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Blended scotch — and by that, we mean “good blended scotch” — is a unique, engaging whisky to get into. It’s basically the opposite of single malt. Whereas those whiskies are made with a single malt (barley) from a single distillery, blended scotch is a blend of multiple grain-based or malted barley-based whiskies from multiple distilleries across Scotland. Sometimes blended scotch is a mix of three or four whiskies from three or four distilleries. Sometimes it’s a blend of 20, 30, or even 40 whiskies from a wide range of sources. There’s endless room for variation and the art is in the blending itself.

Stocking up on some blended scotch during the quarantine doldrums has some advantages. First, you’re most-likely home, with time to study and savor a good dram. Second, you’ll get a chance to dive into a style of whisky that exists outside of the mega-popular American bourbons or ryes, thereby widening your whiskey worldview. Third, these expressions offer a gateway to the ecosystem of Scotch whisky — each bottle is dialed and blended to create a flavor profile that can broaden your palate while also being deeply enjoyable in its own right.

The ten bottles below are excellent entry points into the world of blended scotch. They’re also fairly affordable, easily mixable, and available for delivery right now.

Sir Edward’s Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $12.98

The Whisky:

Sir Edward’s is largely made for the export market. Which means, ironically, you won’t find it much in Scotland. Regardless, the expression is a blend of both grain and malted barley whisky that’s then finished in St. Edward’s own oak. There’s no age statement, no fuss, no muss. This is just good, standard mixing whisky for your highball.

Tasting Notes:

The grains from the field shine through first with a slight crusty bread edge and a hint of orange marmalade. A note of banana leads towards mild cinnamon on the palate and an echo of licorice. The spice turns peppery as the banana wanes on the short-yet-sharp finish.

Teacher’s Highland Cream Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $18.99

The Whisky:

This blend is widely-considered one of the best at this price point. Legendary whisky reviewer Jim Murray awarded this dram 90 points (out of 100) in his Whisky Bible. The touchstone whisky in this blend is a peat smoked single malt from The Ardmore Distillery up in the Highlands. That whisky is supported by 30 more whiskies in the blend.

Tasting Notes:

Clear notes of spring fruit mingle with a manageable nose of peaty smoke next to toffee. The malt really is the star of the show with a fresh bread base topped with fresh butter and even fresher honey notes. A slight spiciness comes into play as the smoke whispers its way through the warm finish.

Duncan Taylor Scottish Glory Blended Scotch Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $19.99

The Whisky:

Scottish Glory is a blend from blender and bottler Duncan Taylor from Speyside. The whisky is dailed-in to be served on the rocks or in a highball with some quality bubbly water, allowing it to open up. This particular expression is a blend of at least three-year-old whiskies sourced from Speyside.

Tasting Notes:

Summer florals mix with caramel apples, light hints of spice, and a sense of wet malts. That malt carries on through the palate and brings about a grain-sugar sweetness. That sweetness, in turn, starts to lean towards honey as more florals deliver a dry finish.

Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $20.99

The Whisky:

This blend from Speyside (primarily) was named after the famed tea clipper from the poem Tam o’ Shanter. The blend has had a stronghold on the American market for decades and was the cornerstone of the old-school “scotch on the rocks” in bars from sea to shining sea.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a welcome grassiness at play here alongside an orchard fruit essence and a hint of florals. Malts underpin a note of creamy vanilla with a touch of citrus rinds. The malt sweetness carries through to a warming, subtle end.

Shieldaig Blended Scotch Whisky “The Classic” Aged 12 Years

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $21.99

The Whisky:

This award-winning Highland blend comes from the independent blender and bottler Ian MacLeod. The bottle is a blend of both grain and malt whisky from undisclosed distilleries around the Highlands.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a chew to this whiskey, with a matrix of fresh honey, sharp spice, and rich vanilla. Billows of peat ring through the dram as oak and dried tobacco linger alongside those spices and honey. Finally, the oaky spice and smoky peat fade into a satisfying final note.

