Grant’s Family Reserve Blended Scotch Whiskey Review
By Richard Thomas
Rating: C
Despite the elevated name, Grant’s Family Reserve Blended Whiskey is the entry level scotch for William Grant and Sons, the same people who make Glenfiddich and Balvenie. The triangular bottle is a familiar sight on liquor store and supermarket shelves in Europe, and is not entirely unfamiliar to Americans and Canadians as well. From what I’ve heard, Trader Joe’s carries the stuff at a steep discount. Grant’s is the world’s fourth-largest scotch whiskey label in the world, and it is hard to find a country where it is not sold.
The Scotch
Grant’s is a blend of about two dozen different scotches, which sounds like a lot until you realize that some blends out there mix a blend from several dozen different scotches. The core of the blend, however, is Girvan grain whiskey. Grant’s is bottled at 40% alcohol, and has a golden coloring. This version of Grant’s is the one with the red label on the signature triangular bottle, and it comes topped by metal screw-cap.
The scent of Grant’s is clear and breathes of pears and apples. The flavor is light and floral with some honey sweetness, just a hint of vanilla and some mild smokiness. That peat smoke remains in the background for the finish, which is as mild and sweet as it was on the palate.
This is a good starter scotch. It is a cut above scotch whiskeys like J&B, and just sophisticated enough that a novice can learn something from the drink without being overwhelmed. It is also mild and consistent, two virtues that make Grant’s approachable.
The Price
Grant’s Family Reserve is available in the United States for around $18 per 1-liter bottle, and sometimes for even less at Trader Joe’s. The scotch is available in Europe on supermarket shelves for about 10 or 11 euros a bottle. In either part of the world, Grant’s is a real bargain.
Awards
Grant’s is actually a fairly well-decorated scotch whiskey, especially for one in its category. It had a very good year in 2009, where Grant’s Family Reserve won Gold at the International Wine and Spirit Competition and Silver at the International Spirits Challenge.
Hi Richard – Thanks for the great article, we’re really pleased you like the Family Reserve. Would you mind if we linked back to your blog from our Facebook page? I think it would be great for our fans to read…
Regards Rebecca
I had never tasted Grants Whiskey until my brother give me a bottle, well having drank it I must say that I
think it is a rather feminine Whiskey, fruity and almost sweet ( triple measure + 3 ice cubes ) Not for me
but still a quality product for the price.
C’mon man, it’s scotch so definitionally it can’t be any more or less feminine than tap water. (Actually maybe I have to ask if it identifies as genderfluid) I do get you though, I’d forgo the ice, it’s actually got a decent body and spice that any amount of ice or branchwater just removes. I’d take Cutty or Balentines oer it if we’re picking a cheap blend, Chivas is my go to but Grant’s is the everyman scotch and the single malts they use to balance it are the same ones they bottle as Lagavulin. Of the blends in it’s range, it’s just as good as any. I’ll call and get its pronouns for ya, Stand Fast.
I think it is excellent. Close to JWB in my opinion. I’ll buy it again.
The perfect breakfast scotch 😉
After working for a wholesale for 17 years I have tasted many scotch whiskies. I am retired now. Grants was not of the brand’s that I sold. After tasting I liked Grants better than any other.
It really is king of the blends. Tasting notes about it being ‘mild’ make a lot of ppl that use their drinks as part of their personal identity makes for some weird comments, but in it’s price range, I’d take it over Cutty or Balantines. I will say Chivas is my top blend though.
I just like grant;from the mild taste to the shape of the bottle.However,I advise the brand owners to be wary of counterfeiters in the Kenyan market so that we dont get an adulterated version especially the smaller bottles which are more prone to counterfeighting.
Dont mind being Brand Ambassador in Kenya
Grant. Whisky. Not whiskey.
Back in those days we applied different style guidelines. According to some of those rule books, it’s always “whiskey” and “whisky” is an anachronistic misspelling.
I am Israel now searching for reasonable quality whisky and i found Grants finally , it’s a really taste I enjoyed it .
Lovely everyday whiskey. Smoother and tastier than red label, close to black label at 1/3 the price. Bolux to the whiskey snobs. We all love top shelf,singles, but at $200+ a liter, I’ll sip this lovely blend any day.
What can i say, my friends James and Dewey have always been good to be with. Now I found another pal! He’s smooth, fits right in. Old grant has a lot of character! Glad to meet you sir.
Swill through and through. Try aberlour 10 for the money. Or stateside a few bucks more kings falcon single malts.
I really have no idea if I ran into a particularly bad bottle, or if Grant’s Family Reserve had a general drop in quality, but I found this whiskey hard to drink. It was almost undrinkable neat, on the rocks, or with a splash of water. In the end, it made a decent mixer for Pepsi Ginger while, curiously, it didn’t mix well with normal Pepsi, Coke, or ginger ale.
My father, born 1911, drank Grant’s (in appropriate moderation) for years, so I (born 1949) do too. I recognize that others are better, for a change, but I question whether any are better value. With a splash of water but certainly not any ginger or coke.
I don’t think Grant’s is comparable to Johnny Walker Black, but I do think it is a standout quality scotch in it’s price range. It is very enjoyable, which is quite an achievement, $16 a fifth in my area, and it goes on sale for few bucks less, often. It will always be in my rotation. It is smother that Johnny Walker Red, but smoothness is not my only judge of quality. Red was my Mother’s favorite scotch so it will always occupy a special place. But Red is $21 a fifth, so Grants is a much better deal.