhisky]

Great! 🥃

[@jockmcallister]

Well- it’s good at 30£. But at 34£ I buy TB6, which in reality has spoilt us. The grain is very heavy in McLeans nose after TB6. TB6 won’t be about forever I know, but other blends which id reach for before McLeans would be James Edies Blend X, NorthStars Magican and Fool. That said they are a bit limited. Blended scotch and malt definitely going to become more and more prominent this year, in my buying for sure. Small interesting blends at are exciting for me currently.

[@vimalrajkappil]

I really like this honest opinion which not influenced by other youtubers...

[@thenavajoknow]

Adelphi / Ardnamurchan seems very well connected within the whisky community and their release policy is fine-tuned to digital attention cycles. I don't think it's unjustified to consider them the leader of the pack among the new distillieries, but they're at least as good at PR than at distilling. It's also my sense that reviews of their current releases are votes of confidence in a brilliant future and thus a tad overenthusiastic in terms of their maturity - though whisky nerd tasting habits having moved towards fewer years and more ABV may play a role in this, too. There was recently an interesting discussion on a German forum about whether Ardnamurchan can even be properly considered a craft distillery, since they are highly automated and have been run by one person at times, which is quite a length from, say, what the Thompson's are doing at Dornoch. Doesn't mean the whisky isn't good, but craft isn't just about production capacities and integrity presentation...

[@Gwhisky]

Agree. Ardnamurchan is definitely well-made and well-marketed whisky that's suited to the modern whisky enthusiast's sensibilities. Interesting to hear it's that automated, I didn't know that. 🥃

[@steveno7058]

Its about expectations. Don't expect this to be a mind blowing experience. I found this for $27 locally. To get a decent aged stated single malt Scotch in my area it would be $50 minimum. So I do see the value proposition. This absolutely blows away other blends in the $25-$35 range

[@Rohit_M]

Great review and honest take on this one Geoff. All the respect in the world to Mr. Maclean and subsequently Ralfy for his review and opinion. If you want another blend as a variety, maybe you go for it. It had me wondering but then I figured why get a blend when you can pickup say, a bottle of Ardnamurchan for a bit more money or a better bet Craigellachie 13 for a little less. Good news is there are options and varieties to consider. Cheers!

[@GlenLossie]

In my market Maclean's Nose is cheaper than the Craigellachie and the Ardnamurchan.

[@tonymitchell1461]

Maybe this one was a little over hyped but I really enjoy this high malt content blend with a big block of whiskey ice. and its better value than any of the alternatives you mentioned - at least where I drink.

[@balintpernecker624]

Nice, and honest review as always. I am very happy that I bought a sample of this before jumping on the hype train and get a full bottle, because, based on that sample, I totally agree with you Geoff. It is a well made, good value whisky, but I just can't connect with it.

[@boswineguy5461]

Great review. I’m wondering how this would compare to the old Compass Box blend Asyla? People, including me, really liked that one.

[@mattd2001]

Thank you for the honesty mister G.

[@simonr1392]

As with any Whisk(e)y it's always very subjective, you like what you like. I personally like it. One thing I will say about the label is, I disagree with your low mark. I think it looks far more classy than most out there. But I think that's possibly the difference between the UK and the US, we're less loud in the UK imo! 😁

[@Gwhisky]

Lol fair enough. For the record, not American. 😉

[@Balkonwhisky]

Hello Geoff, once again i totally agree with you. Its a nice Blended Scotch but nothing more. Maybe this is a bit snobby 😅 but i think its 2 Steps behind my Palate to be able to impress it. (I hope you get my Point😂). Thanks for sharing your honest Opinion without stepping too deep into the Hypebucket.😂 Greetings from Germany 😎🤘

[@WhiskyInThe6]

Solid review bud. Cheers

[@Gwhisky]

Thanks Rob. Cheers! 🥃

[@Koby616]

