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blended scotch for rob roys

mongo_jones

By mongo_jones
in Spirits & Cocktails

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NulloModo

NulloModo

Posted
Posted

Hmm, I was just about to suggest J&B, that is my all purpose mixing scotch of choice...

I know a guy who swears by Claymore (or something like that) but I can't say I have ever tried it...

He don't mix meat and dairy,

He don't eat humble pie,

So sing a miserere

And hang the bastard high!

- Richard Wilbur and John LaTouche from Candide

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KatieLoeb

KatieLoeb

Posted
Posted

Dewar's is our House scotch and what you'd be served if you simply asked for a Rob Roy.

No one sends them back, as far as I know.

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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mongo_jones

mongo_jones

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that's dewar's white, right katie? i think that usually runs in the low twenties for 750 ml. can you think of anything <$20 that might be acceptable? i find jw red and j&b to be not very good with vermouth (may just be my palate), but am disinclined to use anything too expensive in a cocktail.

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cdh

cdh

Posted
Posted

Hmmm...

Dewars always strikes me as very slightly bitter... uyck...

and J&B has a little too much of the 'burning tires' note to mix into a Rob Roy... fine plain, bad mixed...

I like Famous Grouse... but it is a little pricy for a blend...

lots of other British home market blends have the proper sweeter notes for rob Roy mixing... Teacher's and Bell's spring to mind... don't know about their availability in Colorado...

Christopher D. Holst aka "cdh"

Learn to brew beer with my eGCI course

Chris Holst, Attorney-at-Lunch

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KatieLoeb

KatieLoeb

Posted
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Only thing I can think of that's lower in price and not total rot gut is Ballantine's. But again, I'm not a scotch drinker myself, and as a category, scotch tends to lean in the pricier direction, whether blended or single malt. I don't think there are as many "well" options in scotch as there are for say vodka or gin.

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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mongo_jones

mongo_jones

Posted
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Hmmm...

Dewars always strikes me as very slightly bitter... uyck...

and J&B has a little too much of the 'burning tires' note to mix into a Rob Roy... fine plain, bad mixed...

I like Famous Grouse... but it is a little pricy for a blend...

lots of other British home market blends have the proper sweeter notes for rob Roy mixing... Teacher's and Bell's spring to mind... don't know about their availability in Colorado...

i'll look for teacher's. and "burning tires" is a good description for what j&b brings to a rob roy--glad it isn't just me.

what i see coming on is a trip to the liquor store to buy a bunch of small bottles--make a bunch of small-proportion rob roy's and do a blind taste-test. there could be worse ways of spending a rainy weekend in boulder.

the last time i flew to india i passed through bangkok intl.--the duty free there had a great deal: 2 bottles of johnny black for $30. made note to myself to grab a pair on the journey out, but, of course, when that time came i completely spaced.

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JAZ

JAZ

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Posted

Dewar's was, for a long time, my choice for scotch on the rocks, which I used to drink only in bars. I always liked it better than JW Red or J&B and still do, but I've never mixed it with anything but Drambuie.

Teacher's is a good solid choice for cocktails, but might be hard to find. I've currently got a bottle of Ballentine's in the bar because BevMo was out of Teacher's but haven't tried it in a Rob Roy. I'll give it a try and report back.

I've taught the bartenders at a local bar here how to make Blood and Sands (Scotch, sweet vermouth, orange juice and Cherry Heering), and they use Cutty in the well, so that's what they've been using. It works very well in that drink, so I imagine it'd do in a Rob Roy too. I don't know the price of Cutty, though.

Janet A. Zimmerman, aka "JAZ"
Manager
jzimmerman@eGullet.org
eG Ethics signatory
Author, The Healthy Pressure Cooker Cookbook,  Instant Pot Obsession, and The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook for Two

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slkinsey

slkinsey

Posted
Posted

Being of Scottish extraction, we visited Scotland a time or two when I was growing up. As we traveled around, we often found ourselves in a pub of some kind for lunch. My grandfather McDowell always made a point of making friends with the locals and asking what, in their opinion, was the best scotch. This being the 70s, people weren't really drinking single malt scotch, so this question pertained to blended scotch. The interesting thing is that every single person he asked in every single pub recommended The Famous Grouse. And, ever since that trip, The Famous Grouse has been the house blended of the Kinsey family.

