William Grant's Ale Cask Reserve

[Megawatt]

I know it's a lowly blend, but not all of us can afford a good single malt every night

I had a bottle of this maybe a year ago and found it creamy, sweet, with a nose like root beer and a very smooth and malt taste. The bottle I have now I quite different. Beer is evident on the nose with some hops and roasted malt, but a sip of the whisky introduces brittle grains. There is light peach and apricot, almost like an Irish blend. As the flavour develops there's a note of smoldering peat that I never noticed in the previous bottle.

Overall this is a decent blend, but it's the sort of thing that improves after you've had a glass or two. Worth trying when you're on a budget but I'm not sure I'd bother with it again.

[Novice Scotch Fan]

I have never tried it. A friend of mine considers the stuff to be a great economy scotch. I am intrigued by the concept of scotch aging in ale cacks.

[Megawatt]

An interesting side note: it appears that this blend shares some characteristics with the great Scottish ale, Innis & Gunn, which is matured in whisky casks. I suspect that the two producers share barrels, each imbuing the other with its flavour. Incidentally, Innis & Gunn is a fantastic beer.

[Novice Scotch Fan]

Bought a bottle of this as my budget is quite strained with two kids just entering daycare.

Anyway, I had very low expectations based on my poor experience with Grant's Family Reserve (didnt like it one bit).

Tried the Ale Cask Reserve last night and was impressed. This is not the best blend, but certainly not the worst. Kind of a poor man's Johnnie Walker Green, lots of honey, malty, cream, and a little zing of peat and heather on the finish.

Good value for money when money is tight.

[Bruichladdict]

NSF,

F*&^% me! Just the words "two kids entering day care" make me shudder. We've only got one more to go, she'll be out of daycare Sept. 2010. So we'll be getting another nice raise then...in the meantime, I don't blame you one bit for your spending habits...we were living on the line when they were both in day care...no room for many pleasures.

As many friends have said before...this too shall pass!

[MacDeffe]

Beside some special versions Innis and Gunn is stored on fresh wood then the casks is used for whisky (Grants I heard)

Macdeffe

[Novice Scotch Fan]

NSF,

F*&^% me! Just the words "two kids entering day care" make me shudder. We've only got one more to go, she'll be out of daycare Sept. 2010. So we'll be getting another nice raise then...in the meantime, I don't blame you one bit for your spending habits...we were living on the line when they were both in day care...no room for many pleasures.

As many friends have said before...this too shall pass!

I can't wait till it passes because this is putting a serious dent in the scotch and wine budget.

[ClubSmed]

Overall this is a decent blend, but it's the sort of thing that improves after you've had a glass or two. Worth trying when you're on a budget but I'm not sure I'd bother with it again.

I have just puchased and tried this one and I agree with the statement that it is a decent blend but not improving after a glass or two. The first glass I was really impressed by, the second was OK, I did not go for a third.
The nose was malty (like a chocolate stout), slightly syrupy, with fresh honey, fruity notes.

Taste wise it was not everything that the nose offered but was still a nice dram. It was sweet and fruity, and has a hint of liqueurish.

The best (none pure malt) blend I have had so far, but that is not saying much as the only other one I have had is Teachers

[Novice Scotch Fan]

My earlier post was based on the first bottle of this i tried. I am on my second and have found that a couple of weeks after opening it went kinda flat and now all I pick up is a grainy taste with a bit of stale beer. Not liking this like the previous bottle. I must have picked up an off bottle.

[anationonfire]

I will give the Ale Cask a try one of these days, every time I find my self going with a bottle of the Sherry Cask. What can I say it seems to fill the void that most blends can't offer me.

On a side note I enjoy Megawatt's posts

[ClubSmed]

It is well worth trying at the price and the Innis & Gunn beer (this is a relatively expensive beer) that they use in the barrels before is just amazing!

[ClubSmed]

My earlier post was based on the first bottle of this i tried. I am on my second and have found that a couple of weeks after opening it went kinda flat and now all I pick up is a grainy taste with a bit of stale beer. Not liking this like the previous bottle. I must have picked up an off bottle.

I am returning to my bottle of this tonight and am finding the same, may have to be relegated to cooking/ mixing whisky. Though to be honest, at the price it is it is no big loss.