J&B Rare

J&B Rare
Whisky J&B Rare
Country Scotland
Type Blend
Abv 40%
Rating 57/100
Reviews of J&B Rare
says on July 17, 2023
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 75/100
Finish strength: Medium
Color: Pale gold

General description

There's literally nothing artificial about this decent blend...

Nose

 It’s the start of a project to get to 250 whiskies tried, so I’m beginning at the lower price end with this J&B. It gets a bad reputation but in my limited experience, sometimes these drams work out well. If they didn’t sell, they wouldn’t be made… On the nose then: pleasant! Smoke, more than a touch of peat and citrus fruits. Vanilla appears strongly as the glass warms, almost powdery and then some caramels, but not cheaply so. There’ll be spice here with a cinnamon lozenger feel. There’s maltiness here too and some nuttiness too, right at the end. Very good!

Palate

A little thin, then spice and fruit and creaminess coming through. The spice strengthens then sustains through to the finish. I was wondering what this is like: like a lighter-nosed Bruichladdich Classic Laddie in places. Maybe a little astringent, and the flavour profile narrows and goes quickly. If this was in a Bruichladdich blue bottle, I wonder how many people would be fooled? The nuttiness, apparent on the nose, arrives late on the palate, heading to almond, with its little bitterness.

Finish

A strange one. Long in terms of the spice and tannins, but short in terms of the other flavours leaving the scene. A little of the caramel lingers on and a smidge of the citrus fruits. This is, as in truth, expected: nowhere near as bad as some reviewers have said. To say it lacks complexity would be reasonable from the taste onwards, but certainly not on the nose. This is a solid blend, with a score dropping, in fairness, as I move through the profile. However, no artificial colouring! Hurray!

says on August 11, 2022
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 71/100
Color: Pale gold

General description

Quite nice, not peaty, mild.

says on May 12, 2022
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 54/100
Color: Old gold

General description

A strange combination of a bit watery and strong alcohol. good in a pinch if you have a load of cola to mix it with

says on October 31, 2021
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 50/100
Color: Amber

General description

nose: peach, vanilla, Sandalwood, slight pepper and orange.
taste: slightly pepper, peach, vanilla, creamy cows ice cream, apple stroodle and slight cinnamon.
I would definitely recommend this for a first time whisky drinker as its smooth and easy to drink. add a small drop of water and the taste really comes alive with
peach, apple, cinnamon, creamy ice cream, orange peel and nutmeng.
definitely would say its a first timer whisky or a good mixer but if you have a fee non whisky drinking people over this is ideal to get them converted as I opend this bottle for a few friends other night and now there on there way to explore more whisky's

says on March 21, 2021
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 54/100
Color: Gin clear

General description

Not good, not bed. Drink it as a mixer mostly.

says on January 31, 2021
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 59/100
Finish strength: Short
Color: Yellow gold

General description

Very pale colour (hidden in a green bottle). Screw top. I read we have a combination of 42 malts & grains here???
Well, the nose starts off pleasant enough. A gentle spirit with a hint of peat, expected in a cheap blend.
Its dreadful from then on...dryish, smoky and finishes like wet cardboard. Not for me, neat anyway: - In fairness, its only in my growing collection because it didnt blow any budgets on a special I found - its marketed also as a cheap blend, but there is no reason to ever buy this again. So many out there better!
I tried another, with ice & that didnt help; just diluted it. Probably ideal as a mixer (coke - dry ginger ??)

Nose

OK...it suggested something more inviting than it returned. There's a little spirit and smoke - sweet as well!

Palate

Thin.....boring. It came over like cardboard .. & dry. There was a little sweetness, but overpowered by something that just made it "Cheap!" Defined no 💥!

Finish

Nothing pleasant here...very short, unpleasant timber notes, cheapish feel.

says on January 22, 2021
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 60/100
Color: Amber

General description

muted notes of smoke, peat, light lemon. little bit of stale wood and pencil shavings. absolutely no burn and a very unimpressive palate and finish

says on January 4, 2021
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 56/100
Color: Pale gold

General description

nose has some blandly sweet notes, some tire rubber. some ethanol notes, but generally it's kinda sweet and nothing, sorta a bland white wine smell. palate starts out limp, adds some cerealish hints, then something acrid before a generally mellow finish of forgettable sweet cereal notes. not actively bad most of the time.

says on September 22, 2020
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 40/100
Color: Jonquiripe corn

General description

might be good in cocktails... nothing special

says on August 30, 2020
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 36/100
Color: Gin clear

General description

weird (unpleasant) notes: rubber, burned plastics, rotten fruits, alcohol.. bud relatively smooth in mounth, for low price.

says on December 8, 2019
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 50/100
Color: Gin clear

General description

on the nose hrain and a hint of smoke but very little.
a bit flat and sharp in the tast.
a short finish wit some pepper.

says on November 24, 2019
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 58/100
Color: Pale staw

General description

Quite smooth and not as bitter as the Dewar's I previously tasted. Sweeter in general but also less flavoursome.

says on September 6, 2019
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 70/100
Color: Gin clear

General description

Pleasant at first, medicine after-taste.

says on July 25, 2019
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 53/100
Color: Gin clear

General description

saveur fumée
Pomme, poire, vanille, miel et tourbe.

