The Black Grouse Alpha Edition review

The Black Grouse Alpha Edition is a peated version of the Famous Grouse. This is a little bit peatier than the ordinary Black Grouse whisky released in 2007, developed for Swedish market. In the label, there’s that grouse again, this time it’s a black one (tetrao tetrix).

Miss Whisky has a good description for this alpha version of the famous brand:

“a peaty whisky for people who aren’t sure they like peaty whiskies.”

This truly is a nice blended whisky. Lacks in character a wee bit and it is a bit dark. It has darkness and light sweet notes, so in a way it is like A Serious Man, movie by the Coen brothers. Very much like the main character in the movie, Larry Gopnik (played by Michael Stuhlbarg).

Black Grouse Alpha Edition Blended Scotch Whisky review

Whisky for A SERIOUS MAN

Literally, this probably is a whisky for serious people. Not giving you too much to cheer about, yet delivering a steady product. Very good, when considering it to be a blended whisky. Containing malts from Glenturret and Macallan and Highland Park, but also revolving around peated Islay whiskies too. This blended Scotch was originally created for travel retail only, but it’s now widely available.

Nose: Oak is dominating with hints of sweet peat and toast notes. Delicate smoke is buried deep in the background.

Taste: Sweet caramel with some creamy toffee and little bit of dryness. The peat is sophisticated.

Finish: Way too fast, yet fairly good. Oak and sweet notes. I would’ve loved to explore more but everything fades away quickly.

Balance: Not the biggest character out there but still, fairly good. Conflicting dram, just like dark humor. Dry and sweet, straight forward blended whisky.

Colour: Pale gold
Nose: 23 | Taste: 20 | Finish: 19 | Balance: 20
Overall score: 82

Distilleries: Malts from Glenturret, Macallan and Highland Park
Brand: Famous Grouse
Owner: The Edrington Group
ABV: 40%