Blended Malt Review #1: Monkey Shoulder

Our second review is a little overdue. This one's a blended malt rather than a single malt; check out our growing Scotch Glossary to learn the difference!

Today we're reviewing Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. No age is given, and as for distilleries, all we know is that it's a blend of three Speyside single malts. Monkey Shoulder's parent company, William Grant & Sons, also owns the Glenfiddich and Balvenie distilleries, so I'd bet at least two of the three come from those. I see this one recommended a lot as one of the better blends, so I thought we should give it a try.
-- Steven

Here's the rundown:
Region: Speyside
Producer:  William Grant & Sons
Style: blended malt Scotch
Age: not given
ABV: 43%

Yes, we use a cutting board as a backdrop. This is a budget Scotch blog.

Rebecca's notes:

Nose:
Baked goods, spices, caramel, oak, citrus
Taste:
Spice cake, caramel, orange cinnamon rolls
Finish:
Sweet, a hint of baking spices
Bottle Design:
7.5/10. I'm not a huge fan of mixed media (there is a metal logo affixed to the glass), but the logo is also embossed on the bottom, which I feel is a nice touch. Bonus points there!
Verdict:
This is quite an enjoyable Scotch, but not particularly memorable. It would be a good one to keep in your cabinet for Scotch newbies; it would probably be a crowd pleaser. I enjoyed it more as I drank more of it.

Steven's notes:

Nose:
Caramel
Taste:
Creamy caramel, spice cake, nutmeg
Finish:
Nutmeg, a gentle burn lingers, but otherwise the finish is pretty short.
Verdict:
It's very easy to drink, but it's a little bit boring. The flavor is good. It's kind of like a high quality cheese pizza; everything's good, but you'll still probably choose one with toppings instead. It's definitely better than I remember blends like Johnnie Walker Red or Dewar's White Label being, but it's not as memorable as even some of the cheapest single malts like Glenlivet 12. Honestly, at ~$35 a bottle, I'd say go for a single malt.