Cutty Sark whisky brand was first created following a meeting on 23rd March 1923 between Francis Berry and Hugh Rudd, of Berry Brothers & Rudd, where they discussed the possibility of creting a lighter blended whisky which would appeal to their more wine oriented clientele. It was also to be bottled with its natural pale colour.

The name Cutty Sark was chosen as the famous clipper had just returned home from many years of trading and was in the news at the time.

Cutty Sark, NAS, 40% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Reviewed (blind) as part of MMA 2011

Glass; Classic Malt

Colour; Bright pale (transluscent) yellow

Nose: Creamy but faint blige pump, rather like stale water in an unused harbour. Also some fruitiness (mainly peach) and vanilla ice cream.

Palate: Very creamy mouth-feel, but quite subdued; slightly fruity, slightly smoky, slightly insignificant.

Finish; Medium length and creamy.

Overall Impression: Faint, subdued, quite innocuous and quite un-memorable.

Cutty Sark, 12y, 40% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Reviewed (blind) as part of MMA 2011

Glass; Classic Malt

Colour; Yellow (9ct) gold

Nose: An initial hint of fruitiness soon gives way to oak, then returns as leafy berries (mainly raspberries) with a hint of vanilla. But it's all quite faint and subdued.

Palate: A creamy mouth-feel offers a leafiness, then vanilla, water melon and faint raspberry, or even peach.

Finish; Medium but fading quickly.

Overall Impression: Smooth, creamy and fruity, but quite subdued.

Glass; Classic Malt

Colour; Light cork

Nose: Somehow creamy(?), woody and also grassy. With time in the glass the woodiness and grassiness expand, then after 4-5 minutes they just gently fade away.

Palate: This offers a very nice creamy mouth-feel with hints of vanilla, wood and a fruitiness akin to red apple and pear. Maybe even a touch of not so bitter star fruit?

Finish: Quite long.

Overall Impression: A very pleasant older version which I would call very "outdoors" due to the woody grassiness, although it also exhibits a very interesting fruitiness. Definitely one for the hip flask on a long country hike.

Cutty Sark, 18y, 43% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Reviewed (blind) as part of MMA 2011

Glass; Classic Malt

Colour; Rich gold, perhaps bright cork.

Nose: Starts slowly with a woodiness over peach melba. It's quite aromatic with just a hint of lavendar and a slight suggestion of open-air swimming pool.

Palate: Slightly leafy red berries, vanilla, faint peach and cantaloupe melon. All very pleasant, gentle and warming.

Finish; Long and creamy.

Overall Impression: Most enjoyable, in fact very good, smooth and fruity whisky.

Cutty Sark, Storm, 40% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Glass; Classic Malt

Colour; Bright cork.

Nose: Slightly musty and lightly rubbery. Perhaps some over-ripe fruitiness (apple, pear, raspberry?) Definitely a light earthy rubberiness here as it sits for a while in the glass.

Palate: Nice. Passion fruit? Lots of flavour now but with a slightly watery mouth-feel at 40%. More frutiness coming through now and it's more exotic than the nose with cantaloupe melon, mango and passion fruit.

Finish; Long.

Overall Impression: Very interesting flavours from a very nice blend.

Cutty Sark, Prohibition, 40% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€ to €€€€€

Cutty Sark Prohibition is my second dram of the day and comes thanks to the nice people at Cutty Sark who sent me an official sample sometime last year, so my apologies for my tardiness once again. Anyway, the colour is a vibrant light yellow gold and the nose initially offers a light and fresh woodiness which develops to include some autumnal leafiness. With yet more time I suddenly get an impression of (a Sunday) traditional roast pork. The palate again offers everything from the nose (including that wonderful Sunday roast) and then a hint of fruity schnaps (obstler, comprising mainly apple and pear). The finish is pleasantly long and my overall impression is summed up by refreshingly different. (I love that Sunday roast!).  (Tasted using my Classic Malt glass).