The Toshan Man

No Classic, but better-than-average Youngling

I have a soft spot for Auchentoshan after falling in love with the 12 Year Old. I tried some of the other bottles as well, as my cabinet will show.

But when trying the Classic today, I came away with mixed feelings. It's no instant classic, although it does not suffer from being a young whisky, but it's not a tremendously great dram either. It's a nice addition to the Auchentoshan range and easy to drink, making it an ideal aperitif or whisky for a novice.

This newest release from the Lowland distillery near Glasgow, more or less the follow up to the Select (which moved to duty free), has no age statement. How a new release gets to be called 'Classic' is beyond me, but then I'm no marketing director.

The nose is very sweet, with peaches and Madeira, followed by intense vanilla and coconut.

On the palate, the dram is very smooth and fruity with a touch of mint. Vanilla ice cream.

The finish is fresh and floral.

I think Auchentoshan decided to put this on the market in hopes of attracting a new and younger audience. Hence no age statement and very friendly priced at about £20.