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.
Mr. beckham, I do love you but seriously...what were you thinking endorsing this terrible drink. Awful, just pure awful.
As some of the comments mentioned below - it is very smooth and works well as a mixer. Not as strong as other whiskies (which has obviously offended all the experts) but for someone who's not a regular its quite good. Only problem is that its too overpriced, presumably because of the DB relation though.
other than that i thought it tasted bloody awful! Thin. Flavourless. Packaging looks like after shave, product would be better used as after shave. Total marketing exercise and the investment in celebrity endorsement to mask the quality is reflected in a ludicrous price. For the same money you can have a Lagavulin!
While a lot of the reviews on here rubbish this little drop, I rather like it. It is smooth, and it is a young drink me now. I fear a lot of these reviewers are accustomed to heavy peat and burnt oak whiskeys which I do love don't get me wrong. They can also strip you of your sense of taste.
No nose, no arrival, no character. Don't be taken in by the marketing.
