Whisky Video 51: Cheap Blended Scotch Comparison

[@johnw218]

Nice review, thanks. If you're swimming in the shallows of the blended malt category it's very helpful to have a basic no-nonsense guide like this. It can be painful but it's still good to go through educating the palette with some of this stuff. and when the budget doesn't allow better I still try to find something half decent on the bottom shelf. Usually get what you pay for .

[@chrish12345]

I also rate Teachers - I may be wrong but they seem to have changed it into a leaner style over the last few years. The grains are clean and mainly inoffensive and this gives a chance for the malt to come through (they still claim it has 45% malt content)

[@havockwarlord]

yeah I also feel they changed Teachers it used to be my favorite "cheap whisky" but it feels like they added more grain and less malt, also it is less peated(although it wasn't very peated)

[@josecamara1640]

Interesting video. What about the Black Bottle (no age)?. What do you prefer, Isle of Skye 8 y.o. or Black Bottle (no age declared)?

[@lavanchung9428]

Thank you. I usually choose Grant’s. It is cheap but still very nice. I even buy it for our party. Everybody found it nice.

[@BBarNavi]

How would all this compare to Johnnie Red or J&B?

[@williammeyer4509]

well done. very useful. thank you. I'm absolutely going to give Teacher's a try.

[@peterjpuleo4133]

Great review. Sometimes scotch is characterized as having an "iodine" taste, such as Laphroig. You did not use that term. Is the "iodine" taste come from peating? Thank you.

[@dwill123]

At $15 a bottle I can drink Grant's Family Reserve all day. A very flavorful blended scotch whisky.

[@ERJLifer]

I like how every youtube video has a completely different take on the same whiskeys just taste the stuff for yourself

[@danielonn2002]

Just bough Trader Joe's blended Scotch whiskey for $10. It's very good. I have had fine blends like Johnny Walker and thus one stands up to more ecpensive Please review it and let me know.

[@joaopedroloureiro9141]

Congratulations for your channel! I love it. Let me ask a thing? In your opinion, which of these whiskeys is better? (by number 1..2..3..) Chivas 12 Ballantine's 12 Buchanan's 12 Famous Grouse 12 Gold Reserve Famous Grouse (standard) Teachers Highland Cream (I wanna try blended, But I don't know which one to take XD)

[@farklestaxbaum4945]

I have had Chivas 12 Buchanan's 12 Famous Grouse (standard) and the buchanans is by far the best

[@profe12345]

Hi Luke. I agree whith you, Teachers its a great cheap smoke whisky!!!

[@TheBum732]

Great comparison video. Glad we agreed on how bad Cutty is. Will definitely have to try Teacher's sometime. Where do you think JW Red of Black would fit in your comparison?

[@lukerymarz]

Thanks! I would probably put Red somewhere in the middle (closer to the bottom). Black would fit near the middle, but closer to the better ones (it probably would have taken second or third place). JW Black is surely better than The Black Grouse, but a comparison with Teacher's would be pretty squarely matched!

[@rockysangwan]

@w0g teachers 50 is definitely better than black label but highland cream teacher is not that good

[@Orgelix]

I miss the Chivas Regal 12yrs and the Dimple 15yrs. Have you already tried them?

[@lukerymarz]

Not yet!

[@Ricardo8388]

These are bottomshelf wiskeys Chivas and Dimple are not.

[@davidvega1978]

Can you compare some blended malt scotch?

[@EternitySoundDesign]

I really like Teachers for a blend. Surprised me a bit actually. Even for sipping it's not terrible, for a blend. Tried all before apart from Black Grouse, and my feelings are very similar to your summary :)

[@GeorgeKnew]

Good review (because I agree?)... I really enjoy Teacher's... bought recently for $16.99 at Total Wine, a steal, IMHO... (new bottle, is yours 90 proof)? I love the bit of peat... not Laphroaig, but still very enjoyable.

[@ion1984]

I was at a bar where the only Scotch I hadn't had was Cutty Sark so I snagged a dram. and boy let me tell you. YAAARRRR matey those are some rough seas right there!! Was happy to see that your examination lead to fairly similar results.

[@dradatzke]

Great video Luke, nice to see a video showing the "mixers".

[@neelseeks]

What do you think of Hankey Bannister 12 yo?

[@babadevil945]

Famous is good or balentine

[@tspnyc]

Just discovered your videos, and find them quite enjoyable. Re this one, when it comes to malts, the heart of Famous Grouse and Black Grouse is Glenturret, but its main flavor facets come from Macallan and Highland Park, which are recognizable. But Black Grouse has a larger amount of some Islay malts. Although, they do not reveal which one(s.) And of course it may have some peated grain involved too. If you want to try another round of the basic blends, I can suggest Buchanan's 12 yo, which is one of the old original brands but only recently appearing in the States in modern times. It is light and grainy, but more interesting than most of the others, with some peat, spice, fruit, etc. It does not taste like scotch flavored witch hazel, like most in that price range. Dark Horse is also one of the cheap scotches known for its smoke, and I think Elgin is its main malt. And Bank Note is well worth tracking down. It is indie bottler Rattray's blend, with a better all around quality and a 5 year age statement. Very much a Highland character, malty but with honey and wood, but some feinty qualities reminiscent of Aberfeldy, and a touch of bitterness, but even the grain seems cleaner and more worthwhile. And around $20. Cheers!

