After looking at numerous Cutty Sark bottlings over the past 6 months, I think this bottling is from the 1960's or 1970's because other bottles with the "86 Proof" on the left and "4/5 Quart" on the right with no bar code seem to come from that time. Still has "Blended" in large font (switched to small font in 1978). Although the label and cap could come from the 20's through 70's. Asked Cutty Sark and BB&R for help but no response. The history of Cutty Sark is quite interesting, supposedly started by Berry Bros & Co just for $#!T$ and giggles (actually to expand their US market share) with the label art (and name) of a Clipper ship suggested by a Scottish artist, James McBey. The yellow label was actually a mistake in response from a request to make the label look old. Due to fortuitous events, Cutty Sark became famous and a household name over the decades. Contents are mysterious as the ingredients had to have come from distilleries around the 20's to at least the 60's (from the Edrington group actually), but now I've heard its just the leftovers of juice from the Edrington group. Interestingly enough, Edrington put up Cutty Sark for sale. My how the mighty have fallen.

Nose: Beautiful apples, light smoke.

Palate: smooth, grape juice with wood, some red fruits, some green fruit. Overall fruity.

Finish: moderate, sweet, grape flavors.

Seriously, This is an amazing dram... and I have several lines of thought on this. One, which is the popular one, is that I was totally inebriated at this point having had several shots of sake and a ~59% abv Jura prior. This suggests every whisky from here on is going to have positively exaggerated experiences. Two is, this old Cutty Sark is actually good. Doesn't seem like many people have had the chance to taste old Cutty. Three is, I just had a pretty intense unconventional Jura that basically overwhelmed my senses. Everything after that Jura should taste like water, but this Cutty Sark didn't! Had this at Bar Paradee, Yokohama.

Grade: A-, or C if I was inebriated.

Image courtesy of Eric Yee.

Eric Yee

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