Grant's Blended Scotch Whisky, The Family Reserve

I have known for many years that this blend is the name brand of William Grant & Sons, Ltd., owners of The Balvenie and Glenfiddich (and Kininvie) distilleries and/or brands. The business has been in the family since day one and while I have had many of their name brand single malt expressions and love the blend of malts that is Monkey Shoulder, I had never tasted the family name blend. An evening flight for a business trip was the setting for my finally experiencing this whisky.

The nose was soft and light, a heathery toffee with hints of malted barley. The palate was soft, starting out creamy like one would expect from Glenfiddich and then slowly yielding to the slightly peaty malt flavor that I associate with The Balvenie, which lingered pleasantly on the tongue. The finish is moderately short and creamy.

The whisky is lower in ABV and does not stand up well to ice. Nothing more than a drop or two of water to open it up, though I question how much it really opened up. It is probably a whisky well saved for summer as it is simple, light and refreshing rather than a complex, full RT bodied whisky. Ican see it being in the same class as the Famous Grouse, though notably lighter.