Famous Grouse makes an excellent Rob Roy.

--

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Joe Blowe

Joe Blowe

Posted
Posted

Just a few hours ago I spotted a new blended scotch at Trader Joes -- $8.99 for 1 liter (not 750ml). It was a lame name, can't recall it now. Doesn't appear to be in their current flyer.

But hey, how many 9 dollar bottles of scotch are there?

On a side note, I recently tried their house label single malt scotch. $18 for 750ml. It was just ok. Thought it might be a nice way to economize, and still treat myself to a single malt. Just not worth it in the end...

So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money. But when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness."

So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.

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beans

beans

Posted
Posted (edited)

Another vote for Famous Grouse.

Is it only the price of JWB that is most unappealing to you mongo? See if JWRed works as it is a bit more economical.

I heartily recommend the small bottle blind taste testing on that rainy day! :biggrin: Just don't keep us in suspense and post back with your findings.

yipes. typing after a end of shift martini just isn't the same :wacko:

Edited by beans (log)
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mongo_jones

mongo_jones

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)
Another vote for Famouse Grouse.

Is it only the price of JWB that is most unappealing to you mongo?  See if JWRed works as it is a bit more economical.

I heartily recommend the small bottle blind taste testing on that rainy day!  :biggrin:  Just don't keep us in suspense and post back your findings.

yes, it is only the price of jw black that stops me from using it--i like it very much in its own right with a spot of water. jw red i've had bad experiences with.

thanks to everyone for the suggestions. especially cutty sark--which my father used to drink way back when (he drank a lot of cheaper scotch too: vat 69, white horse etc.)

i'm using this site as a pricing guide (aware that prices fluctuate across states):

http://www.abc.state.va.us/Pricelist/SCOTCH_WHISKEY.html

they only list a 1 liter famous grouse, which at $30 seems outside my range. if they make a 750 ml, i'm guessing it'll be in the low 20s area (the high end of doable). i'll check into it. teacher's seems more affordable. ballantine's gets high points too for having been mentioned in a tom waits song, but i haven't actually ever had it.

i hope i haven't given the impression from any of the abovegoing that i am highly experienced with scotch. i've only had very few brands but i do know what i like (jw black) and what i don't (jw red, j&b, lucky's brand scotch...)

Edited by mongo_jones (log)
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cdh

cdh

Posted
Posted

Those virginia monopoly prices look a little high... Hunt around for another state. In PA our monopoly is asking $35 for a 1.75 fat bastard of the Grouse, and only $22 for a 750. In states with competitive markets those prices should decrease...

Christopher D. Holst aka "cdh"

Learn to brew beer with my eGCI course

Chris Holst, Attorney-at-Lunch

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CtznCane

CtznCane

Posted
Posted

As far as an inexpensive Scotch that is decent I've found Clan MacGregor to be okay. It is very much on the light side but pleasant. I know BevMo has it for 15.99 for a 1.75 litre so it is a good value. Certainly cheap enough to give it a try.

Charles a food and wine addict - "Just as magic can be black or white, so can addictions be good, bad or neither. As long as a habit enslaves it makes the grade, it need not be sinful as well." - Victor Mollo

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enrevanche

enrevanche

Posted
Posted (edited)

My normal tippling Scotch these days is Dewar's White, but in my impecunious days I was known to drink a dirt-cheap blended Scotch called Inver House (Green Plaid). I first encountered it while working a catering gig, and was frankly surprised when informed of its price. It's a light Scotch, perfectly acceptable for blending in cocktails (though it might be unlovely for drinking neat, it made a decent Scotch-and-soda as I recall, and ought to be okay in a Rob Roy.)

A good discount liquor store will stock it for around $10 a 750ml bottle. Truly a price/performance leader. :rolleyes: And if you hate it, you've only spent ten bucks.

Edited by enrevanche (log)

enrevanche <http://enrevanche.blogspot.com>

Greenwich Village, NYC

The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not.

