Blend 285 Signature

[TeaMonkey]

Anyone tried this? I'm not too experienced in whiskey but this is very drinkable to me just with ice (don't personally like using mixers). Better than the standard edition.

[Craig krup]

Whiskey's just ethanol with a drop of sherry and caramel in it

Well, I read a book written by a BBC Radio Scotland journalist who traveled around the distilleries. Two blokes who worked in one used a homebrew kit to make their base alcohol and distilled it with a burner under an old water tank. They added a drop of sherry and some gravy browning - caramel - for colour. They gave it to a leading expert, claiming that it was a special cask they'd found at the back of the distillery. He said it was the best whiskey he'd ever tasted.

[TheCruncher]

That is a coincidence as I wanted to start a thread about the same subject this evening.

I like a whisky now and then but I don't want to spend 2000 Baht on a bottle for a single malt, and I don't like Johnny Walker as well, so mostly it is a hit and miss what I buy, but I never buy Blend285 as i read it is mediocre quality. I of course understand that a single malt is far superior to a blended Whisky, but I just don't want to spend the money on it.

Tonight I purchased a bottle of Ben More four casks, as that seems to be considered a decent brand at an affordable price. Price was 375 Baht.

On the way to the check out I thought now is the time to compare the difference in quality, and if it isn't drinkable I can always make Irish coffee with it, so I purchased a bottle of Blend285 as well.Price was 270 Baht.

So when I came home I poured a shot of each in separate glasses and added 1 ice cube to each.

First I did the smell test, where both samples smelled the same in my opinion with the Ben More maybe little stronger, but that may be because its 40° where the Blend is only 35°.

Next was the taste test, and again I hardly could taste a difference. Thus so far I may have wasted 105 Baht on the Ben More.

I'm not a big drinker, probably total about 15cc a night spread over 3 glasses since I drink it pure, but the next 2 days I will drink 1 brand only at night and see if I feel different in the morning.

My first thoughts are that the name " Scotch Whisky", espeicially if it is blended Whisky, is overrated and a spirit at a much lower price can be as good and tasteful.

[TeaMonkey]

Whiskey's just ethanol with a drop of sherry and caramel in it

Well, I read a book written by a BBC Radio Scotland journalist who traveled around the distilleries. Two blokes who worked in one used a homebrew kit to make their base alcohol and distilled it with a burner under an old water tank. They added a drop of sherry and some gravy browning - caramel - for colour. They gave it to a leading expert, claiming that it was a special cask they'd found at the back of the distillery. He said it was the best whiskey he'd ever tasted.

The human brain is easily cheated. For example I work with audio mixing and on occasion I have adjusted the EQ of a channel to what I think is perfection only to find the i've accidentally bypassed the EQ on that channel and its all in my imagination.

[Guderian]

I don't much like the SIgnature version, but the standard Blend 285 goes down a treat mixed with plenty of soda water and ice. I still miss the Suntory Red Sun that they used to make here in Thailand though, better than Black Label and cheaper than Blend.

[Gsxrnz]

If memory serves me right, Blend 285 is based on imported barrel dregs of assorted whiskeys from Scotland (I'd hesitate to call them Scotch though), then mixed with methanol from molasses and a few tasters.

So it really is a concoction blend in the truest sense of the word.

Has an aftertaste like a Soho prossies nail polish remover, sucked straight from the toe. And an aroma suggesting it was distilled in the copper that was once used by a coalminer's family for the bi-monthly bath.

A nice tipple if you can stretch to the 275 baht though.

[Baerboxer]

That is a coincidence as I wanted to start a thread about the same subject this evening.

I like a whisky now and then but I don't want to spend 2000 Baht on a bottle for a single malt, and I don't like Johnny Walker as well, so mostly it is a hit and miss what I buy, but I never buy Blend285 as i read it is mediocre quality. I of course understand that a single malt is far superior to a blended Whisky, but I just don't want to spend the money on it.

Tonight I purchased a bottle of Ben More four casks, as that seems to be considered a decent brand at an affordable price. Price was 375 Baht.

On the way to the check out I thought now is the time to compare the difference in quality, and if it isn't drinkable I can always make Irish coffee with it, so I purchased a bottle of Blend285 as well.Price was 270 Baht.

