That’s a mouth full! A miniature of a blended Scotch bottled in my year of birth. That’s the only reason I picked it up. Usually I’m not a big fan of blended Scotch and while that sounds very arrogant, it’s mostly because I find them overly complex and my palate is not sharp enough to pick up all the nuances. Especially since there aren’t many higher proof blends I find most of the flavours too gentle and subtle to make a proper guess to what it all is.

I have absolutely no clue to what Ainslie’s is in regards to other blends and blenders, but tasting notes can be made, of course!

Nose:
Very gentle and smooth with quite a big dollop of sherry influence. A touch of oak, soft peaches, nectarines and apricots. Loads of flavour. Not too complex, but very good!

Taste:
It almost tastes like liqueur, with a gentleness like this. Quite a bit of honey and lots of yellow fruit. Some sweet cereal and those white-yellowish Caramac bars. Some cinnamon and maybe a slight hint of cloves.

Finish:
The finish is very simple again with just a huge amount of tropical yellow fruit. Quite short.

If you take a big sip you get some more spices like pepper and a bit more wood too. Otherwise it’s just very, very gentle overall. A very nice blend with lots of sherry influence. I think this one would support the point of old blends being better than quite a few single malts from today.

Fun Fact: This Royal Edinburgh whisky is from Glasgow.

Ainslie’s Royal Edinburgh Choice Scotch Whisky, 40%, 5cl, bottled on May 14th 1981