If you’re into Scotch and
you’re into Game of Thrones, then
you’re probably aware of the Diageo
and HBO collaboration to produce a
line of whiskies to celebrate the show. And, if you’re not, well, there are
eight single malts plus two blends from Johnnie
Walker. They were released two years ago, but you can still find them every
so often on store shelves. There are, of
course, folks who collect them to have the whole set.
One of the single malts
came from Glendullan under its exclusive
brand, The Singleton. Glendullan is located in the Speyside region
and was founded in 1897 by William
Williams & Son. In 1972, a second distillery was built immediately
adjacent, operations were moved shortly after that, and the original shuttered.
The distillery has changed hands many times before finding itself under the
Diageo umbrella. And, while you’ve likely not heard of Glendullan, it is the
second-largest Scotch distillery in the colossal corporation! Similar to
many big distilleries, Glendullan is a workhorse whose majority distillate
is used for blends.
As stated earlier, The
Singleton is the only brand, and all of the single malt releases are destined
for North American markets. The whiskies are aged exclusively in former Bourbon
barrels. Any single malts are aged on-premises, and any barrels used for blends
are shipped elsewhere for aging. It is an interesting way to do things, but it works
for Diageo.
The Singleton’s edition of
the GOT collection is called House Tully.
It carries no age statement; it is chill-filtered, contains e150a caramel
coloring, and then bottled at 40% ABV (80°). It is pretty affordable at between
$30.00 and $35.00. I picked mine up for just under $30.00 at a liquor store in
Minnesota.
Did I do well with my
purchase? The only way to find out is to crack the bottle and #DrinkCurious.
Appearance: Served neat in my Glencairn glass, House
Tully was a deep bronze, which is irrelevant due to the e150a caramel coloring.
It formed a medium-to-heavy rim that lent to fat, watery legs.
Nose: The aroma of malt was aggressive. Once I was
able to get past that, I smelled banana, honey, apple, and nutmeg. As I drew
the vapor into my mouth, it seemed grassy.
Palate: The mouthfeel was relatively thin and never gained
weight, remaining watery throughout the tasting experience. Grass, green apple,
and apricot started things off, then moved to banana pudding and citrus
(an unusual combination), with honey, caramel, and char on the back.
Finish: The duration was short and
medium and consisted of charred oak, banana, and clove. There was no
astringent quality.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: House Tully turns out to be an unremarkable
whisky. Granted, it is only a $30.00 to $35.00 bottle, but I’ve also had some
wonderful Scotches at that price. It isn’t bad; it is just forgettable. Is it
proofed down too much? Probably. Did it need more time in oak? Again, probably.
I catch a lot of flak
whenever I say this about a whisky, but this would be a good beginner’s single
malt. There’s nothing in it that would be a turn-off. And, due to the price,
the fear of buying something overpowering or rough makes it an easy choice.
Saying all of that, it is
still somewhat boring, and I’m not a novice. I would not repurchase this one, but
I don’t believe it deserves a Bust. As
such, my rating is a Bar. Try this
one first, especially if you’re new to Scotch. It is a good starting point. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy to
Understand Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages
you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.
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