[@petrost1468]

Teacher’s it's a good thing for a price.. Quality very good!! Little smoke back little salt..!! Me a fan Laphroaig 10.!! . Teacher’s surprise me good! Thanks. Petros from Greece 🇬🇷

[@ThorinOakenshieldGSD2023]

Decent comparisons, however I think it needed to be level set by disclosing your preferred single malts. If your go to single malt is Lagavulin than your taste leans towards the Teachers, and Isle of Skye etc. If your go to single malt is Speyside such as Glenlivet, or Belvinie than a Grants might be more appealing. What I find fascinating among the group are the respective sales volume, as well as the fact that with all the Single Malt at their disposal, the royal family are largely Famous Grouse drinkers, and the Queen is known to have a regular if not daily dram. The major single malt distilleries behind each is fascinating as well.

[@Dafoodmaster]

I like your style, got the coffeebeans like a true perfumer

[@dotjean]

I'll have to find a way to taste Teacher's, as it' not available in Québec, where I reside. Nevertheless, thank you for this video, very interesting.

[@freddieslaughter1107]

Very good comparison

[@freddieslaughter1107]

Have you tried 'Black Bottle' or 'Monkey Shoulder'?

[@irider1201]

I never tried them all at once like that, but of the bottles I've tasted, my order would be the two Grouses on top, followed by Teachers, then Ballantines and finally Grants.

[@moodyplus]

+iRider1 Grants is the worst to you?

[@jeffshaffer1002]

What about Dewers....

[@jaxson1948]

Dewers is right behind JW Black, and Chivas 12, a good blend... not a cheap scotch like he's reviewing.

[@secordman]

@@jaxson1948 Dewar's white label is a cheap scotch. Dewar's 12 is the premium version, comparable to Chivas.

[@brianlockegolf]

Luke, I think at this price point, "black bottle" for $23.00 is a steal. Good Islay blend.

[@lukerymarz]

Definitely, if you're looking for a lightly smoky blend. I don't have a bottle of Black Bottle, but I think it would probably compare pretty equally with Teachers.

[@JamesPliny]

I really liked Video 51. We all can't afford single malt all the time. "Inexpensive" would be a better word to use than "cheap". Okay. I'm going to go out and purchase your first three favorites and see what I think.

[@miserablerhurensohn]

I was given a 64 oz bottle of Cutty Sark that was bottled in the 80s. To compare, I bought a modern Cutty Sark. It was definitely better 30 years ago. I could handle it neat. The modern version had to be mixed. I was pretty bad - like worse than Johnnie Walker Red bad.

[@freddieslaughter1107]

Very interesting review

[@Robhalifax]

I like Grant's I think it's good value. I was also pleasantly surprised by Whyte & Mackay. Some bourbon flavour notes for bourbon fans.

[@noelduggan72]

Good Stuff!!!! - 👍

[@havockwarlord]

if you want to enjoy your whisky not make some cocktails or mix it up until it becomes shit I would recommend The Famous Grouse from all those whiskies, also the Teachers is surprisingly good if you think about it's price and how some people underrate it

[@kalm1531]

What a Superduper review!

[@moristar]

Without viewing to the end I would say that Isle Of Skye is for sure the best of the presented.

[@moristar]

Okay, watched to the end :) Teaches is fine, but their quality is too unstable, that's why it can't be always a good choice :(

[@lukerymarz]

moristar1101 Very good point. Gotta keep consistency in mind when reading/watching other people's review!

[@lukerymarz]

moristar1101 BTW - thanks for watching!

[@zaphodbeeblebrox9109]

it all tastes of apples and corn syrup

[@donb1183]

How come nobody every bites into a juicy ripe McIntosh apple and say....."mmmm, tastes like whiskey?"?

[@TheJusnic82]

Whisky doesn't taste like an apple lol go drink apple cider if you want that experience...yeah you might get a slight hint note of apple (although no apple is ever added to the whisky its simply a brain taste)

[@mindtwister1984]

Teachers for budget character.

[@CanadianOrth]

Love Teachers

[@keithc187]

Hard to find a decent blended Scotch until you reach Chivas money.

[@kangaroo1888]

Interesting cause I hate Chivas but love Dimple 15 year old suppose it's personal taste end word drink what you like

[@richardcaulker1017]

I prefer Teachers to Chivas Regal 12 and Black Label.

[@robertvivid9476]

"Corn syrup" , really off putting smell.

[@herbprophet]

Cutty Sark is decent I think you were way too hard on it. It's pretty silky smooth and not burny.

[@tourbillon3217]

Cutty is definitely rough in the scotch world, but it's way ahead of the cheap american Wiskeys. Some flavor with a little burn. I buy it from time to time. Will definitely warm you up on a cold day!

[@HolyRaincloud]

I paid $40 for a bottle of grants, Aussie tax ;-;

[@pokeround]

:O

[@chaizgabyano3243]

And the liver

[@sencersayan7975]

Teacher's 👏

[@adamalford1167]

highlands mist

[@rodrimas1]

Totalmente de acuerdo con usted.Gracias

[@thewutitizband]

cutty ain't that bad then again I never met a whiskey that did'nt interes

[@tjisserobben]

I love jack daniels :)

[@JohnGrove310]

congratulations, you have all the worst whiskeys in Scotland

[@HughRogers609]

Would need J&B to complete that worst pack. There are good and great blends out there. None of these are that. These are mixing whiskies though, so you actually want to cover the taste with something else, but have alcohol.

[@VisitorQiu]

it wouldn't be more advantageous to buy a bourbon instead of this cheap blends?

[@lukerymarz]

Depends on what you're doing with it, of course! That being said, most of these I won't be buying again!