Buchanan's Pineapple Spirit Drink Review

 

Buchanan’s came about in 1884 when James Buchanan (not the US president), a London merchant and entrepreneur, created his blend for the British whisky drinker. Today, 40 different whiskies are used, of which most are single malts, and of those single malts, the most significant portion comes from the Highland distillery Dalwhinnie. Diageo owns the brand and has plenty of distilleries from which to source.

 

Many folks attribute pineapples to Hawaii and other Pacific islands. However, it is a fruit native to Central and South America. Pineapples came to the world's attention via Christopher Columbus, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés, and Sir Walter Raleigh. Now, they’re grown all over, with the world’s three largest producers being Costa Rica, The Philippines, and Indonesia.

 

Blend Scotch whisky and pineapples (along with citrus and other natural flavors), and you’ll have Buchanan’s Pineapple.

 

“With Buchanan’s Pineapple, we are combining one of the most beloved flavors in Hispanic culture with the same distinct smoothness from the House of Buchanan’s people have enjoyed for more than 130 years.” – Buchanan’s

 

Buchanan’s Pineapple is labeled as a Spirit Drink. That broad category encompasses everything else not listed in another legal classification. It has a low 35% ABV (70°). Why it wouldn’t meet the definition of a Flavored Whisky is anyone’s guess. A 750ml runs about $35.00, and a 375ml around $24.00.

 

Diageo has been kind enough to provide me with a sample of Buchanan’s Pineapple in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review, so let’s #DrinkCurious and discover how it ranks.

 

Oh, one last thing. For the record, I love pineapples; it is one of my favorite fruits.

 

Appearance: I made a mess on my bar when I tried to pour this into my Glencairn glass. A few droplets came out when I removed the screwtop and tipped the bottle. I looked and saw a piece of plastic and attempted to pull it out, thinking that something may have separated from the cap.

 

After bringing the bottle under a bright light, I discovered a built-in measured pourer. If you don’t know how to use a measured pourer (I do), you have to prime it first, and then the liquid begins to flow. I didn’t see anything on the label or cap suggesting the pourer.

 

In my glass, the spirit was a brilliant gold.

 

Nose: As I tried to figure out how to pour Buchanan’s Pineapple into my glass, Mrs. Whiskeyfellow walked by and said, “Wow, that smells awesome!” My dog stopped in her tracks, walked to the drops on the floor, and sniffed. She lapped them up. Incidentally, she hates whisky and loved this.

 

Now, it was my turn. I smelled, as you can guess, pineapple. It was a sweeter aroma, similar to when you crush it. That may be due to the citrus component. Regardless, I agreed with Mrs. Whiskeyfellow; it was terrific. Drawing the air into my mouth revealed more of that citrus note.

 

Palate: For whatever reason, I expected Buchanan’s Pineapple to be thick. Instead, the mouthfeel was light and airy. First, I tasted the expected pineapple. Yeah, okay. But then the classic Buchanan’s flavors roared through, with vanilla and nutmeg on the front. My mid-palate encountered cocoa and oranges. The back included ginger and cinnamon.

 

Finish: The duration was incredibly short, only 28 seconds (and I timed it twice). What remained was interesting – pineapples, cocoa, ginger, and clove. The clove remained the most protracted and was a tad dry.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Let’s get some stuff out of the way. You'd be wrong if you were like me and expected Buchanan’s Pineapple to be nothing more than a liqueur. Yes, the pineapple component is the first thing you notice. But Buchanan’s managed to not lose the base Scotch spirit in the process.

 

Would this be an everyday drinker? No. But, for something off the beaten path, I found it enjoyable. Perhaps it would do well on a warm summer’s evening? In November, I have no way to test that theory. Regardless, Buchanan’s Pineapple has earned a spot in my whiskey library and Bottle rating. 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 to do so responsibly.