Last year, we held our annual W Club Members' Choice Awards where W Club Members across the UK took part in blind tastings to determine the best drams of 2024. So far we've told you about the Awards themselves, the Single Malt (Non-Age Statement) Category Winners, Single Malt 12 Years Old and Under Category Winners, and Single Malt 13 – 18 Years Old categories. Now, get ready to find out more about the Blended Malt Category!

How the Winners Are Determined

To determine the overall winner and each category winner, the members were asked to score each dram out of 100, based on four categories:

‘Nose/Aroma’ - This asks members to judge how good the whisky smells, and what it smells of. Popular answers to this include things like 'vanilla', 'cooking spices', and 'dark fruits'.

‘Mouthfeel & Taste’ - This asks members to judge how the whisky tastes, what flavours they can detect, and what texture the whisky has. Texture or 'Mouthfeel' seems like an odd question to ask about a drink, but once you've gotten to know the whiskies of the world, you'll find some, for example, feel more oily than others, or perhaps crisper.

‘Finish’ - This asks members to judge the aftertaste of whisky; how long and what type of flavours remain in the mouth after they've swallowed a sip. Much like mouthfeel, this can sometimes take a bit of practice to pinpoint, but common finish reviews include descriptions such as 'lingering', 'dry', and 'smoky'.

‘Overall impression’ - This asks members to take the whisky as a whole. Yes, it smelled of pineapple upsidedown cake, tasted like caramelised figs with a velvet mouthfeel, and had a softly smoked finish, but did you like it? Would you have bought this yourself after sampling? Is it something you'd reccommend to a friend?

The Blended Malt Category

Before we dive into the winners, let's cover what Blended Malt means.

Simply put, a 'blended malt' whisky is a bottling which contains a blend of single malt whiskies. These blended malts, unlike a purely single malt, can be a mixture of single malt liquids from different single malt distilleries. This is different to a blended whisky which isn't restricted to single malt liquids and is a blend of single malt and single grain whiskies.

The Category Winners

Our 'Blended Malt' overall category winner is.... 

Noble Rebel Smoke Symphony

An expertly blended malt, this peated expression was married together with a finish in Rioja wine casks. The Smoke Symphony is a uniquely flavoured whisky, combining bold flavours of chilli, with smoky peat and an underlying berry tartness. Bottled at 46% abv., free from chill filtration and at natural colour. This part of an impressive new range from Loch Lomond whisky.

Expect waves of smoke on the nose, with hints of raspberry, leading to a palate full of earthy peat, red chilli spice, and stewed plums and red grape. The finish is reminiscent of chilli jam, with a wisp of smoke on the end.

Our Gold Medalists in the category are...

Noble Rebel Hazelnut Harmony

A part of an impressive new range of blended malts from Loch Lomond whisky, Hazelnut Harmony is one for those with a nutty sweet tooth. Finished in toasted American oak casks, the expression is bottled at 46% abv, free from chill filtration and at natural colour.

Expect aromas of roasted chestnuts, cinder toffee, and ripe pear, leading to flavours of sweet hazelnuts, vanilla, toasted oak and floral honey on the palate. The finish highlights the spicy oak elements of this gorgeous whisky.

Noble Rebel Orchard Outburst

A part of an impressive new blended malt range from Loch Lomond whisky, Orchard Outburst is a fresh blend of citrus flavour and sea-side saltiness. Matured in ex-burbon casks and distilled using white-wine yeast, the expression was bottled at 46% abv., free from chill filtration and at natural colour.

Expect notes of lemon and lime on the nose, with a hint of sea breeze. The palate boasts light flavours of ripe green apple and pears, with a taste of sweet and salted popcorn. The finish is sweet, tart and lingering, with a lasting lemon note.

Johnnie Walker Green Label

Created by legendary Master Blender Dr. Jim Beveridge and his team in 1990, Johnnie Walker Green Label has been made by carefully balancing malts from Talisker, Linkwood, Cragganmore and Caol Ila. Considered by bartenders as a 'hidden gem' of Scotch.

Charles Maclean's official tasting notes: Deep amber in colour, initially somewhat closed, then subtle scents of dry Xmas cake, complete with marzipan, icing sugar and waxed wrapper, being to emerge. A smooth, rich texture, and a sweet, dry-fruit mouth taste, with milk chocolate baking spices and a trace of ginger. Drinks well straight.