Haven't seen it in my market. It would be interesting to try it. Thanks 👍

[@Gwhisky]

It's worth checking out if you come across it. 🥃

[@davidowen2834]

Hi Geoff, appreciate the honest review 👍. Been hearing good and not so good things about Maclean’s nose so haven’t pulled the trigger especially (as you say) there are decent malts out there in the same price range. How does it compare with the cutty sark prohibition ( cost me €22). Slàinte Geoff 🥃

[@PierreMoisan-vf2ze]

Good review specially because it’s challenging and that’s what tubers need to have Your opinion is well supported and not negative Well done! I will try my first bottle as soon as we get some in eastern Canada 👍

[@kirbycalgary2844]

Yes I did. It is also on sale at craft cellars right now.

[@yihyoon]

@Gwhisky , the armagnac that you mentioned few episodes ago is very good. Thanks for the recommendation.

[@Gwhisky]

Glad you're enjoying it. Wonderful stuff! 🥃

[@chrisgwhisky]

ONE HUNDRED percent agree with you, G. I don’t dislike this whisky at all, but like you said, it’s…fine…😐. I totally agree about the price point as well, even disregarding shipping to the U.S., this whisky just isn’t mind-blowing or a mind-blowing deal at all. I’ve bought backups of TB/BSW6 and Campbeltown Loch (yes I know it’s different), and MN it’s very enjoyable but just not anything I feel the need to stock up on.

[@hordeum-vulgare]

I referred to my tasting notes from a few months ago: very similar to yours, although the grain didn't put me off as much as it did you. I've been wavering as to whether to buy a second bottle. I'm thinking I won't. So, again, a similar conclusion. It is good, but would we all be talking about it as much if the lead-malt wasn't Ardnamurchan?

[@Nikolay_Nikolov]

Hey Geoff! Happy New Year! Haven't had Maclean's Nose yet, but your honest opinion mirrors what I feel about it almost exactly. From all the positive feedback it seems to be very well put together blend with enough character to be interesting yet relatively affordable. However it is still a young blend with 30% grain whisky in it. I'm by no means an expert but still doubt that those 30% grain is able to do much good for the flavor profile at such young age. The way I see it, it is just a filler aimed mostly at price reduction. And talking about the price, in Bulgaria I can buy Arran 10 for almost exact price as Maclean's Nose (31-32 euros), Loch Lomond 12 for a little more, Glen Scotia Double Cask for little less and Tomatin Legacy for way less money. All single malts some with age statements. In the blends category the Black Bottle Alchemy Series releases were selling for 23-24 euros and IMHO they are better value than Maclean's Nose, even having "only" 50-ish% malt content.

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah it's about the same price as Arran 10 in my market, too, which is wild. I like it, but Arran 10 is in a completely different league, as are many other similarly-priced bottles. I really need to try those Black Bottles. Cheers! 🥃

[@SaltyCuban]

I believe Ralf knows it’s not THE Woty. He made it fairly clear he intends to send a message to the industry of what people’s expectations are for an affordable blend done right and priced accordingly. That’s all. I get it. He should do a “runner up of the year” with a wink wink to let us know what scotch he really liked best in 2023. But at this point guys, do we need one? Enjoy the reviews and take all the relative info you can garner from the creators and go out and buy and make your own estimation of the whisky of the year. We should give the award to the whisky we enjoy the most.

[@Gwhisky]

Hah yeah it was a message and a bit of a snub to overzealous brands. I can definitely appreciate that. No message to be found in this video, just a straight review of a whisky that I don't connect with much. 🥃

[@SaltyCuban]

@@Gwhisky I’m ok with the message being a one and done though. Whisky of the year award video becomes meaningless if it becomes a message board. For anyone using their senses. One would know that what he’s reviewing is a somewhat cheap blend and what stands out is no color/chill/abv. That said he should forego the message moving forward if it involves a plain blend. Once you as a viewer begin to see the videos as what they are: an accumulation of info of the more popular bottles on the market for the most part. Take that, buy what you’re curious about and be the final judge yourself. If you know you don’t like a type of whisky or find blends undesirable, don’t buy that bottle no matter who praises it. You’ll be better off for it.

