The much anticipated David Beckham endorsed single grain whisky, produced at Cameronbridge distillery. A combination of first-fill, rejuvenated and refill bourbon barrel-matured whiskies are used and Beckham, along with Simon Fuller, is very much involved in the development of the Haig Club brand.
The Haig dynasty meanwhile is the stuff of legend, with Robert Haig getting himself into trouble for distilling on the sabbath back in 1655! Cameronbridge was founded by John Haig in 1824, and a continuous still designed by Robert Stein (who was John's uncle) was soon installed at the site for the production of grain whisky, predating Aeneas Coffey's famous patent for his own version of the continuous still by a handful of years.
The grain whisky produced at Cameronbridge would naturally become integral to the well-loved Haig blended whiskies and now the Haig brand has been reinvented for a new generation and new markets. It may seem like a scary new world to some, but grain whisky is on the march, and Haig Club is at the very forefront.
It doesn't jump out at you, granted, but there's more here than meets the eye (/nose). Apple crumble, expressed lemon peel and a touch of mango. Millionaire's shortbread, banoffee pie, coconut milk, dried grass, orange Turkish delight and cardamom.
Toffee and vanilla with pleasant supporting oak notes. Fresh banana (neither overpowering nor artificial), a hint of nougat and honeycomb pieces.
Praline, cinnamon and a little ginger with perhaps a hint of cardamom returning right at the death.
Approachable, adaptable, good mouthfeel (I chucked some ice in afterwards and the texture was great). A hugely accessible whisky with tasty spice, toffee and, with the ice now, increasingly some tropical fruit notes too.
There are many whisky snobs out there, each one has fallen for the marketing hype, for the prat that pleaded PLEASE DON'T BUY, when it is on offer I'll give it a try. I don't believe Haig would bottle CACK and then market it as Whisky
Only comparable to £10 a litre bargain bin supermarket own brand hooch. Clearly they know how crap this is as it is marketed for mixing and cocktails... Yeah to hide the thin, watery, hint of meths that this stuff is. I was unsure of something so heavily marketed so tried a 50ml miniture... Thanks God I only wasted £3.... Got 4 sips in gave up and added coke... Avoid!
Nose: Grain & vanilla. Yes, lots of vanilla, with a raw distillate (i.e. almost rubbing alcohol) background. Taste: Touch of vanilla-flavored diet coke; very smooth though. Acidic yet creamy; reminiscent of Korean beverage Milkis. Very mild, but artificial aspartame-like sweetness aftertaste lingers slightly. Nothing discernible behind this. Very mild and does not pack a punch. I can see it actually going very well with Coke, but "fake" sweetness is a drag for me alone. It does a good job of not being too offensive, so it's not horrible. It's not designed for single malt drinkers, so most here won't like it. I wouldn't buy, but it seems perfectly suited for what it's market is - it will be "downable" in shot form, and would accompany Coke ably.
The smell is really sharp for the 1st 10min when its in the glass. After its quite pleasant. And the taste...... U just wait for flavours to kick in, but nothing is happening. Maybe that dairy flavour at end suppose to be culmination? Well not my taste, really disapointing, at the price it is.
Some snobby reviews. Haig Club is quite good if you mix it with coke. Its not got that dense oily flavor you get with single malts whisky. It will defintly appeal to vodka drinkers.
