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Auchentoshan American Oak Scotch Whisky Review

Could a triple-distilled "breakfast whisky" convert an Irish whiskey fan to Scotch? We taste Auchentoshan American Oak to find out if this Lowland dram delivers.

OVERALL RATING

6
$35
  • Genevieve is a South African whisky enthusiast with a PhD in Philosophy and founder of Kenton on Whisky, a coastal tasting venture.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Auchentoshan, founded in 1823, is situated on the outskirts of Glasgow. Pronounced “ock-un-tosh-un” (helpfully spelled out for everyone on both the packaging and the website!), the name means “corner of the field”. The distillery proudly embraces its name with the playful declaration that it’s “challenging to say, easy to drink”.

Lowland whiskies are typically said to be fairly light and gentle, and usually unpeated. Given this, they’re often seen as a great place to start for those who are new to Scotch (although exceptions like the heavily peated single malt from Ailsa Bay challenge this generalisation).

While most Scotch is double-distilled, Auchentoshan triple-distils all its whisky. This extra distillation results in a lighter, cleaner spirit which is often compared to Irish whiskey (as Irish whiskey is famously associated with triple-distillation). Whether or not this counts as a plus will come down to personal preference. Apparently, triple-distillation was historically the norm for Lowland whiskies, but it seems as though only Auchentoshan is keeping up this tradition across its range. I’ve even heard Auchentoshan jokingly referred to as a “breakfast whisky” because of how smooth and easy-drinking it is.

Auchentoshan American Oak is a no-age-statement single malt that’s been aged exclusively in a combination of first and second-fill ex-bourbon barrels. It’s officially bottled at 40% ABV, which adds to the pre-existing reputation for approachability.
Appearance:
Deep gold
Nose:
Notes of vanilla and soft toffees emerge first. There’s a grassy note, something like hay. A faint tropical edge appears in the form of coconut, followed by citrus – perhaps grapefruit, orange zest, or some candied orange peel. There’s a floral sweetness that brings to mind rose-flavoured Turkish delight, and a touch of macadamia nut nougat. In the background, I detect a slightly herbal and medicinal note, subtle, but reminiscent of cough syrup.
Palate:
Soft and fairly light in texture. There’s an immediate sweetness of vanilla, caramel, and some soft oak spice. However, it’s less sweet than the nose led me to expect. A slightly bitter edge comes through, balanced by a delicate herbal, liquorice note.
Finish:
The texture remains light, with a faintly drying, tannic quality toward the finish.
Comments:
Auchentoshan American Oak is enjoyable enough and an easy-drinking whisky. I haven’t tried it with breakfast (yet), but it certainly works well as an after-dinner dram or dessert whisky.

It’s not the most complex whisky I’ve tasted. I enjoyed the variety of aromas on the nose, but the palate seemed to me to have a little less to offer. It would not be my first pick if I was in the mood for real depth or nuance. Still, I think this would be a good introduction for those new to whisky, especially considering the price. It might also appeal to those who enjoy Irish whiskey, and could even convert someone who is a stalwart fan of Irish whiskey to Scotch.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Genevieve Jacot-Guillarmod

Genevieve is a whisky enthusiast from South Africa with a PhD in Philosophy, so she enjoys both drinking and thinking about whisky. She loves tasting new whiskies whenever she gets the chance - so much so that a few years ago she set up a small whisky tasting business, "Kenton on Whisky", in the tiny coastal town where she lives (this also serves as an excellent excuse to grow her selection of whiskies beyond reasonable limits).

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