Regions – a blend of regions – ABV – 43%

Something totally unexpected in this Advent Calendar – a blend. But then again, you never supposed to know what to expect. Every day a surprise, right?

This blend is as inexpensive as $20/bottle (1L) at K&L and up to $40 in stores located elsewhere (I’m looking at you New Jersey).

As you would expect in a blend, this is a mix of malt whiskies and grain whiskies.  However, this has 40% malt whisky and 60% grain whisky.  Normally the ratio is closer to 80/20 (grain to malt). So we should hope for a little more quality here.

I’m just going to jump right into this one.

On the nose — Very grain forward yet there’s a nice Apfelkuchen (apple cake) note that comes at you quickly.  A bit of uncooked biscuit dough, spiced cookie dough.

It’s a sweet bread blend, to be sure (not the disgusting sweet bread which is made from meats but actual sugary sweet breads).

In the mouth — Much of the same in the mouth as it is on the nose but now with the addition of a hint of peat.

Mouthfeel is the same as you’d expect from Johnnie Walker Black. Some hints of spice and Szechuan chiles.

Finish — Shortish with lasting spice on the sides of the tongue.

In sum — Perfectly inoffensive and easy drinking but nothing you’d need to spend some you time with. The is to be poured when you’ve got a big group of people over and they want “a Scotch.”