Dewar’s White Label Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $24.99

The Whisky:

This very popular scotch has been a casual whisky-drinker’s favorite for a long time now. The expression is a blend of over 40 grain and single malts from across Scotland. This really is Scotland in a bottle, if you dig on that sort of thing.

Tasting Notes:

Wildflowers and honey lead the way with a hint of fresh vanilla pods. There’s an echo of oak that edges into smokiness but never overpowers the florals, honey, and vanilla baseline. Finally, the smoke, wildflowers, and honey come together on a slightly dry and short finish.

Johnnie Walker Red Label

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $25.99

The Whisky:

You can’t discount the massive popularity of this expression. This bottle represents ten percent of all whisk(e)y sold worldwide. Johnnie Walker Red is specifically designed to be a mixing whiskey for highballs (or scotch and sodas if you will). If you want a sipping whisky from Johnnie Walker, you need to go Black Label and above. This bottle is a blend of 40 different single malts from the heaviest hitters in the game.

Tasting Notes:

The nose here is tart apples covered in rich toffee, the hint of vanilla, and a note of dried herbs. That apple carries through to the palate as a crusty bread comes into play with spices leaning into pepper and hints of vanilla popping off. There’s a hint of florals near the end while the fruity sweetness tries to temper a slightly hot finish.

John Barr Reserve Blend

ABV: 43%
Average Price: $25.99

The Whisky:

Interestingly, John Barr came to prominence when Johnnie Red was pulled from shelves in the U.K. back in the 1970s. Today, the whisky is a smoky blend of 40 malted barley and grain whiskies from both the Highlands and Speyside that have been aged up to 15 years.

Tasting Notes:

Fresh loaves of sourdough bread meet milk chocolate and stewed apple upfront. The dram then leans into a fatty hazelnut counterpointed by a sense of dried stone fruits and powdered ginger. Finally, a rush of wood and caramel sweetness arrives, bringing about a finish that lingers gently on the senses.

Grant’s Family Reserve

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $26.59

The Whisky:

This blend utilizes expressions from Dufftown and Speyside. The ripple here is that the whisky is aged in three different barrels: virgin oak, new American oak, and ex-bourbon barrels. So you might find this expression re-labeled “Triple Wood” is some markets. But know — it’s the exact same bottle as this.

Tasting Notes:

Orange zest, Christmas spices, and a whisper of a smoky campfire lead the way. There’s a clear sense of butterscotch followed by dried grass, cinnamon, and sweet caramel malts. Those malts bring about an almost buttery feel as the sweetness and spice end the sip on a high note.

The Famous Grouse Bourbon Cask Blended Scotch Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Average Price: $26.99

The Whisky:

This expression from The Famous Grouse launched its “Cask Series” in 2018. While the final whisky isn’t finished in ex-bourbon barrels, the majority of the blend is from American oak and ex-bourbon barrel-aged whiskies. That majority share in the blend helps this sip lean into those flavor profiles.

Tasting Notes:

Classic bourbon hints of caramel, vanilla, and oak shine through immediately. The caramel fades into more classic scotch honey as the vanilla becomes creamy to the point of feeling like ice cream cut with lemon zest. The oakiness and a whisper of spice come in late to help the sweet finish on the way to a quick finish.

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Last Updated: April 11th

As CGI found its footing in the ’90s, the masses flocked to big-budget spectacles like Titanic and Jurassic Park. But another revolution was unfolding on a smaller scale. We also saw the first films from some of the best indie directors, from Wes Anderson to Quentin Tarantino. Below are 10 of the best ’90s movies on Netflix right now, ranked. They range from the ’90s-est ’90s movies that every millennial grew up watching to the influential award winners that are worth discovering or revisiting.

Related: The Best ’90s Movies On Hulu Right Now

1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Run Time: 144 min | IMDb: 9.3/10

There are prestige dramas and then there’s The Shawshank Redemption, a thrilling crime saga that set the bar in terms of storytelling. Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins play convicts who bond during their stints in Shawshank prison. Robbins plays banker Andy Dufresne who’s convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. He befriends Red (Freeman) an old-timer who protects him from other gangs while Andy begins helping the prison’s warden launder money. Eventually, Andy decides to break out of prison and what results is one of the more exciting escape stories we’ve seen on screen.

