Let’s have some fun with blends

I try to sound a little more professional when I write. So, you would be forgiven if you haven’t picked up on the fact that I’m a bit of a smartass. I also enjoy a good joke or ruse at the expense of others. Physical pain or personal embarrassment isn’t required. Merely getting one over a friend or acquaintance is enough to satisfy me in the short term.

With that in mind, I’d like to propose a little holiday prank. Let’s assume for a moment that you have a well stocked whiskey bar. Included in this bar would be a nice pleasing bottle of blended scotch. Now let’s also assume you have one or more friends who are such single malt snobs that they won’t dare to lower themselves enough for blended scotch to even pass their lips. If this is the case then I suggest slipping them a dram of that nice blended scotch you have to see their reaction. I’m not talking about giving them a glass of swill as a joke. I’m suggesting that you slip them a glass of good blended scotch and get their reaction for the sole purpose of exposing their ridiculous snobbery and hypocrisy. If you’re quick with the camera phone then you might even get a picture of their face after they’ve told you how good it is and you subsequently tell them it’s a blend. If you do, feel free to email it to me.

I’ve mentioned my opinions and frustrations on several occasions regarding the growing perception of blended scotch among single malt drinkers. In case you haven’t read those before let me reiterate:

1. Blended Scotch as a category is not inferior to Single Malt Scotch.
2. Blended Scotch can be very good.
3. Some Blended Scotch can be much better than some Single Malt Scotch.
4. Most of the Scotch sold in the world is Blended not Single Malt by an huge margin.
5. If it wasn’t for Blended Scotch we wouldn’t have the variety of Single Malts we do because most of their sustaining production goes into blends.

Read it, print it, preach it. If you yourself fall into the camp of “malts rule, and blends drool” then I suggest doing a test on yourself. The next time you’re in the liquor store pick up a nice blend. Try it by itself. Try it blind with other malts. Try it with friends. You might be really surprised by what you find. If you want a place to start here are a few you might want to try.

Black Bull 12 Year Old
Black Bottle
Johnnie Walker Gold
Chivas Regal 18 Year Old
Compass Box Asyla
Compass Box Great King Street

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard