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.
At first taste it was nice and refreshing - I thought it was merely overpriced. But as the level dropped in the bottle it tasted more and more like one of those whisks eyes aged with "Oak & time" . Sorry - not for me
When I started with whisky, every "expert" recommended whiskys like Glenfiddich, glenlivet, blends etc...why?? It almost put me off whisky. What I What I was tasting felt light, weak in taste, diluted...really uinteresting beverage. Then by some miraclus chance I bought Lagavuling 16 just for the heck of it. Thinking if this dosent taste something im forgetting about whisky. Well what do u know...it tasted amazing! Today im really glad I bought that scary advanced not for newcommers bottle of Lagavulin. I will never recommend a whisky like Haig Club, Glenfiddich etc to a beginner just because its light, nice and smooth. I will recommend a proper whisky that actually exemplfies what proper scoth whisky is all about.
no personality, no nose, no finish. nothing to report. a bland, milk toast attempt. don
My choice of Whisky is Glenmorangie, however I mainly drink Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey, but mistakenly I thought I would give this a bash. If you're looking for expensive screen wash for your car then crack on and buy a bottle of Haig Club. If you're looking for a decent Whisky then avoid at all costs. There are plenty of brilliant(and reasonably priced) bottles available that easily put this disaster of distillation to shame. As someone said previously, a bottle of Monkey Shoulder for £25 is far superior.
Simplistic, hot, uninteresting. And then it gets worse. Cloying sweetness, thin body, and wretched chemical notes. I cannot recall the last time I was unable or unwilling to finish a glass of whisky, but this one went down the drain after a painful ten minute test run. An embarrassment to all involved, including me as the purchaser.