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2. Goodfellas (1990)

Run Time: 146 min | IMDb: 8.7/10

Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta star in this crime drama from the always reliable Martin Scorcese. Liotta plays Henry Hill, a young kid enamored with the life of crime who eventually works his way up the ranks to become a certified bad guy. He reaps the rewards: money, cars, women, a ton of nose candy, but his life soon spirals out of control when his friends turn on him, the authorities close in on his business, and his drug addiction begins to feed his paranoia.

3. Rounders (1998)

Run Time: 121 min | IMDb: 7.3/10

Matt Damon and Edward Norton star in this forgotten ’90s crime drama about a reformed gambler who returns to the table to pay off a large debt while trying to juggle a new relationship and law school. Damon plays the talented card-shark and Norton plays his fresh-out-of-prison bestie who upends his life and gets him back in the game. The two outrun mobsters and lawmen, getting into dangerous situations and ruining their respective lives along the way. It’s a hell of a fun watch.

4. Groundhog Day (1993)

Run Time: 101 min | IMDb: 8/10

Bill Murray has some great comedies living on his resumé, but none are as iconic, or at least, well-loved as Groundhog Day. That’s because watching Murray play a surly weather-man forced to relive the same day over and over again is basically a comedy goldmine of a plot. At first, Phil (Murray) enjoys the time loop, binge-drinking, filming some half-hearted news segments in a hick town in Pennsylvania, having one-night stands, etc, but eventually, he realizes that in order to escape his never-ending bed-and-breakfast hell, he’s got to better himself, not an easy task.

5. The Matrix (1999)

Run Time: 136 min | IMDb: 8.7/10

The Wachowski sisters created one of the greatest sci-fi films in cinematic history with their mind-bending Matrix trilogy, but the original is hard to top. Keanu Reeves plays Neo, a young man unplugged from the matrix — a kind of alternate reality that keeps humans docile, so machines can harvest their life energy. He teams up with a band of rebels fighting the machines (Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus and Carrie-Ann Moss as Trinity) and faces off against a henchman named Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving). The real draw of this trilogy, besides its inventive storyline, is the CGI effects. The movie also sports some of the most imaginative fight sequences you’ll ever see on the big screen.

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6. Bad Boys (1995)

Run Time: 119 min | IMDb: 6.9/10

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence star in this foul-mouthed buddy comedy film as two detectives tasked with protecting a witness while investigating a case of stolen heroin from their own precinct’s evidence storage facility. Marcus (Lawrence) and Mike (Smith) have been friends since childhood and are now working the beat together in Miami. When $100 million of heroin goes missing from their unit’s storage facility, they’re sent to track down who might have taken it before Internal Affairs intercedes. Smith and Lawrence have an easy, lived-in chemistry that really sells this thing, and the action’s not too bad either.

7. Kingpin (1996)

Run Time: 114 min | IMDb: 6.9/10

Kingpin is the kind of movie that could only be made in the ’90s. The absurdist comedy stars Woody Harrelson as a washed-up pro-bowler who lost his arm in a fight. Years later, he’s given the chance to face off against his nemesis by coaching a talented Amish kid who happens to be a bowling prodigy. The two have to navigate crime bosses and groupies with ulterior motives to compete in a tournament with a cash prize of $1 million. Harrelson is terrific as always, but just check your brain at the door with this one.

8. Can’t Hardly Wait (1998)

Run Time: 100 min | IMDb: 6.5/10

Anyone who grew up in the 90s already knows this movie’s deal. The teen comedy follows a group of high school grads all with different plans for their final night together. Some want to get laid, others want to get wasted at a fellow student’s blowout, but they’re all forced to reckon with growing up and moving on — one way or another.

