A Scot on Scotch

WHISKY REVIEWS, NEWS, HISTORY & FOLKLORE

A Budget-Friendly Blend

Phil and Simon Thompson established Dornoch Distillery in 2015 but when they aren’t distilling, they’re sourcing casks from other producers to release in their independent bottling range. Sometimes that sourced stock is released as a single cask expression, or sometimes its blended to create something new, like this 8-year-old Thompson Brothers North Highland Blended Malt.

This blend first appeared in 2024 and offered a combination of malts distilled close to the Brothers’ base in Dornoch for the accessible price point of £35. The version I’ve got hold of, however, was an Amazon exclusive, which I added to my cart whilst picking up some heavily discounted deals from other distillers.

Truth be told, it was a bit of a surprise to see a Thompson Bros whisky on Amazon. It’s not the sort of place I expect to see their releases. They even seem to acknowledge that fact themselves, with a message on the back label. The brothers have taken the opportunity to broadcast a message of support for independent whisky retailers. Presumably with the intention of encouraging Amazon shoppers to buy local.

Selling on Amazon to discourage buying on Amazon

Support for independent retailers is a message I can get behind though I’m not sure how successful the delivery is. Selling on Amazon whilst encouraging people not to buy on amazon is a bit of a weird strategy. The label reads “We’re thrilled you’ve purchased this bottle from a small independent family-owned grocer a massive global corporation. We hope it delivers the unique and memorable experience you deserve.” The final sentence, in particular, made me chortle because it takes on an almost threatening tone, depending on how you interpret it.

I try not to buy whisky on Amazon very often. There are many places far more worthy of my custom and I wholeheartedly agree that small indies are the lifeblood of the whisky industry. I would only have experienced a fraction of the variety I have, without the advice and guidance of the lcoal specialist shops. That said, times are tough and we whisky lovers have ploughed a small fortune into the industry over the last decade and I think we’re entitled to seek out the odd bargain from time to time.

What we don’t need, on the odd occassion we dip our toes in the murky waters of the Amazon, is a lecture on best buying practices. Especially when the likes of Amazon, with their fairly limited selection might be the least of the problems facing our independent retailers. The trend for “direct-to-customer” sales must surely be of equal concern. At least. All those new distilleries with their first releases, sold via their own website to a spend-hungry public. How much support did the independent whisky retailers receive then? It’s only when the buzz of those initial releases dies down that the distilleries decide they might need the independent retailers after all.

I doubt the Thompson’s set out to deliver a preachy message to their customers here but it still strikes me as an odd way to sell their whisky. If you don’t like people buying whisky on Amazon, don’t sell your whisky on Amazon. As for my fellow consumers, please do continue to support local, independent retailers because they’re wonderful and essential. If you want to grab the odd bargain on Amazon, that’s OK too. There’s no reason to feel guilty about it.

Thompson Brothers North Highland Blended Malt Review

Odd messaging aside, I’m always up for a bottler releasing an interesting budget-friendly bottling and this North Highland Blend fits that bill. I also like the Tesco Value-inspired label. For anyone outside of the UK who might not quite get that, Tesco is a supermarket chain, and their Value range is a low-budget own-brand with minimal packaging.

The whisky apparently consists of three single malts, each from the North Highlands area around Dornoch. It was aged for 8 years and is bottled at 42.9% abv.

Tasting notes: The nose is light & fresh at first. Grassy with lemon-scented air fresheners. Custard Cream biscuits. Honey and oatcakes. Stöllen, almonds, marzipan. Orange zest and waxy lemon peels. On the palate, there’s honey, honeycomb and breakfast cereals like Shredded Wheat and Bran Flakes. Oatcakes and Trail Mix. Touch of oak char. Buttered crumpets and lemon curd.

Thoughts: Nothing too outrageous, nothing too heavy. The cask influence is fairly minimal, so it’s very much the character of the spirit that leads the way. You get a fruity, waxy spirit and all the flavours of the raw ingredients (namely, barley). There’s a touch of heat to it though and I wonder if that’s why the abv is so low. Would a higher strength have exacerbated that heat? It’s quite fully flavoured though, so maybe you don’t need any more strength to it – especially at this kind of budget.Not one I’ll be rushing to replace when it’s gone but a nice wee breakfast dram all the same.

Price: £35. Enjoyable enough for the price. Might work quite well in a summertime highball with soda.

For more on Thompson Bros visit here

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