“Grain whisky?” our customers ask scratching their heads, “What is that exactly?” Good question because it’s never really been a topic of clear discussion in the Scotch whisky business. Single malts are obviously made from single malt whisky – 100% malted barley distilled in copper pot stills. So what’s grain whisky? Grain whisky is what’s added to single malt whisky to create “Blended Whisky” like Johnnie Walker or Dewars. It’s usually made from corn, wheat, or rye and distilled in a giant column still much like Bourbon. Until recently, however, you rarely saw grain whisky sold on its own, independent from the blended genre. Our buyers have been doing their darndest to bring grain whisky out of the shadows and into the spotlight, forming a relationship with the Sovereign whisky company out of Glasgow and purchasing single casks with serious age to facilitate that mission. The result has thus far been incredible (as have the prices).
For a deeper look into the specifics of grain whisky, check out our article here about grain distilleries from our On The Trail blog.
For a look at our latest K&L Exclusive grain whisky arrivals, check out our most recent arrivals below:
1989 North British 25 Year Old Sovereign K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Grain Whisky (750ml) ($109.99)
Just outside of Glasgow sits the North British grain distillery, a facility that uses unmalted grains like corn and wheat and distills them on a column still to produce grain whisky–one of the more misunderstood personalities of the whisky universe. Most of you have had grain whisky before, you’ve just had it in conjunction with single malt whisky in expressions like Johnnie Walker or Chivas. Grain whisky is what’s ultimately combined with single malt whisky to create “blended” whisky (hence the name). What hasn’t been clear to most drinkers until rather recently, however, is how wonderful grain whisky can be on its own, especially when aged twenty years or more. This 25 year old North British cask of goodness brings a mouthful of cereal sweetness, rounded fruit flavors, and a biscuity butteriness that pleases the senses in a way that only something that straightforward can do. At 57.5%, there’s plenty of heat behind all that dessert-like flavor, allowing you to toss in a few ice cubes without really diluting the flavor whatsoever. If you’re new to the grain whisky game, this is a great place to start.
David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 26, 2016
Anyone out there enjoying the amazing Nikka Coffey Grain Japanese whisky? Anyone? Consider this North British expression to be a 25 year old version of that. Two and a half times the age, two and a half times the flavor, and two and a half times the concentration of oak, but for less than double the price. That’s the power of direct purchasing, folks. Hot whiskies for hot prices.
1988 Cambus 26 Year Old Sovereign K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Grain Whiskey (750ml) ($119.99)
Whereas comparable single cask of editions of the now-closed Cambus distillery have sold for $200 or more, our direct import program continues to provide incredible value to customers interested in cutting out the middleman. This 26 year old beauty of a grain whisky is tailor-made for fans of the Nikka Coffey Still expression, albeit this one is much, much older and at full proof. The fruit and vanilla have never been richer, the palate has never been smoother, and the whisky never more drinkable than it is in this 26 year old Sovereign edition of Cambus. The whisky is practically begging to be consumed over ice and tossed back with reckless abandon. But that would probably do a disservice to the complexity that looms underneath all that obvious deliciousness. This is liquid butterscotch. It’s a cookie biscuit distilled into whisky form and put into a beautiful bottle, exclusively for K&L customers.
David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 26, 2016
The defunct Cambus grain distillery has been a great source of great whisky for us over the years. Finding these 25+ year old barrels of superb softness with enticing drinkability has helped to re-craft the image our customers previously held concerning grain whisky. This is a beautiful Scotch whisky, gentle and pleasing in its inherent nature, but complex with subtle stonefruits and lithe accents of oak. From a closed distillery to boot.
1988 Invergordon 27 Year Old Sovereign K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Grain Whisky (750ml) ($129.99)
Fresh off our most recent delivery are two new single barrels of Invergordon, a Whyte & Mackay Highland grain distillery that sits along the waters of the Cromarty Firth north of Inverness. For those of you who still can’t wrap your heads around grain whisky, just imagine Bourbon distilled to a higher proof and aged like single malt in various types of refill barrels. It’s basically high proof, column still whisky made from corn, wheat, or unmalted barley that’s pumped out in mass quantities to mix into blended Scotch. Because of that rather dubious reputation for quality, prices for grain whisky remain low. But because of our extensive tasting and sampling in the genre, we’ve learned that very old grain whiskies. This 27 year old is textbook grain whisky, nothing more and nothing less. It’s fruity and round on the entry with a soft mouthfeel and a lovely note of vanilla on the finish. It’s no frills, no fuss whisky. It’s just flat out delicious.
David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 26, 2016
To Scotland’s far north, between Inverness and Brora, lies the Invergordon distillery, along the waters of the Cromarty Firth. This 27 year old single cask of Invergordon whisky is like Scotch Bourbon in a sense–distilled from corn on a column still, but aged in used oak rather than new charred oak, and matured in a cool climate, rather than the flux of hot and cold experienced in Kentucky. This Invergordon has bold flavors of vanilla and toasted nuts with an accent of spice on the finish that rises with the glow from the higher proof. It’s a whisky that’s practically begging for ice (and a glass, of course).
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