9. The Craft (1996)

Run Time: 101 min | IMDb: 6.3/10

Robin Tunney and Neve Campbell star in this cult classic about a group of teenage girls who use their burgeoning powers to cause all kinds of trouble. Tunney plays Sarah, the new kid at a Catholic prep school who falls in with a trio of outcasts led by Nancy (a deliciously unhinged Fairuza Balk). The girls are witches, and Sarah’s latent abilities make the spells they cast even more powerful. Hexing the popular kids, brewing love potions, and summoning Satan soon follow before Sarah realizes Nancy’s brand of occult just isn’t for her.

10. The First Wives Club (1996)

Run Time: 103 min | IMDb: 6.4/10

Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton star in this hilarious revenge comedy about a trio of divorcees who decide to get even with their dirtbag ex-husbands. Keaton plays an advertising exec hoping to reconcile with her partner, Hawn plays an aging actress fighting a nasty alimony suit, and Midler’s Brenda is devastated to learn her husband is keeping a much younger mistress. All three women devise plans to make their husbands pay for their crimes in increasingly comical ways, but it’s the film’s empowering musical finale that really makes it worth a watch.

Recent Changes Through April 2020:
Removed: Men in Black, The Waterboy
Added: The Matrix, Can’t Hardly Wait

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Here are your quick and dirty, editorial-free WWE Friday Night Smackdown results for April 10, 2020. This week’s show featured a WrestleMania rematch for the Women’s Tag Team Championship, new Universal Champion Braun Strowman versus Shinsuke Nakamura, and more. Make sure you’re here tomorrow for the complete Best and Worst of Friday Night Smackdown column.

WWE Friday Night Smackdown Results:

– Braun Strowman opened the show with a promo about winning the Universal Championship at WrestleMania. He was interrupted by Shinsuke Nakamura, who wanted an opportunity against him. Cesaro tried to sneak attack Strowman but failed, but it allowed Nakamura to hit a kick to Strowman’s head.

1. Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross (c) defeated the Kabuki Warriors. Bliss punched Kairi Sane in the face, and Cross followed it up with a neckbreaker to win the match.

– Elias sang another song about King Corbin, with clapping sound effects.

– A 25th anniversary celebration for Triple H begins in two weeks.

2. Dolph Ziggler defeated Tucker. Before the match, Tucker showed Ziggler and Sonya Deville photos of Otis and Mandy Rose working out together. Ziggler won with a superkick.

– The Miz and John Morrison tried to perform their song ‘Hey Hey’ live, but were interrupted by The Usos, who complained about Miz not being in the Tag Team Championship match at WrestleMania. They were interrupted by New Day, and Big E suggested that since one member of each team had a triple threat at WrestleMania, the other three should have a triple threat. Next week it’ll be Jey Uso vs. The Miz vs. Big E for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship.

3. Forgotten Sons defeated Lucha House Party. Steve Cutler pinned Gran Metalik after the Sons’ inverted DDT/second rope stomp combination.

– Carmella and Dana Brooke asked Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross for a Women’s Tag Team Championship match, and the champions agreed to it.

– Bayley and Sasha Banks cut a promo about Bayley’s win at WrestleMania. They were interrupted by Tamina, who was eliminated first at WrestleMania, who said nobody beat her at WrestleMania. Bayley agreed to give her a Smackdown Women’s Championship match if she can beat Sasha Banks next week. Banks was upset at being volunteered for the match.

4. Sheamus defeated Cal Bloom with a Brogue Kick.

– A special look was taken at Jeff Hardy.

5. Braun Strowman defeated Shinsuke Nakamura with a powerslam. After the match, Bray Wyatt interrupted via the Firefly Funhouse and set his sights on Strowman’s Universal Championship, saying he brought Braun Strowman into this world, and that he can take him out.

Frozen Twinkies taste just like ice cream sandwiches.

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This is not a drill, people. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has put a live cam on their sea otter exhibit, and frankly, this is the kind of calm, non-Tiger King entertainment we could all use right now.

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If they don’t show up for a few minutes, be patient. They’re there. And they’re adorable. Enjoy.

Put the rest of your day on ottermatic with the Sea Otter Cam! | Monterey Bay Aquarium Live Cam

www.youtube.com

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