The Famous Grouse blend is one of the top-selling brands globally, and as with many blends, it was conceived by a grocer and drinks merchant named Matthew Gloag. The Famous Grouse blend comprises whisky from various distilleries, including Macallan, Glenrothes and Highland Park. William Grant & Sons, the company which owns a significant chunk of Scottish distilleries including Balvenie and even the smaller Tuthilltown Spirits in New York helped take the company private in 2000, where it remains today. Product PALATE : Medium body with drying oak, peat and dried fruit. Pepper and cloves with smoke and grainy sweetness. Quite a bit of alcohol heat that needs a few drops of water to soften. It has the green Highland type of peat notes and not the fishy Islay kind of peat. Water tones down the heat but also washes out the peat. It becomes fairly sweet with water.

Smoky Whisky Cocktail With Coke | The Famous Grouse Smoky Whisky Cocktail With Coke | The Famous Grouse

The label is straightforward: a large image of the eponymous grouse (unfortunately not the original artwork by Phillipa Gloag) is front and center with the legally required information about the spirit in the footer of the image. From the first whiff you can tell that there’s something deeper and smokier going on here. I get the same fruity notes as with the original version, but its as if I’m sitting in front of a peat-burning fireplace trying to enjoy them. There’s certainly tinges of that smoky aspect creeping in around the sides and providing a bit of depth that was missing from the original. Okay, the flavor was just a little off for me, and the quality was just okay. But, how much does a bottle cost? While the whisky isn’t my favorite, price can play a huge role in whether or not it’s something we’re willing to buy. We’ll take a look at prices across various Total Wine stores throughout the US to determine an average price range.It was in fact Margaret who acquired a license to sell wine and spirits (and snuff) in 1831; Matthew didn’t join the business until 1835 when the name was changed to Matthew Gloag. Margaret died just five years later. Jon specialises in creating inspirational and thought-provoking writing that challenges readers to look beyond the confines of “the norm.” He uses dynamic writing styles to convey messages to diverse audiences from all walks of life. He is an avid explorer and loves sharing the world through his unique eyes with his readers. The Famous Grouse label is a well-known and popular Scotch Whisky that you see in all the bars in Scotland and most liquor stores in America. Founded by Matthew Gloag and his son William Gloag they created The Famous Grouse in 1896 and have become a cornerstone of the scotch whisky industry in Scotland. Over the last century or so The Famous Grouse has developed into one of the world’s leading Scotch whiskies and in recent years has been flanked by complementary expressions to form a range of its own. Nose: There’s a little bit of smoke here, but more sweet and earthy. Pine needles along with citrus and peat are most prominent.

Famous Grouse Smoky Black Blended Scotch Whisky The Famous Grouse Smoky Black Blended Scotch Whisky

I am not sure if this was because it masked some of the flavour notes I didn’t care for in the original Famous Grouse whisky or if it was because the smoky flavour added a bit more depth to an otherwise rather ordinary whisky. Either way, it improved it. If you’re going to spend your time using whisky as potpourri then I recommend the Famous Grouse as it smells much better. The Famous Grouse was founded in 1896 by Matthew Gloag. Originally named The Grouse, this blended scotch whisky got it’s namesake from the popular bird in the Highlands region of Scotland, a grouse. Phillipa, Matthew’s daughter, painted a picture of a grouse that went on to become the label for The Famous Grouse Scotch Whisky. Matthew Gloag wins the contract to supply food and wine for the visit of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to Perth While many sources claim the Famous Grouse story began in 1800, the story of Matthew Gloag & Sons didn’t start with the Gloags at all. Rather, it began with the Browns.By the time Matthew Gloag died in 1860, the family business portfolio focused mostly on wines and his son, William Gloag, largely continued this trend. When US Prohibition came into force in January 1920, the Scotch world was dismayed. Economic depression, coupled with high taxation, had forced a high reliance on export markets. However, as was the case with a handful of other blenders, the company’s distribution to markets close to the United States such as Canada, Latin America and the West Indies suddenly shot up. If some shipments made their way into the States, then so be it. It wasn’t until Matthew Gloag III inherited the business from William in 1896 that the company registered its first blended Scotch, the Brig o’ Perth. A year later, The Famous Grouse was released at the same time as The Grouse Brand.

Smoky Black | Smoky Scotch Whisky | The Famous Grouse Smoky Black | Smoky Scotch Whisky | The Famous Grouse

The distiller produces other expressions such as; Famous Grouse, Alpha Edition, Mellow Gold, Snow, 16-Year-Old Vic Lee, and a few other expressions. The Famous Grouse was also the official whiskey of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and I will be reviewing a special edition of Grouse 1986 at the end of year. William Gloag dies; his nephew, Matthew Gloag III, takes over the business. The Gloags register their first blended Scotch: the Brig o’ PerthFor those who might be considering trying a peated scotch whisky (or if you like your peated scotch on the milder side), this might be something to consider since the ice allows you to adjust how much peat you are getting to your specific taste.

The Famous Grouse Smoky Black Blended Scotch Whisky

The bottle itself is slimmer and taller than the typical scotch whisky bottle, more like a vodka bottle than anything else. But while it may be a generic shape, the bottle itself is unique to the brand with some embossing about the brand’s history on the bottom. Jon holds several professional qualifications and is financially qualified in the UK. He left the humdrum world of financial advice to pursue a career in writing – his lifelong passion. He has partnered with local and global brands to help them grow their businesses and audiences through insightful and innovative content strategy. Brown moves the shop to 22 Atholl Street; this becomes the headquarters for The Famous Grouse for 99 years I find myself at a bit of a loss with this review, being honest the whisky tastes like a smoked Famous Grouse which adds to the enjoyment of the drink. In much the same way as smoking salmon adds to the flavour profile of salmon.

Over the past 5 years, his content at Immortal Wordsmith has helped thousands of readers gain new perspectives and discover interesting stories. Matthew Irving Gloag retires from the company due to ill health. The last Gloag to be involved in the company, he remains a consultant for life John Brown established his Perth grocery business in 1800 before moving the premises to Atholl Street seven years later. It was his daughter, Margaret, who married Matthew Gloag. She took over the family business from her father in 1824 and ran it until Matthew took control a little over a decade later. Taste: Again, you can tell there’s some smoke but it’s masked by sweeter, floral notes. A touch of water or ice helps dull those flavors, but it also removes some of the smoke. A peated whisky is meant to give smoky flavors and attributes to the spirit. But what exactly is peat and how does it pertain to whisky? A peated scotch will cook malted barley in a peat kiln. Peat, itself, is essentially the surface layer of soil with decomposed organic matter.