Nose

vanille

Palate

pomme poire

Finish

miel sur fond de tourbe

says on July 6, 2019
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 65/100
Finish strength: Short
Color: Yellow gold

General description

For a whisky at such a low price, this classic J&B Rare is surprisingly drinkable and pretty complex. Lime and lemon notes, with a hint of blueberries, and also the omnipresent oak. Better than the majority of whiskies at this price range.

Nose

Pretty interesting and easy to decipher: lime and blueberry, with some oak notes.

Palate

Simple, with oak and lemon.

Finish

Not very satisfying, short and one dimensional. Oak is very present, but apart from that, there is no complexity.

says on March 27, 2019
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 50/100
Color: Yellow gold

General description

Surprisingly smokey on the nose with a twist of lime. The taste is all wood and nuts with yet another lime twist. A really decent whisky considering the price.

says on January 24, 2019
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 18/100
Color: Yellow gold

General description

do not drink

says on January 10, 2019
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 44/100
Color: Pale gold

General description

I really dislike this one, not even mixed, sorry.

says on December 25, 2018
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 43/100
Color: Pale gold

General description

not a great whisky

says on December 9, 2018
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 54/100
Color: Amber

General description

Best with coke, ice and bad company

says on November 17, 2018
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 69/100
Color: Old gold

General description

Niet slecht. niet speciaal.

says on November 10, 2018
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 43/100
Color: Gin clear

General description

Budget drinker but, at this price point, Bells is better in my opinion.

says on October 14, 2018
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 80/100
Color: Gin clear

General description

.

says on October 13, 2018
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 100/100
Color: Pale gold

General description

I really like this, is it me or are you lot just whisky snobs

says on October 6, 2018
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 10/100
Color: White wine

General description

Dear Lord, this was awful. To be fair, the bottle was so old and had been opened so many years ago (possibly in the eighties), that there's a strong chance it could have been "corked" or something to that effect. I've never felt physically ill after drinking a whisky before, even the peatiest of whiskeys (of course I'm excluding any times in my life where I drank to excess - I'm referring to only after the first glass), but this made me feel sick. Avoid at all costs.

says on July 17, 2018
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 40/100
Color: Gin clear

General description

not brilliant, just isn't interesting

says on June 28, 2018
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 50/100
Finish strength: Medium
Color: Pale staw

General description

decent example if blended scotch.

Nose

sweet citrus notes, pepper, with very light alcohol burn

Palate

pleasant sweet spice balanced with a lite bitter background. very lite pepper smoky peat notes.

Finish

lingering spice and pepper with sweet notes

says on March 29, 2018
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 55/100
Color: Yellow gold

General description

Mild rubbing alcohol scent at the startline with some barely noticeable citrus. Despite having only a 40 abv the alcohol harshness is present. There is also some fruit and oak in there somewhere. Finish is not as harsh as anticipated, but bitterness reminds me of biterground.

says on March 8, 2018
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 80/100
Color: Gin clear

General description

slight peat, sweet, easy to drink neat or as a mix.

says on March 8, 2018
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 62/100
Color: Gin clear

General description

I'm not a scotch guy and don't feel any reviews I do would be fair. So I am just going to rate them based on cost and taste and expectations.

says on February 6, 2018
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 58/100
Color: Gin clear

General description

yuck

says on December 1, 2017
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 60/100
Color: Pale staw

General description

not the smoothest liquids that have passed my tongue, but not bad considering u get 40% alcohol for cheap, and taste to go with it. u get what u pay for, knægg!! 😃

says on November 5, 2017
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 60/100
Color: Gin clear

General description

Nothing special about this one for me. It's decent and not bad considering the price point.

says on June 10, 2017
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 60/100
Color: Gin clear

General description

Not bad

says on May 13, 2017
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 80/100
Color: Old gold

General description

Very special taste for blended, a bit herbal or medicinal, less sweet, it always worth for the money. It ever disappoints.

says on April 18, 2017
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 65/100
Color: Old gold

General description

Un blend classique à prix abordable.

says on April 18, 2017
Would you buy this again? No
Rating: 40/100
Color: Yellow gold

General description

Another whisky that was a fixture of the '60s and '70s. Like most, it should be left to our memories. So many better options available today.

says on March 16, 2017
Would you buy this again? Yes
Rating: 78/100
Color: Yellow gold

General description

pretty nice

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Flavour profile

  • Grain
  • Sweet
  • Peat
  • Pepper
  • Vanilla
  • Honey
  • Fruit
  • Spice
  • Pear
  • Burn
  • Hot
  • Oak
  • Light
  • Dry
  • Citrus
  • Caramel
  • Bitter
  • Alcohol
  • Acetone
  • Smoke
  • Pale gold
  • Malt
  • Lemon
  • Faint
  • Apricot
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