[@ninetyZeven]

* whisky of the year of several utubers, @G.

[@lesliemarshall3764]

Thanks for the level-headed review. I tried this at a tasting event and was rather underwhelmed after all the hype. Pretty much anything by Compass Box beats it for me.

[@GlenLossie]

Wow, it must be over priced where you are because where I am (Canada) the Compass Box whiskies are way more expensive. Wait, that means the Compass Box's are over priced where I am.

[@liamclarke8411]

Mmmmmm Ralfy his whisky of the year Gwhisky says just ok so shall i buy it maybe

[@FranzG2]

I like the profile a bit more than you and might have scored it a couple points higher, but agree with the tasting notes fully. What is really different for me is the value. McClean’s Nose was $30 US for me and Thompson Bros is not available anywhere near me. That price puts it on par with famous grouse, dewars, chivas regal, and JW Black. For 50% more, I can get Orchard House or Wee Beastie which are clearly better, but that would be the closest thing that’s better in my area. I probably won’t always have it around, as I would prefer to spend a bit more for a better experience, but I do think the value proposition deserves some crowing about. It wouldn’t be my WFTY like Ralphy, but I’d take it over Classic Laddie ;)

[@baka3489]

There arent many blends with peat. When the bottle is half empty it tastes better. Better than johnny walker for sure. It will be replaced on my shelf❤

[@HerbBaird]

I know price is based on area, but I was getting it for $25 a bottle in Texas.

[@Gwhisky]

Hell of a deal. Absolutely worth it. 🥃

[@HerbBaird]

After Ralfy's video price stayed the same, but bottles disappeared.

[@christinecamley]

Terrific review and impressive overall opinion! I couldn’t agree more!

[@Gwhisky]

Great minds think alike, eh? Cheers Christine! 🥃

[@christinecamley]

@@Gwhisky Lol! Yes! Love this reply! Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂

[@Gwhisky]

@@christinecamley You too!

[@christinecamley]

@@Gwhisky TY!!

[@bjornbose9702]

Very good and superior review. To me Maclean's nose was rather disappointing, even at less than 35 EUR. To me it is neither fish nor meat and has a weak charakter. I regret to have bought 2 bottles. As you mentioned and I absolutely share your view that TB BSW (for 7-8 EUR plus in my market) is by far the better deal.

[@GlenLossie]

Quite a lot of pointed views here on value, blends and other reviewers' opinions. Let me start by saying that value is relative and that prices across the world for this and other whiskies differ greatly. According to some they can find other single malts for the same price or less than the Maclean's Nose and under those circumstances I would agree that it might not be good value. However in my market I found this on sale for C$35, which is just under US$28 and 21 euros. The closest I got to getting a single malt on sale was an Auchentoshan 12 and Old Pulteney 12 for C$45 - and those are 40% abv and chill filtered.. Sometimes one needs a warming hip flask wine for the football game and for sitting around a camp fire and it strikes me that the Maclean's Nose might be perfect for that. The only other blended whisky that I think might compete with it is the Cutty Sark Prohibition at roughly the same price (in my market) and at 50% abv. From what I know Maclean's Nose, at 70%, claims to have the highest amount of malt in their blend. The only other blended whisky that I know for a fact that has a higher malt content is one of Turntable Spirits' blends called 'Purple Haze' which is 86% malt. As for the whisky, let us just enjoy our favourite reviewer's opinions for what they are and not try to determine who is correct for they all have different tastes and palates. As Geoff has stated many times, sometimes we change and sometimes (actually quite often) the batches change. Cheers.

