Naked Malt
Previously Naked Grouse | 40% ABV
Something I could be reaching for more often that I would have thought
As the warmth of the summer ends, schools resume and the morning commute returns, it truly feels like prime whisky drinking season is welcoming us back with open arms — and hopefully keeping us warm too!
I’m not saying that consumption necessarily dips throughout the year, but when those autumn leaves begin to fall, we throw on an extra layer when going for a walk, and the evenings become slowly darker, that’s real whisky drinking weather to me. I think that the colder it gets, the more peat and smoke my generous pours contain. There’s nothing like coming in after a cold, crisp day and firing some Ardbeg into the glass.
This is somewhat my favourite time of the year. I’m not one for heat and sunshine (Irish skin doesn’t take too kindly to them, and I relish putting away the factor 50 sun cream). Halloween is fast approaching, not to mention those mental Christmas deals — there are plenty of whisky offers coming our way very soon. A lot has happened this year, and for a lot of people — in the UK at least — it’s going to be a grim enough winter. I’ve joked before in the Dramface comments about how it’ll be cheaper to get a bottle of whisky in you for heat than to purchase electricity or gas. Joking aside, heat or eat is a reality for a lot of people.
The readers of this review site are such keen drinkers of the glorious liquid that they will continue to invest in and enjoy this hobby no matter what goes on in their life or the world. Again, it’s great to have something in your life that interrupts the mundane and boring day-to-day (and the whisky community is fabulous to be a part of, too). In a previous review, I mentioned how it’s important to really grab onto those small wins — life is full of ups and downs; it’s so unpredictable. Your health is your wealth (I’m full of phrases today — apologies), and mental health is a big part of that.
When budgets become ever more stretched throughout the colder months of 2022/23, where can we find the enjoyment in whisky? Where’s the value?
It’s still vital for us at Dramface to cover the supermarket malts and blends. Recently, the Dramface team all jumped on an evening social call which stretched into the wee hours of the night. It was here that Archie mentioned the importance of those supermarket whiskies and the role they played in all of our journeys. Dramface might bring you some exquisite expressions, and we’ll all do our best to tell you a yarn and a good story. However, the staples and well-known brands not only help us remember how far along we have come but might just spark the interest of a new enthusiast wanting to know a little more about the on-offer whisky they’ve spotted at their local supermarket.
The topic of budget malts was covered on a live stream in detail a few weeks back on the Aqvavitae YouTube channel. As Roy stated, ‘budget does not always equal low quality or sub-par.’ Thus, I hope he doesn’t mind me stepping on his toes here. Check out the live stream here for a fantastic list of engaging whiskies that won’t break the bank. Variation and value is still out there, and it’s always great to go back to basics. You’ll be surprised what’s out there for a cheaper price.
Also, if you are new to this realm of Dramface, hello and welcome. While we have your attention, check out Kade’s review on the Famous Grouse here. Comparing the two blends would be a nice wee flight starter and might give an indication of how the liquid transforms with a blend of grain in there too. A good way to spend an evening!
Review
Naked Malt (blended malt whisky, 40% ABV)
£22, generally available via supermarkets, Amazon, etc
So, in terms of the liquid in the bottle for today’s review, we can be 100% sure that it contains 100% malt — absolutely no grain. With this expression of Grouse coming from the Edrington Group, we can speculate that there’s Glenrothes in here, and maybe some Highland Park (although I don’t get much smoke from this at all). There could be a wee teaspoon of Macallan, maybe — who knows? It’s not really detailed anywhere online or in whisky publishing.
The introduction and release of the ‘Naked’ Grouse was due to the increasing demand for and popularity of single malts, with the initial launch coming in 2011 as a blended scotch in first-fill sherry casks before transforming into a malt whisky blend. The expression name refers to the fact that the casks have never held whisky before, with the liquid allowed to mature in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks.
This bottle comes in at 40% ABV and this was generously gifted to me by my sister on my birthday. It was a travel retail purchase, so I ended up with a lefty 1-litre bottle (more to enjoy, I suppose!). There’s no mention on the bottle of natural colouring or non-chill filtered. Given the price point and ABV, we can safely assume this whisky is both chill filtered and contains colourant.
It’s hard to find stock of this via the reliable online retailers. Supermarkets in Northern Ireland only really stock the Famous Grouse or its smoky counterpart; however, residents in Great Britain might find this with ease seeing as bottle availability is somewhat better across the water. Out-of-stock pages of this whisky online put the price at somewhere £25-30 (though it’s £22 on amazon.co.uk). I think my version was closer to £40, with it being a litre bottle via travel retail at London Gatwick.
Nose
A soft touch of toffee and brown sugar. A lot of sherry influence immediately on the nose (thanks, Edrington Group). It’s quite rich and dense in stone fruits and spice. A bit of malt, too. Strawberry jam and mushy blackcurrants. Raisins and dried apricots. Kinda reminds me of cola-flavoured hard confectionery. A little touch of leather, perhaps, and butterscotch sauce. Surprisingly delightful.
Palate
Light, spiced and honey-sweet. Rounded in the initial sip with little to no alcohol burn. Delicate mouth feel, nice coating, and the flavours last in a medium-enough finish. The malty element is in there. Some milk chocolate and a touch of salted peanuts. Nice soft toffee confectionery in there, turning into a chocolate caramel.
The Dregs
I really didn’t know what to expect from this, to be honest. The Famous Grouse is alright in fairness, having had a glass or two over Christmas last year after a slab of Guinness. I wasn’t going into this pour with any high expectation. However, it was surprisingly delightful on first smell and sip! With a quiet weekend setting, I set up a nice trio flight of single malts that included this Naked Grouse along with a Teaninich and a Dailuaine. The Naked Grouse kicked things off, and as I went back and forth on smells and sips…it did quite well, actually.
So this is an easy sipper, an approachable malt. There’s some nuance to the liquid — you can pick out those lovely basic sherry notes with a malty foundation. It’s not thin, nor does the finish fall off a cliff like often happens with blends. Like I mentioned in my notes, no burn was experienced, and this whisky slotted right in there with some solid single malts.
As always, don’t turn your nose up at a blend. This is malt whisky, and decent stuff for the price. Old blends can be a nice avenue for adventure too; often they can be picked up for reasonable prices at auction. Keep an eye out for this one as the year draws to a close, it’ll be a popular winter warmer for sure.
Score: 6/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. HF
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Drinks Retailing (relaunch details)
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