Grand Macnish Blended Scotch
Not exactly a house-hold name in the world of scotch blends, Grand Macnish has actually been in continuous production since 1863. Owned by MacDuff International, the brand has seen a recent expansion into a wide number of expressions (including several aged-stated ones). This is review of the entry-level version, which is the most common offering.
The whisky was originally developed by a Glasgow merchant, Robert McNish, who wanted to create a lighter, smoother type of scotch. It is composed of malt and grain whiskies from around the highland/speyside regions of Scotland. While it is not widely available, this entry-level blend has been sold at the LCBO for some time now (currently $40 CAD for 1.14L bottle). Bottled at 40% ABV. I managed to sample it from a friend’s recently opened bottle.
Let’s see how it compares to other entry-level blends in Meta-Critic Whisky Database:
Ballantine’s Finest: 7.62 ± 0.61 on 12 reviews ($)
Catto’s 12yo: 8.06 ± 0.31 on 5 reviews ($$)
Catto’s Rare Old: 8.02 ± 0.67 on 5 reviews ($)
Chivas Regal 12yo: 7.79 ± 0.44 on 23 reviews ($$)
Cutty Sark: 7.54 ± 0.46 on 15 reviews ($)
Cutty Sark Prohibition: 8.48 ± 0.47 on 14 reviews ($$)
Dewar’s 12yo: 7.94 ± 0.35 on 14 reviews ($$)
Dewar’s White Label: 7.52 ± 0.71 on 14 reviews ($$)
Famous Grouse: 7.65 ± 0.55 on 20 reviews ($)
Grand Macnish: 7.87 ± 0.45 on 8 reviews ($)
Grant’s Blended Sherry Cask: 8.00 ± 0.21 on 6 reviews ($)
Grant’s Family Reserve Blended: 7.69 ± 0.66 on 14 reviews ($)
Hankey Bannister 12yo Regency: 8.65 ± 0.24 on 7 reviews ($$)
Hankey Bannister Original: 7.87 ± 0.31 on 6 reviews ($)
Johnnie Walker 12yo Black Label: 8.26 ± 0.47 on 24 reviews ($$)
Johnnie Walker Red Label: 7.36 ± 0.59 on 21 reviews ($)
Passport Blended Scotch: 7.29 ± 1.08 on 8 reviews ($)
Teacher’s Highland Cream: 7.95 ± 0.72 on 11 reviews ($)
Whyte & Mackay Special Reserve: 7.47 ± 0.45 on 7 reviews ($)
For the entry-level scotch category, Grand Macnish scores at the higher end of the range.
Let’s see what I find in the glass:
Nose: Heavy brown sugar to start. Pear. Raisins. Lemon curd. A bit floral (lavender). Touch of cloves. Some acetone and raw ethanol, but not bad. Slightly musty note.
Palate: Molasses and brown sugar. Vanilla. Apple and pear. Light cinnamon and pepper. A touch of nuts. Some wet cardboard. Watery mouthfeel, comes across as fairly thin.
Finish: Short. Slight oaky bitterness with a vague frutiness (nothing very distinct). But not unpleasant.
I would rate this as on par (or slightly higher) than the Meta-Critic average. It has relatively few off-notes on the nose, which is surprising for a blend in this price category. While fairly basic and single, it is better than your typical bottom-shelf scotch blend. An easy to drink blend, I would recommend this one for those newcomers to scotch whisky.
The most positive review I’ve seen comes for Jan of Best Shot Whisky. Jim Murray, Ralfy, and Patrick of Quebec Whisky and Serge of Whisky Fun are all relatively positive for the category (and in line with my thinking). The lowest scores I’ve seen comes from RV of Quebec Whisky and Jason of In Search of Elegance.
This whiskey surprised me from the time I opened the bottle. The aroma was pleasant and for a blend, it is surprisingly mild. I personally like the 15 year old cured in sherry barrels, a really nice finish. For the money, a great blended Scotch I encourage the early Scotch drinkers try and enjoy.
Where can you buy it. I bought it once on my way to south africa from ireland for my brother in law and cant seem to get it anywhere
Like all whisky products, its distribution will depend on the contracts and deals its parent company negotiates. Depending on where you live, you may be able to order from online sellers – but that typically involves heavy shipping fees, even if allowed. Best to ask local liquor stores if they are able to get it in for you. If not, I recommend you look at available whiskies of similar style and comparable scores in the Meta-Critic Databse.
Unfortunately the only store I’ve seen that had it consistently in-house is Twin Liquors which is exclusively a Texas store. If you’re outside of Texas then I would recommend you do what selfbuilt said and see about online vendors or look for a whiskey with a similar palate and rating. It’s not really an exclusive whiskey but it is fairly rare to find sitting on the shelf.
Best Value Scotch on the Market , better than a lot of “Single Malts”
Juss fabulous
Excellent week day scotch blend.