The Sassenach Blended Scotch

Sassenach; a noun meaning outsider or stranger; Scottish Gaelic; circa 1700s. The Sassenach Blended Scotch Whisky is the brainchild of Scottish Actor Sam Heughan (Outlander) and Master Blender Michael Henry of Loch Lomond Distillery. Sam Heughan and Michael Henry bring their love of the Scottish Highlands to the rest of the world in the traditional Scottish way, crafting an exceptional whisky. The Sassenach is a symbol of the outsider, the nonconformist, and for those who construct their own journey. A unique blend, The Sassenach is a limited batch release comprised of Scottish single malt and grain whiskys that highlight the pure water and firm oak found in the hidden glens and ancient peaks of the Sottish Highlands. Wherever your journey may lead you, The Sassenach will keep you welcomed with the spirit of the Highlands. The Whisky The Sassenach Blended Scotch Whisky is a proud product of Scotland inspired by the Highland landscape. It is a unique spirit blended almost to perfection using carefully selected single malts that are between 9 and 20 years old. Those selected single malts are then paired with a 20-year-old Organic Single Grain Scotch Whisky to create an almost perfectly balanced whisky. The single malts are handpicked by Master Blender Michael Henry and are then blended and finished in Madeira Wine casks that add complexity and richness. Afterwards, the infusion of the 20-year-old Organic Single Grain Scotch Whisky strengthens the single malts and brings out more delicate subtle flavors that that continue to greet you with a warm welcome throughout your experience. The Sassenach is bottled quite elegantly at a smooth 46% ABV and will leave you wanting more. Color: Vibrant Gold Upon nosing, a blend of tart fruits, delicate perfume, and creamy sweetness greets you with a warm welcome. This wonderful concoction is accompanied by notes of citrus fruits, orange peel, honey, apricots, cocoa, buttercream, ripe peaches, and is lays heavily on the floral side. The fruitiness and floral notes are emboldened on the somewhat thick and complex palate with notes of orange zest, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, slight oakiness, and cracked pepper which balances out the sweetness beautifully. The finish is long and continues to welcome you to the spirit. The sweetness fades a little and gives way to some more vanilla, licorice, oak, and some lingering pepper.

An excellent dram. Balanced, subtle, tasty. N: 4.0/5 A whisper of the sea, orchard fruits (peaches, apricots), some general cereal sweetness. A bit plain but solid and nothing negative. P: 4.75/5 The star of the show. Lots of fruit, oily and thick. A bit of old leather/barn hay/oaky vanilla. A slight bourbon-esque butterscotch sweetness note at the end. Delicious. F: 3.75/5 Long and sultry, very little burn. A bit of something musty which is slightly off putting.

I was pleasantly surprised by the richness and quality of this blend-- one of the best blends I've found. The nose is rich, sweet, fruity and malty. The palate has layers of honey, fruit, and just enough spice to make it interesting. I would have a hard time distinguishing this from a nice Highland whisky and in fact it reminds me of Loch Lomond which is a personal favorite distillery. I will definitely keep this in my cabinet.

Neat in a Glencairn. The color is light straw with a hint of peach. The aroma is subtle and clean; oak up front with hints of flowers and iodine. The flavor is both more assertive and a bit more complex. At first it seems typically coastal, but this impression is fleeting. There is a honeyed quality followed by oak tannins and, no kidding, Sichuan peppercorns. The finish is long and suggests peat.

Fruity and floral notes are predominant on the nose, with light zesty note on the back end of every inbreath. The fruitiness translate to the palate for a split second, turning into zesty and peppery tones to contrast the sweetness. Slight sweetness with predominant spicy tones linger in the palate for quite some time. Very interesting and complex blended Scotch!

The nose is orchard fruit stewed in honey, cinnamon, and cloves. The palate is sweet and spicy. The mouthfeel is thick and creamy and expands to be a warm syrup of baking spices and ginger. The finish is… frankly, delicious. Vanilla custard smooth with a lingering heat that begs for another sip.