[@scrimmy45]

MacLeans Nose is an excellent blend IMO. Tastes like a single malt with hardly any noticeable grain flavour. Charlie MacLean would not endorse something mediocre.

[@Gwhisky]

Glad you enjoy. 🥃

[@McGururu]

i want a tour of every whisky in your collection

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

Thank you Geoff for stating the obvious things people seem to not see when there's hype. It is a young blended whisky. Yes blends are enjoyable but not as much as malts, at least for me. When you get the grain note it's not great and it's amplified at a younger age. Put as much as Ardnamurchan in it, which is also young, as long as theress young grain whisky in the bottle, it'll only be a certain amount of good. This is why we need different voices on whiskytube, cheers my friend 🥃

[@Gwhisky]

Thanks buddy. Yeah it's young and the grain is apparent. Not my favourite style, either. Cheers! 🥃

[@welshtoro3256]

I bought a bottle quite early on because Ralfy kind of implied it was a sort of gateway Ardnamurchan on the cheap. The price wasn't too prohibitive so I bought a bottle. I like to have some less expensive whisky in my collection because I can enjoy it without having to feel guilty about how much money I've spent/wasted each month. It's a false economy though: The cheaper it is, the faster I drink it. Anyway, I got the bottle home, opened it, poured it and drank it. Result: It was a bit meh. I wasn't expecting it to blow my socks off and score 90 points but I was expecting it to excite me at its price point. I don't expect to have to oxidise a bottle at this price to see it improves in six months. I want it to be fun from the get go, but every time I returned to it I just wasn't impressed. I finished the bottle without any desire to replace it. I might be wrong and it's amazing whisky. Ralfy wasn't the only one because Chris Goodrum has just reviewed it an was vey impressed as well. It did nothing for me. I have to say that I really like the excellent Black Bottle special releases.

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah a few people speak much more highly of this stuff than you or I do. I get the rugged character and it's a substantial whisky, but like you said, it just fails to excite. Cheers. 🥃

[@michaellim7645]

Hey Gwhiskey! Heard you’re the guy to talk to about Whiskey in Taipei. I’m here right now looking for the Asia Exclusive bourbons like Wild Turkey 12/13 and Blantons. No luck so far so maybe you can point me in the right direction. Didn’t know how to DM you so commented on your latest vid. Sorry! Cheers!

[@Gwhisky]

Hi Michael. I'm great at tracking down scotch and single malts in general here in Taipei. Sadly I don't know where to look for premium or rare bourbons here. It's not a big scene here, unfortunately. Good hunting! 🥃

[@alexk3088]

IMHO hype is different from nerd interest. Hype is when every whisky vlogger gets a free sample and proceeds to rush a review. When whisky geeks point out a craft/integrity bottle, a new integrity distillery or indy bottler, that interests me. Even if I don't love the dram. It's a learning experience and it rewards the right things. Hype is when Jack Daniels bottles the same basic whiskey as legacy edition and changes the packaging every year. Or when a distillery resorts to gimmicks like AI or "organic" or "green" to sell NAS. I've never seen Ralfy hype anything, whatever anyone might think of him. And OSWA is an aggregation of opinions, so I doubt it would easily produce hype, at least not this early in the game 😁 thank you for the review. I wonder if perception of this blend is affected by the price in a given market. I want to try it, but I won't pay a premium.

[@DominikK45]

Not a repurchase for me either. Much prefer a good single Malt for a few quid extra (Kilkerran heavily peated, Deanston 12, Glen Garioch 12, Benromach...). Be prepared for this to win Blend of the year at the Oswa's as this stuff is heavily promoted by two famous WhiskyTubers (who also happen to sell their own Ardnamurchan bottlings😮)

[@ronanmcconnellable]

They don't sell their own bottlings though. Ardnamurchan released bottles endorsed by them. Specifically chosen casks in Roy's case and in Ralfys case it was a request from him and left it in their hands for his 100th review. Not sure about Roy's (I very much doubt he profited personally it's not his approach) but I know the profits of Ralfy's went to charity. Nothing nefarious or shady or profiteering going on there. For what it's worth I like Maclean's nose. It's not mind-blowing but it's actually fair for the price, which is probably the most attractive factor.

