I was reading the Scotch start thread and all the discussion about blended scotch made me wonder do any producers package a blend of different types of whiskeys? In particular I was thinking about a blend of Scotch and Bourbon, that maybe a balance could be found between these competing flavors?? I just made my own blend from a cheap Scotch and Bourbon and it is not too bad, with the Bourbon taking over most of the taste. I am not that familiar with what is out on the market, but have never seen any crossbred whiskeys.
Blending across whiskey types?
- Thread starter StillShaving
- Start date
There have been some blending between combinations of scotch, irish, and japanese but I've never seen any made commercially available with bourbon as a component. To your point, the bourbon would in nearly all instances over power the others.
Not tried blending whiskey and bourbon but the other night I had a Warre's Warrior port and blended it with a Chateau Breuil Haute Medoc and it was simply divine. I'd start the Scottish-American adventure with
1 part Wild Turkey to 2 parts Highland Park (just off the cuff, never tried it, although I'm tempted to now).
1 part Wild Turkey to 2 parts Highland Park (just off the cuff, never tried it, although I'm tempted to now).
I've never seen a commercial product that blends American and Scotch Whisk(e)y. It doesn't mean it doesn't exist though.
I think from a commercial and financial standpoint, it wouldn't make sense for any spirit producer to blend a bourbon and a Scotch because they wouldn't legally be able to label the end result with either of the premium appellation label. It would simply become some sort of "blended whisky" and they can't charge a premium by adding a bourbon or Scotch label to it.
From purely a taste perspective, I think bourbons are so heavy and concentrated in flavor, it would almost dominate everything else it is blended with. Just think how much flavor a Scotch gets from just using a used bourbon cask for aging, let alone actually being blended with one.
--Dennis
From purely a taste perspective, I think bourbons are so heavy and concentrated in flavor, it would almost dominate everything else it is blended with. Just think how much flavor a Scotch gets from just using a used bourbon cask for aging, let alone actually being blended with one.
--Dennis
I have seen Jim Murray on a couple of occasions blend about 3/4 An Cnoc single malt scotch with 1/4 Alberta Premium rye for blind tastings. I never got the chance to try it (being an organizer and all, I had to abstain) but everyone seemed to really like it.
I once made up a bottle with 400 mL Cardu single malt, 200 mL Buffalo Trace and 10 mL Laphroaig. I seem to remember that it was quite good - just a little peat from the Laphroaig, the sweetness of the bourbon and I think I picked Cardu because I had a 1 L bottle from the duty free. It may say something that I never bothered to make another once it was gone, however.
No harm in trying, just don't make up large volumes in case it turns out dreadful. Even blending scotch whiskies is a bit of a black art, and it would be a shame to render any of God's ambrosia undrinkable.
I once made up a bottle with 400 mL Cardu single malt, 200 mL Buffalo Trace and 10 mL Laphroaig. I seem to remember that it was quite good - just a little peat from the Laphroaig, the sweetness of the bourbon and I think I picked Cardu because I had a 1 L bottle from the duty free. It may say something that I never bothered to make another once it was gone, however.
No harm in trying, just don't make up large volumes in case it turns out dreadful. Even blending scotch whiskies is a bit of a black art, and it would be a shame to render any of God's ambrosia undrinkable.
- Thread starter
- #7
A number of you make a good point about Bourbon over powering the flavor. I tried another mix tonight using 2 parts mild Scotch and 1 part Bourbon and it was more balanced and enjoyable, though bourbon was still the stronger flavor.
I am not a big fan of very smoky/peaty scotches but on some abstract level started thinking that the "heft" of that type of scotch could hold its own against bourbon and that perhaps an interesting blend could be made from some young (meaning cheap) whiskeys. Which got me to thinking had any commercial producer figured out a good cheap blend.
Cheers to all.
I am not a big fan of very smoky/peaty scotches but on some abstract level started thinking that the "heft" of that type of scotch could hold its own against bourbon and that perhaps an interesting blend could be made from some young (meaning cheap) whiskeys. Which got me to thinking had any commercial producer figured out a good cheap blend.
Cheers to all.
Many scotches are aged in used white oak barrels originally used in America for Bourbon. So maybe there is a little bit of bourbon in scotch already!
