Cutty Sark Tam o'Shanter Blended Scotch Whisky

Product of: United Kingdom

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Released to coincide with Burns night in January 2012 and limited to 5,000 bottles, this is the first blend created by master blender Kirsteen Campbell and is an extension of Cutty Sark 25 Year Old.

‘Cutty Sark’ was chosen as the name for the famous tea clipper from Robert Burns’ 1790 poem, Tam o’Shanter. The poem tells the story of an Ayrshire man, Tam, who while riding home from the pub one evening comes across a gathering of witches and warlocks. One of the witches, Nannie, who chases after Tam is described as wearing a short shirt, or ‘Cutty Sark’. She only manages to catch the tail of his horse before he makes his escape.

In turn, in 1923, when looking for an instantly recognisable name and label for their new blended whisky set to be smuggled by ship to Prohibition gripped American, Berry Bros & Rudd hit upon the idea of linking the famous fast ship with the smuggling activities of the likes of Captain McCoy. So the now famous bright yellow label was created by the Scottish artist James McBey.

Appropriately, Tam o' Shanter whisky has a scene from the poem etched around the bottle and a wax closure showing Tam’s face. The designs are in the style of the late Alexander Goudie, one of Scotland’s finest figurative painters. The oak presentation box is also decorated in Goudie’s style and contains a 134-page book telling the Tam o’ Shanter story, illustrated with scenes by Goudie.

Review and Tasting

Sampled on 03/01/2011

Appearance:

Dark coppery amber with burnished copper highlights.

Aroma:

Rich, sherried rancio nose with overripe banana, soy sauce, nuts (grilled almonds, walnut-like oiliness), raisins, sandalwood and a faint whiff of tar.

Taste:

Beguiling, sherried fruitcake with delicate peat smoke, tar, waxy orange zest and a pinch of spice.

Aftertaste:

Madeira-like eucalyptus flavours emerge in the long, delicately spiced finish.