My Private Whisky Blog

This is not the first time when I drink The Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky, I just hope it’s the last one. Every time I open a new bottle I usually ask my wife to take a sniff. She’s not a big whisky fan (wine and Martini person) but she doesn’t mind inhaling some of its vapours from time to time. I really value my wife’s opinion. It’s always interesting. This time it was simple “moonshine and sulphur”. Intriguing start for a review. The Famous Grouse apparently is one of the world's most popular blends, and the best-selling Scotch whisky in Scotland. Well, you never know, don’t you? Story.  A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, which means before Covid, I used to host my family over Christmas. Every single year, and the same people over and over again. My brother-in-law (there’s a saying in Poland: blood pudding is not a meat, and a brother-in-law is not a family) with his wife and two sons. Statement. As an introvert and a sociopath I really enjoyed all those visits. H...

Ballantine’s Finest Blended Scotch whisky simply had to be the next one, right after Red Label. There was no other way and few reasons for it. The brand is one of the best-selling Scotch whiskies in the world, with its iconic bottle being second to none. Highly recognizable stuff. If I go back in time I have to tell you that in the 80s in Poland the whole world of whisky was narrowed to two: Red Label and Ballantine’s. Nothing else existed and even if there was more, I would know about that. I was a teenager then. I remember a bottle of Ballantine’s from the film Alternatywy 4. This cult TV series from 1983 was directed by Stanisław Bareja, which I mentioned before. Like all his films, this one also was a satire of life under the communist rule in Poland. Long story short, it’s about the bunch of inhabitants moving into a newly built block of flats in Ursynów district in Warsaw. The main character of the series is Stanisław Anioł, a sneaky and cunning janitor who manipulates the other...