- Mark Twain

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mongo_jones

mongo_jones

Posted
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Posted

just to clarify--i'm not looking for a cheap scotch per se; when i want to drink scotch neat or with water i'll go for a single malt (glenmorangie sherry wood) or black label. but i wouldn't put either of these (or others of their ilk) in a rob roy--seems like a waste.

what i'm looking for is a blend that can match the vermouth (i tend to make "perfect" rob roys--and manhattans--so there's sweet vermouth in there too) without overwhelming it; and ideally add some character as well.

will hunt down some teacher's and some famous grouse and get back to the forum.

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john@thebar

john@thebar

Posted
Posted
Another vote for Famouse Grouse.

Is it only the price of JWB that is most unappealing to you mongo?  See if JWRed works as it is a bit more economical.

I heartily recommend the small bottle blind taste testing on that rainy day!   :biggrin:   Just don't keep us in suspense and post back your findings.

yes, it is only the price of jw black that stops me from using it--i like it very much in its own right with a spot of water. jw red i've had bad experiences with.

thanks to everyone for the suggestions. especially cutty sark--which my father used to drink way back when (he drank a lot of cheaper scotch too: vat 69, white horse etc.)

i'm using this site as a pricing guide (aware that prices fluctuate across states):

http://www.abc.state.va.us/Pricelist/SCOTCH_WHISKEY.html

they only list a 1 liter famous grouse, which at $30 seems outside my range. if they make a 750 ml, i'm guessing it'll be in the low 20s area (the high end of doable). i'll check into it. teacher's seems more affordable. ballantine's gets high points too for having been mentioned in a tom waits song, but i haven't actually ever had it.

i hope i haven't given the impression from any of the abovegoing that i am highly experienced with scotch. i've only had very few brands but i do know what i like (jw black) and what i don't (jw red, j&b, lucky's brand scotch...)

My blended Scotch of choice has been Dewar's White Label for years now , on the rocks with a splash of soda. However, I've never turned down White Horse when Dewars wasn't available, I think it's an excellant "well scotch". BTW when I was doing some websearching trying to find out why the price of Lagavullin has gone up about 40% while its availability has gone down to about zilch, I discovered that White Horse, along with JW Black, has always been a large purchaser of newly distilled Lagavullin as a blending base. No wonder why I like it!

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mike k

mike k

Posted
Posted

Lately I've been enjoying Canadian Club 12 Year in my Rob Roys. Liquor Mart in Boulder almost always has it on sale for under $13/750ml. It's edged out Dewar's in my cabinet, next to the Laphroaig 10yr and what's left of the Lagavulin I bought before it went to $70.

Perhaps Mongo and I should get together for a taste test of all these suggestions...

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mongo_jones

mongo_jones

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mike,

not a bad idea...

not to get all pedantic on anyone's ass but isn't a rob roy called a rob roy only because it is made with scotch?

scotch + vermouth= rob roy

bourbon + vermouth=manhattan

canadian whiskey + vermouth = ? the shatner? the trebek?

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cdh

cdh

Posted
Posted

scotch + vermouth= rob roy

bourbon + vermouth=manhattan

canadian whiskey + vermouth = ? the shatner? the trebek?

not quite--

scotch + sweet vermouth == Rob Roy

rye + sweet vermouth == manhattan

Bourbon and canadian make unnamed variations, as far as I'm aware.

Christopher D. Holst aka "cdh"

Learn to brew beer with my eGCI course

Chris Holst, Attorney-at-Lunch

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KatieLoeb

KatieLoeb

Posted
Posted

My understanding is that any non-scotch "whiskey" (a category which includes rye, bourbon, Canadian, American, Sour mash or Tenessee) + vermouth is a Manhattan. You just specify when you order it as I often do - "I'll have a Knob Creek Manhattan up, please".

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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mike k

mike k

Posted
Posted

I've read in a couple of places such as this, these 20's era cocktails, in particular the Rob Roy, often called for Canadian whiskey due to prohibition. I dunno. Especially after I've had a couple. I can say that Canadian whiskey, particularly the aformentioned CC12, work very well in a This Cocktail. It stands up to the vermouth and bitters, which is mongo's quest. To me, a perfect manhattan/rob roy tastes like a Coke. Call me low brow, call me commercial, but as this is eGullet, don't call me late for dinner. Or cocktails.

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