[@DominikK45]

​ I didn't say profiting or profiteering, however having his name on a label of a certain distillery is enough to make him biased towards that distillery IMO...

[@andypike1234]

"Maclean´s feet" is gonna be definitely a funky one...

[@alfocrown]

tried it in tasting hosted by people from adelphi, tbh, i am not impressed by that, if i am whisky nerd, i rather pay a bit extra to pick up ardnamurchan AD instead. in that price point, i will prefer compass box glasgow blend instead, if i want some budget blend that i can sip slowly, or bring it to dinner gatherings.

[@allanwhittle3041]

Don’t really see what the fuss is all about with this , Ralfy whisky of the year🙈 REALLY rough and young and unrefined ..middle of the road ..You said it.I agree …tried it , gave it away 👹

[@MY-bd3fo]

This bottle cost about USD65 in my country, SEA after tax. Too expensive for a blend. Will skip this. Thanks for the review

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah that's too much. 🥃

[@Sjdhms]

Had one last year wasn't bad at all just a lil uneventful for me

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah that's basically my takeaway too. 🥃

[@b1gsteve251]

It’s not because it’s an excellent tasting, budget blended scotch whisky that it has gotten all the raves. It’s that it’s a no-bullshit, integrity bottled, entry level blended scotch whisky, when it doesn’t have to be. This should be a minimum watermark for all scotch whisky distilleries. There’s literally no reason, especially cost wise, for any coloring or chill filtration in today’s markets.

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah he explained all that in his video. It's a message, which is fair. Meanwhile, just a review and personal opinion over here. 🥃

[@andrewbutler7681]

I was lucky enough to be able to taste Maclean's Nose at a festival... and save myself the disappointment that would have resulted from buying a bottle! I was already a bit wary, as I've disliked most of the Ardnamurchans I've tried (the only exception being the Paul Launois) and Adelphi has never been one of my favourite IBs. I'm glad that you gave a mention to the TB/BSW: it suits my palate so much better and is within £5 price-wise.

[@jimmyjazz4605]

Do Australian whisky hehe

[@Gwhisky]

None sold here. 😢

[@joan_b.]

Sorry Geoff, not my stuff but thanks for that review 😢

[@ninetyZeven]

that label is physically made from barley, @GW, I believe.

[@ninetyZeven]

from husks and stuff.

[@weldhard996]

That's your opinion you should state that I to mostly agree with you . But this is not for the whisky enthusiasts it to introduce the blended drinker to a higher malt its not the only one on the market. As you stated ralfy made this his blended whisky of the year . & olswa got a place ralfy states he isn't a expert & it's his opinion. Why don't you do the same.

[@Gwhisky]

Never said I'm an expert. This whole channel is opinion. Any whisky review is obviously subjective. You want that restated in every single video? No need.

[@weldhard996]

@Gwhisky again your opinion , people watching your blog for the first time mave no idea who you are . What your background is so yes there is the need

[@Gwhisky]

@@weldhard996 Even the most "qualified expert" would still just be an opinion. I've stated many times on the channel that I'm not an expert, and you'll never see me claim to be one. I really don't understand the grievance here...

[@justwhisky]

A little early for April Fools 😅 Cheers 🥃

[@Donotwantanalias]

Dear Mr. G, how dare you to give such a bad review? I mean Ralfy gave it a 87! Ralfy, 87! You better get on the naughty step and rethink what you‘ve done! Greetings from Germany though, Frank

[@peatbull3426]

Ralfy gave it 87 as a Blend Mark so its bit different from Malt Mark which Geoff gave this one i guess?! 🥂🙋🏻‍♂️

[@Gwhisky]

I don't really do blend/malt marks. Standardized scoring for enjoyment (although it is influenced by value).

