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.
I never would have imagined pineapple! Interesting taste for sure..
ReplyDelete