TBWC Strathclyde 30 Year Old Batch 1

Although everybody tends to thinks of whisky - or at least scotch - as being malt, there's a lot of grain whisky made too. Much of it goes into blends, so it's rare to see it bottled as a 'single grain whisky' in its own right.

It's probably also a sign of its lack of trendiness that the folk at That Boutique-y Whisky Company are able to produce a 30 year old whisky at such a remarkably low price - barely over £100 seems, on paper, to be a steal.

Strathclyde 30 Year Old Batch 1 is a mid-coloured 53.1% ABV whisky.

The nose has the classical clean, sweet, alcohol aroma I expect from a grain spirit. Candy sugar, boiled pineapple sweets and a definite liquorice hit at the end.

Watered, there's some dried grass appearing, and there's just the suggestion of old, spirit-soaked oak.

In the mouth it's sweet and surprisingly restrained for the ABV. Soft brown sugar, more liquorice and that 'artificial banana' flavour you get in sweets.

Water brings that banana edge out more, and it starts to take on an almost rum-like character, with a delicate, warm cinnamon and star anise in the finish.

Definitely different and dangerously drinkable, we really should all be enjoying more grain whisky. 4 stars.

Many thanks to Master Of Malt for providing their That Boutique-y Whisky Company Advent Calendar this year.

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This review was originally published 10th December, 2016. It was last updated 1st June, 2023.