So when I came home I poured a shot of each in separate glasses and added 1 ice cube to each.

First I did the smell test, where both samples smelled the same in my opinion with the Ben More maybe little stronger, but that may be because its 40° where the Blend is only 35°.

Next was the taste test, and again I hardly could taste a difference. Thus so far I may have wasted 105 Baht on the Ben More.

I'm not a big drinker, probably total about 15cc a night spread over 3 glasses since I drink it pure, but the next 2 days I will drink 1 brand only at night and see if I feel different in the morning.

My first thoughts are that the name " Scotch Whisky", espeicially if it is blended Whisky, is overrated and a spirit at a much lower price can be as good and tasteful.

A good single malt will set you back a tad more than 2000 baht mate!

For blended whisky's JW red label has always been a bit fiery. My late dad always bought that whereas on of my uncle's swore blind that's what they gave native Americans who coined the "fire water" expression. A good mixer though. JW Black Label nicer flavor for on the rocks, IME.

Don't see the Bell's of Famous Grouse here much (did see some FG in Tops at Zpell recently though). Not sure what price would be here but my preferred blended whiskies.

A cheaper decent drink, IME, is 100 Pipers, especially as a mixer.

Jack Daniels is also cheaper than JWBL if you like that flavor. Saw some other American whiskey and Jim Beam bourbon about too.

Gin, Vodka, Rum - light and dark are all available and cheaper than whisky if you fancy a change or a different cocktail.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Baerboxer

[Craig krup]

Whiskey comes out of Scotland costing nothing, it's the duty levied by governments - like the Thai government - that raises the price. The idea that single malt is somehow special is also (as we say in Scotland) mince. Malt is use germinated barley to give you carbohydrate, and once distilled the idea that one unmixed batch will taste better than a blend is pretty fanciful: a blend will take the various edges off the components. There's hardly any grain in grain whiskeys these days. Most "blend of grain and malt whiskeys" - like Teachers' - are all malt because the world's awash with cheap malt from small distilleries.

[Gonsalviz]

That is a coincidence as I wanted to start a thread about the same subject this evening.

I like a whisky now and then but I don't want to spend 2000 Baht on a bottle for a single malt, and I don't like Johnny Walker as well, so mostly it is a hit and miss what I buy, but I never buy Blend285 as i read it is mediocre quality. I of course understand that a single malt is far superior to a blended Whisky, but I just don't want to spend the money on it.

Tonight I purchased a bottle of Ben More four casks, as that seems to be considered a decent brand at an affordable price. Price was 375 Baht.

On the way to the check out I thought now is the time to compare the difference in quality, and if it isn't drinkable I can always make Irish coffee with it, so I purchased a bottle of Blend285 as well.Price was 270 Baht.

So when I came home I poured a shot of each in separate glasses and added 1 ice cube to each.

First I did the smell test, where both samples smelled the same in my opinion with the Ben More maybe little stronger, but that may be because its 40° where the Blend is only 35°.

Next was the taste test, and again I hardly could taste a difference. Thus so far I may have wasted 105 Baht on the Ben More.

I'm not a big drinker, probably total about 15cc a night spread over 3 glasses since I drink it pure, but the next 2 days I will drink 1 brand only at night and see if I feel different in the morning.

My first thoughts are that the name " Scotch Whisky", espeicially if it is blended Whisky, is overrated and a spirit at a much lower price can be as good and tasteful.

OP referred to 285 SIGNATURE brand. Not the same as 285 in my opinion the SIGNATURE brand is better.

[Gonsalviz]

285 warm. 285 Signature on ice.

[ivan96822]

Evan Williams, a budget whiskey that resembles Jack Daniels, does the job just fine.

I have not seen it in BKK, but as I am first and foremost a beer drinker, I have

really never gone around looking for it...

Anybody know if they sell Evan Williams in LOS?

[JSixpack]

Evan Williams, a budget whiskey that resembles Jack Daniels, does the job just fine.

I have not seen it in BKK, but as I am first and foremost a beer drinker, I have

really never gone around looking for it...

Anybody know if they sell Evan Williams in LOS?

I've seen it in Best Supermarket, Pattaya, and it was a good buy. But a few months ago it disappeared from the shelves. Haven't seen it around elsewhere.