$11.99 Scotch Whisky Week Continues…….

Lauder’s 36 Months (40%, Imported, Blended Scotch Whisky, +/- 2009)

From http://www.bartonbrands.com/lauders.html  Lauder’s Blended Scotch Whisky: “A smooth, blended Scotch whisky imported from Scotland. Steeped in taste and history, it was a Gold Medal Winner at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. One of the finest imported Scotch whiskies-one of the world’s affordable luxuries.”

On the nose there is some strong acetone and industrial notes and not very much that would identify it as a scotch whisky and after some time there are some mild and vague green or vegetal notes. It’s a struggle to detect anything else. The taste is surprisingly smokey at first but that soon drops away to reveal some grain (finally) and the industrial notes. Hiding in the back ground is some sweetness. The finish has some light fruit, no appearance of the smoke and some bitterness that is slightly off putting. After several minutes some malt (or some overly active grain) makes an appearance but it’s too late to make any difference.

Some mere moments of happiness at the end but some lack of balance…and all the other unhappy characteristics…..one has to conclude that things have gone down hill since Chicago in1893.

$11.99

Score 59 points