RKS Spirits: J&B Rare Blended Scotch Whisky

I discovered that J&B Blended Scotch Whisky is a perfect match for shortbread cookies, pastries or cakes with a noticeable honey component such as baklava. It also is the perfect scotch to use in my Scotch Lentils recipe that called for a single malt scotch to be used however unlike J&B scotch whisky the single malt scotch imparted too strong a flavour to the dish.

J&B is a blend of 42 malt and grain whiskies and contains more single malt than any other blended scotch whisky.

J&B neat

On the nose apricot, mango, pear, quince, tangerine and persimmon. Almost tropical. On the palate the heat is pleasant and not quite firewaterish. There is also honey, butterscotch, spice and orange.

J&B over the rocks

On the nose notes of apricot, peach and ginger. On the palate the ice smooths out the scotch on the palate eliminating any burn but not the grip. Smokey warmness with some pepper, apricot and butterscotch. A long warm finish. Not a complex scotch whisky over the rocks but a great cold weather drink. Always used filtered or spring water for your cubes to avoid the unwanted influences of chemicalized municipal water.

J&B with a few drops of spring or filtered water

Water and ice really smooth out J&B but with a few drops of filtered or spring water the heat on the palate is somewhat greater and the finish a tad longer than J&B over the rocks. The aromatic profile is identical to J&B over the rocks with a more pronounced apricot on the nose.

Ice and water for J&B tone down the burn and make for a smoother drink but reduce the complexity and length of finish over J&B neat. A classic trade-off with scotch whisky neat compared with scotch whisky over the rocks or with water.

Coming soon matching three blended scotch whiskies and shortbread cookies.

All said and done a good value scotch whisky.

J&B Rare Blended Scotch Whisky $29.45, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 2360