Well, I'm going to give it a try today. I have been buying the Islay pretty regularly, because it is decent everyday stuff. Today the store was out (horrors!) and I picked up the Highland. It was that or the Speyside, so I took a chance. I understand it's a young Glen Garioch. What is the Speyside?
Anyhow, I'll report back on my taste.
We have always liked the McClellands Islay, but their Highland seemed a bit light. We really prefer the regular 10yo Glen Garioch. The difference here in North Carolina is only a few dollars a bottle, so for everyday use we really prefer the Glen Garioch. Never have found the McClellands Speyside here in NC, so if you find it please write a report.
We in NC are rather deprived, and I just had to order an entire case of Ardbeg to get any at all!
chuck
As a matter of fact, the Highlands McClellands (down here in central Texas) makes a fabulous drink over ice. It's not an Islay malting by any stretch, which I enjoy a LOT! But in the heat, the McClellands Highland malt is very, very nice. It won't get you too hot from the inside out!
forgive my ignorance but i thought that a distillery makes either highland or speyside depending on where it is situated. speyside comes from around the river spey, highland comes from the highlands and believe it or not islay comes from the islay isles. i may be wrong.
puzzled :0)
McClelland's is not a distillery. It's a brand name used by its owners, Morrison Bowmore Distillers, to market young malts (five-year-olds, I understand) from distilleries it owns in several malt regions.
At one time at least, their Lowland was a young Auchentoshan, the Highland was Glen Garioch and the Islay was and is a young Bowmore. Not sure about the Speyside.
bill
Bill Van wrote: > McClelland's is not a distillery. It's a brand name used by its owners,
More, They are all owned by Suntory, in Japan, I believe.
chuck
is this McCellands branding a thing for overseas then as I have never seen it in the UK?
I've seen it in Canada for at least five or six years. Googling, I found a news release dated 2003 announcing it was going to be sold in Japan. So it might not be available in all markets at a given time.
I'm surprised you haven't seen it in the UK, though. It has been discussed in this group many times over the years with British and European posters taking part in the discussion, and I don't recall anyone ever saying they weren't aware of it.
You might try asking Morrison Bowmore directly whether it's available where you live. There's an e-mail link here:
bill
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