A chance to compare three grain whiskies that probably don’t often share a line-up
When: 24th August 2025
Where: Thirsty
Host: Elliott Drinks Whisky
Last flight, back in May, we focused on smokey whiskies which were all sold in small, 50cl bottles. This time around, to help keep up the broad appeal of the club, we step away from smoke (and small bottles), and go in a different direction. Whisky isn’t just single malt! That’s probably not news to most people reading an event review on a whisky club website, but it’s still worth stating. Of course, the bourbon market is enormous worldwide, and blended whisky tops most measures of global whisky consumption, but in the UK especially, single malt has a tendency to pull focus.
With the opportunity that these flight tastings provide to dive a bit deeper into a facet of whisky, it felt like a good theme would be grain whisky. But, with only three bottles, the choice was to keep it broad and cover wheat, corn & rye, or pick one and go all in. Looking at what was available and how they’d slot together, I decided to plump for a collection of corn whiskies. The line-up increases in alcohol and corn volume as we go through, but provides an interesting contrast moving in any direction through them for side-by-side comparison.
Arguably, the most famous corn whisky in the world is Bourbon. Although American legal definitions have ‘corn whisky’ in its own classification, with a mashbill containing at least 80% corn and needing to be aged in uncharred or re-used oak (if it is aged at all). Bourbon has to be at least 51% corn, and be aged in virgin, charred oak; I don’t know what you’d call a 79% corn whisky aged in a refill barrel. Scotland has its definitions too, with pretty much anything containing corn being sold as single grain whisky (blends not withstanding, of course). The rub in Scotland is it is much harder to pin down the mashbills used by single grain distilleries. There’s also a great legacy of corn in Mexico, where whiskies are starting to be produced using heritage grains. Though in this line-up I chose a bottle from South Africa instead, but do try some Mexican Sierra Norte if the opportunity presents.
Although presented in a definite order, if enjoying this flight yourself, I’d encourage you to keep some in each glass and compare all 3 in any order you choose after your first pass through.
The Whisky
(Click on the images to buy a bottle)
Murray McDavid – North British 13yo
Single Grain Scotch Whisky – 51.7%
Justification: Scottish example
As single grain scotch is typically overlooked by the general market, independent bottlers tend to offer the more interesting options. Here, Murray McDavid has selected a North British whisky to release to us. Former Bruichladdich owners, Murray McDavid were founded in 1994 in London and are currently based out of Coleburn Distillery in Speyside. They have a grand array of different labels they release under, each focusing on things like quality, simplicity, and anonymity. This bottle is, perhaps unsurprisingly, their grain-focused label.
This bottle is a 2025 release of a 2011 vintage from the Edinburgh-based North British Distillery. Instrumental in the establishment of the grain whisky definition back in 1905, they now produce over 2.5 billion litres of corn-based (with a little malted barley) spirit every year. Co-owned by Diageo and Edrington, it is primarily used in blends like Famous Grouse and Chivas Regal but, as exemplified here, is a common enough sight with an indie label slapped on it.
This bottle was initially aged for 10 years in an ex-bourbon hoghead, but finished 3 years across both Tawny port and PX sherry casks.
Initial notes: 👃🏻Light varnish/polish, butter whipped brown sugar 👄woody, some ginger, red berries, sticky, some leather ⌛ great fortified wine finish.
Returning after #2: 👃🏻Creme brulee, burnt popcorn 👄so much port ⌛dry red wine, creamy strawberry.
Returning after #3: 👃🏻Cocoa + toffee popcorn 👄toffee, pepper, ice cream soda ⌛raisin, dry wood.
Four Roses – Small Batch Select
Kentucky Straight Bourbon – 52%
Justification: Bourbon example
For a sizeable chunk of Four Roses’ modern history, it wasn’t available as a straight Bourbon in America; instead, from the 1960’s till early 2000s (when the brand changed hands to it’s current Japanese owners) it was sold in Europe and Asia, and the Americans only had a blended whisky brand (despite the parent company launching other Bourbon brands). The story of the distillery before this period, mainly its founding in the late 19th century, seems to be a little unclear, and the more I research it, the less sure I am which story is correct. So, I won’t dwell.
What is interesting about Four Roses distillery as a bourbon producer, to me as a whisky nerd, is their openness about their recipe – or I should say recipes. On their website, they proudly explain the contrasts between their 10 recipes, formed from a mix of 2 high-rye mashbills and 5 yeasts.
This bottle is a marriage of 6 of those recipes. The cynic in me thinks that mixing recipes containing 3 different yeast types and both mashbills in one bottle probably means there isn’t much you can draw from the individual components present. But the optimist in me is always happy to see transparency and detail in the whisky industry, and the recipe descriptions do at least provide some axes to taste against.
Initial notes: 👃🏻Absinthe, bakewell, strawberry cream chocolate, touch of clove 👄woody, pepper, citrus fizz, ginger, cherry, fragrant woodchip ⌛fire, wood, ginger.
Returning after #3: 👃🏻Baking spice 👄Chilli, ginger, watery brown sugar ⌛Chilli, wood.
Bains – Shiraz 10yo
South African Single Grain – 63.5%
Justification: South African example, 100% corn
I haven’t presented a South African whisky before, although I have tried a handful courtesy of South African friends I met in Cambridge through whisky. The history of whisky in the country is interesting, with failed distilleries and the consolidation of successful farm brands. Bains, a brand from the James Sedgwick distillery, is South Africa’s first single grain whisky, launched in 2009 and made from 100% South African corn.
James Sedgwick was a sailor in the British East Indian Company and would have visited Cape Town frequently during his employment with them. He was placed in command of his first ship at a young age, but by the time he reached retirement, he was ready to settle in Cape Town, where he founded a department store. He sourced the finest quality spirits & wines, and after his death, 2 of his 4 sons took over. In 1886, they bought a distillery in a nearby town for brandy production. It wasn’t until it became the new home for booming brand, Three Ships, in 1990, that it started to produce whisky.
This particular Bains expression has been aged for 5 years in bourbon barrels, and then 5 years in American oak Shiraz wine barrels. Though I couldn’t confirm it, I’d imagine those were South African Shiraz barrels, as the wine is quite commonly produced there. Either way, it is a very unusual finish for a whisky, let alone a grain whisky.
Initial notes: 👃🏻Fire, airy corn, salt 👄big bile-y corn, sticky chocolate ⌛salted popcorn.
Returning: 👃🏻Touch of candyfloss 👄butterscotch, tomato, tortilla chips, farm funk ⌛salty rosé.
The Winner
Vote Winner: Bottle #3 – Bains Shiraz Finish
So much salt and plenty of corn too, though it can definitely take some water! The Bains is a really unusual whisky – definitely worth a try while it’s on the bar still, and a very affordable bottle. The North British was a very close second, and was my favourite if I was buying a dram. It just felt a bit more complex to me, with flavours I get quite attached to. Value for money, because I could imagine enjoying every glass, the Bains would be my favourite if I were buying a bottle. Corn whisky, not to be dismissed!