Sounds German, tastes Scottish. A quick Google for “etymology auchentoshan” reveals it’s just very old Gaelic from a branch that hasn’t made its way into common Scots English. Apparently this is both “the Glasgow whisky” AND “the breakfast whisky” which leads me to believe a Glasgow brunch is a good place to get punched in the face.
Of note, Auchentoshan is owned by Bowmore which is in turn owned by Suntory, because obviously a giant Japanese drinks & sandwich company need a beefy Scotch whisky portfolio, along with Orangina, Lucozade and Ribena. Corporations are fucking weird.
Anyway, 4th at bat on The Night Of Many Scotches, a Lowlander, here’s what we thought:
smell
Simon – beef, char? brown leather, brine
Dan – grape, plum, smoke
Goran – honey
Ryan – grape soda
Ashley – sweet fruits
Jared – apricots
Bowick – shoe leather
neat
Simon – sulphur, numbing
Dan – heartburn, rich wood, coffee, sweet
Goran – chemical, nutty, skim milk, almond
Ryan – pear, chemicals clean
Ashley – nope, don’t like it
Jared – blood orange rind
Bowick – inviting, friendly, easy drinking
splash
Simon – unbalanced
Dan – smooth, coffee, light wood
Goran – n/a
Ryan – n/a
Ashley – n/a
Jared – beechwood (unsure if wood or street)
Bowick – n/a
Auchentoshan 12y – 40% 750ml – $55.10 – Lowlands
Try it? Sure. Maybe an older expression. Buy it? Nah, not this one.
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