Cutty Sark: Quality Scotch Whisky

Though many will most remember Cutty Sark Scotch for a theft thereof in the 1990 film GoodFellas, the brand has been in production for more than three-quarters of a century, and continues to be popular to this very day. Cutty Sark, a blended Scotch whisky, was originally named for a British tea clipper-ship now drydocked a Greenwich, London. However, the term "cutty-sark" in Scots language refers to an argument. Bottlings of Cutty Sark are quite easy to recognize, featuring a green glass bottle wrapped in a bright yellow label. A white sailing ship on the label emphasizes the nautical theme, having been designed and named by the famous Scottish artist James McBey.

Three bottlings are offered by the company, containing blended twelve, eighteen, and twenty-five year old Scottish whiskies from the Speyside region. Because Cutty Sark produces blended Scotch from about twenty different single malt and single grain whiskies, the brand does not have a distillery. However, it carefully controls its production through precise blending, and aging its combined spirits for six months in American oak casks before bottling. A bottle of Cutty Sark may cost as little as $20 per 750 mL of blended twelve-year-old whiskies, or as much as $150 for the red label twenty-five-year whiskies bottling.

When consuming Cutty Sark, there a variety of ways to enjoy the whisky, though the most popular methods are either as a shot ("neat"), on the rocks, or with a dab of water added to a dram of spirit. Those who wish to enjoy the finer aspects of Cutty Sark may wish to purchase whisky snifters, which are quite comparable to miniature wine glasses, or snifters used for brandy. The bowl-shaped glass helps to increase surface area and released odors, while the sloping sides help to trap the aroma for nasal enjoyment. Finally, the wide mouth helps to spread the spirit evenly across the tongue, allowing the consumer to often note in taste hints of cedar, oak, and salt. The nose, or smell, is often similar to mixed nuts and grains, though sometimes rather faint.

In order to best emphasize the quality of Cutty Sark Scots Whisky, it should be noted that the company holds a Royal Warrant of Appointment, or the right to advertise the prestigious fact that their products are supplied to the British Royal Family. Owned by the London wine and spirits merchant Berry Brothers & Rudd, Cutty Sark is an exceptional spirit available for consumption almost worldwide, except where alcohol is prohibited, and should always be enjoyed responsibly.