Review #107 - Grangestone Sherry Cask Finish
'Big-Box Retailer' Scotch Series: Part 1 of 6
Our next series is going to focus on bulk whisky sold at big-box retail stores - Total Wine and Costco would be good examples in the US, by us. While these stores often carry a large variety of whisky brands we all know, they also often have house brands stocking their shelves in large quantities. These are provided by independent bottlers or blenders, and information about the actual distillery or other details of the spirit is often very limited, purposefully opaque.
In the series, we're going to focus specifically on retail brands commonly found at Total Wine in the USA, a chain that opened a store in our geographical area just a couple years ago for the first time. These come under brand names like Shieldaig, Grangestone, Bothan, and Creag Isle, just to name a few. If you ever find yourself in the Scotch aisle at a Total Wine, you're likely to be steered toward these if you ask for buying advice.
Onto the specific whisky we're looking at today - it's Grangestone, specifically the double-matured Sherry Cask Finish bottling. This is a NAS highland scotch whisky presented at an entry-level 40% ABV, priced at about $33 in our area, so it's definitely budget-friendly. No word on where exactly this was distilled, but based on the number of stores run by Total Wine, it's likely a very high-volume producer from the Highlands. The Grangestone brand is owned by Quality Spirits International, which falls under the William Grant & Sons umbrella (owners of Glenfiddich, Balvenie, Kininvie, and more) - that might lend an idea of the origins.
One last note - gotta love the marketing speak on these bottles. This Grangestone Sherry Cask Finish was matured in 'specially selected' white oak casks, before it was finished in 'premium' sherry casks.
Grangestone Sherry Cask Finish
Scotland/Highlands - Single Malt
Current Locally Available Price: USD 33 (2023)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 40% ABV
Cask Makeup: American white oak barrels, finished in sherry casks
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 13 months; bottles at 100%, 100%, and 40% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Somewhat dry and slightly muted to start, there's definitely some sherry influence, but it's far from overpowering. Pretty clearly young and grain-forward (yes it's all malt, but tastes grainy), and actually a decent amount of oak despite the likely young age, but the wood isn't entirely well-integrated with the spirit. We get baking spices of cinnamon and white pepper, some toasted oak and creamy vanilla as well, along with fruits of raisin and grape, some sour orange, too. The lower strength is noticeable in the nose, but we end with a nice, mild perfume note.
Palate: The mouthfeel is thin and a bit watery, and we get a continuation of the nose flavors: oak (which is sweeter now), vanilla and cinnamon, some grainy notes, and some grape as well. Somewhat balanced between sweet and dry at this point, an easy sipper, and then a strong nutty flavor builds, nutty oak and toasted peanuts. As the palate develops further, a hint of acetone appears and the oak grows slightly bitter.
Finish: Medium length, and that nuttiness from the mid-palate lingers a while, though the overall complexion turns sweeter. There's cooling sherry but also white wine, some white grapes, a mild baking spices, some muffins. We have spices of clove and vanilla pods, and at the end, a hint of chalky chocolate.
Final Note: The nuttiness was a nice surprise, but otherwise, this is a bit unremarkable. Easy to sip, but a bit boring and flat - feels young, and possibly some over-used refill casks used in aging. There was a nice cinnamon spice at times as well, but... we're running out of positives to look at. Still, this does cost about $30 - could be a budget-friendly way to get started in the hobby, especially if you aren't used to higher-proof spirits.
Our Average Rating: 4.7 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.99
