JB Rare 70cl

The reviewed bottle is of the J & B Rare US issue 75 cl bottle, at 43% ABV, rather than 40% ABV current standard UK issue.

Nose: Slight to moderate intensity, a little sweet, light lemon, a little peat, light salt, and a bit of leather. The nose is modest and somewhat subdued, but pleasant.

Taste: moderate peat and smoke, brine, some substantial sweet wine flavours not really in evidence on the nose, leather, but pleasantly so, and light to moderate lemon.

Finish: short to moderate length for the wine flavours; the peat,smoke,brine, leather and lemon last long. The finish is not as attractive as the delivery.

Balance: this blend has always worked for me. While it would be better for the wine flavours to continue long into the finish, nonetheless the overall effect is pleasant, though quite mild. This whisky is more nuanced than it at first appears. All of the elements are careful to be "not too much" and succeed-- at being an easy drinkable blend that is more subtle and interesting than it at first appears.

Find where to buy Justerini and Brooks whisky