This mighty bottle is truly LEGENDARY!

Released 80 years after the Prohibition era, the Cutty Sark Prohibition was made to honor the legendary Captain and Cutty Sark whisky smuggler during the 1920's, Bill McCoy.

If you are looking for a super smooth and complex blended whisky to level up your cocktails (or just for sipping neat daily!), this bottle will do the trick!

Spirit Type: Whisky

Country: Scotland

ABV: 50%

Bottle Size: 70cl

Description:

It's not our favorite ship, the Cutty Sark. In fact, one might infer that I don't much enjoy blended scotch in general. I have frequently protected treasures such as Great King Street: Artist's Blend and Bank Note 5 Year. Therefore, this would be an untrue statement. I bought a 30ml sample of the well-known Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition with my most recent (and probably last) purchase of Master of Malt samples since I'm a sucker for a brand I've never tried before.

Prohibition Edition sounds exactly how it is, a dishonest attempt to disguise a plainly modern product with the sorrow of the past. To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the US's repeal of alcohol prohibition, it was first made available in 2008.

Cynics among you would question why Scottish whisky is being used to honor an American historical event or why the 80th year is more important than, say, the 75th or the 90th. I can only suggest the flimsy connection between the brand's name, which was inspired by the British tea clipper Cutty Sark, and the well-known skipper Bill McCoy (from "The Real"), who illegally imported Cutty Sark whiskey into the nation during Prohibition.

In any event, it is asserted that Cutty Prohibition is bottled at the robust (and unusual, for a mix) strength of 50% ABV and was brewed using a different combination of grains and malts than the typical Cutty Sark bottle.

Some of the ingredients underwent a procedure known as "seasoning" in "American Sherry" barrels, which are frequently referred to as ancient bourbon casks that had briefly housed sherry. We only know that because major scotch producers are significantly less forthcoming about their blends than they are about their single malts.

It feels and smells cutty on the nose. Wet cardboard, soft oaky sugars, and a faint earthiness. Excellent nose tingle; not overly spicy for a 50% ABV.

It seems to have a thin body to the palate. With rich toffee, silky caramel, and saltwater caramel at first, it is very sweet. Not as scorching a tongue burn as 50% would have you believe. On the tongue, there isn't much evolution, but some of the sweet notes change into woody or smoky ones, striking a lovely balance and keeping it from being too overpowering.

The beverage has a brief length toward the end. Warming, with a return of the mouth-coating notes of caramelized sugar. After these go away, there is a very slight bitterness, barely any charcoal, and a subtle undertone of mint.

Water doesn't significantly enhance the fragrance. In fact, it has grown even more inactive. Water lessens the sweetness of the notes and the body.