[@llamabones]

I think there's a misunderstanding of what hype is.

[@jbar6284]

@llamabones You're right. Hype means something not really/fully worthy, something over-inflated, so the headline is an oxymoron, a contradiction, and in this case I think not even something as useful as a paradox. By definition, anything hyped can never be worth that self-same hype. That's what the word hype means. I don't have a problem with your review, though, Geoff. I haven't bought this whisky because I don't think it would appeal, despite very much enjoying some Ardnamurchan malts.

[@Gwhisky]

Lol geez. Couple of sticklers. I'm sure you're both right, technically. In my defense, you might be overthinking it. Cheers guys. 😉🥃

[@michaellambright7968]

My understanding of the reputation this bottle has is people tried it and they liked it. Hype, IMO, suggests something premeditated.

[@Rezzatoni]

Sorry to say that but people who are rating the look of the bottle are waisting my time. I easiky can jugde that myself by looking at the pictures I find online. I'm here to hear about the things you need to taste it for ...

[@markanderson8677]

I agree, it's okay but for a few $ more I can buy whisky that I like a whole lot more. Glad I was able to taste it before buying - for me it's a pass.

[@scrimmy45]

" doesn't look like anything special to me ". Why does it have to LOOK special ? There is a lot of crap whisky out there that is beautifully presented. Taste / price ratio is what matters to me.

[@Gwhisky]

Yup taste is all that matters. I rate the presentation anyway.

[@peathead4450]

Nope, it doesn't. (Nothing deserves a hype imho) But hey, why worry. It gives you the opportunity to bring out a new video. Slàinte mhath

[@INDYNOIR1]

I don't think you spent enough time with this whisky, or your palate just doesn't seem that trustworthy. Ralfy and Whiskyfun both rated this high per their subjective scales. Rarely do they rate a whisky with solid scores that I think is average. It's "just okay" "it's fine" is far from my experience. I just finished the bottle so tasted numerous times. Obviously whisky is subjective, but when you are a whisky snob and have taste thousands of whisky's like I have and you have, something just doesn't seem right if you think this whisky is average at best. And if you didn't mean to come off as rating the whisky average, something is off about your coy "it's fine" delivery.

[@Gwhisky]

Sure, something must be wrong with me. Untrustworthy palate, I guess.

[@lewisduffy675]

Ralfy will forever be the GOAT but I get the feeling that was a political move more than anything. Besides, didn't he refuse to review even NAS single malts not long ago?

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah he explained that it was to send a message. Understandable. Craft, unpretentious affordability gets celebrated. It's a good message to send. 🥃

[@lewisduffy675]

@@Gwhisky But _grain_ whisky? The horror. ;)

[@Holydecipher]

I love Ralphy and I don’t mind blended whisky at all but too be honest this one is stupid. This bottle is more expensive than a lot of my favorite single malt whiskies where I live (Laphroaig 10, Bushmills 10, Scarabus … the list is long). So buying this bottle is pure disappointment. Teachers is 10€ and a good blend. Why spend almost 40 for this one is beyond me.

[@gptraining89]

Did thy diminish the true word of the whisky pope? Heresy!

[@carlmartinlinder]

Jepp! Overrated indeed. About the same price as Thompson Bros TB/BSW 6yo which in my book is much better.

[@richardgenerazio5280]

Natural color! NOT chill filtered!’

[@axlr5150]

It's getting difficult to find at the price suggested. Biggest p*** taker has to be Hard To Find Whisky at £35.95 plus £5.95 delivery. I refuse to give these robbers my hard earned cash.

[@VenetaAtanasova]

That is exactly what I think about this whisky. Make a comparison video between that and Nikka´s GOLD AND GOLD AND GOLD AND TRIPLE DOUBLE TROUBLE GOLD & GOLD & GOLD