Review - Big Mouth

Big Mouth is a blended Scotch whisky that is owned by Crucial Drinks. The brand has the tagline of "blended to break the rules" and this refers to the fact that it has a higher proportion of single malts in the recipe than the majority of blends around the same price. Big Mouth contains 50% single malt and 50% single grain whisky, although the exact distilleries are not revealed, and was developed by the in-house blending team at Crucial Drinks. It was launched in 2019 and is bottled at 41.2% ABV.

Big Mouth can be purchased via the brand website - www.shutyourbigmouth.co.uk - or at other selected online whisky and spirits retailers. A bottle should cost around £30.


Our tasting notes
The colour is a vibrant golden yellow and the nose has plenty of fresh green fruit aromas (think of crisp apples, grapes, day old cut grass and a hint of melon) and sweet honeyed notes, especially heather honey. Underneath are further aromas of white chocolate, baking spices, malty cookie dough and something smoky that is difficult to pinpoint (is it engine oil or coal tar?).

On the palate this whisky maintains its freshness and immediate vibrancy. Hot white pepper and peat smoke rise first, and both are much more prominent than suggested on the nose. The peat smoke has a sooty and oily quality to it. Then come sweet notes of icing sugar, honey and white chocolate to add a little balance, along with some warming spices (think of cinnamon, all-spice and a hint of gingerbread), plus a pinch of cocoa powder. The green notes are much more subdued than on the nose but still hold in the background - there are elements of apple, hard pears and dried grass present. Underpinning this is an increasingly influential malted cereal note and a very pleasant hint of clove and apricot jam.

The finish becomes drier with time, especially once the sweet and fruity characteristics fade. The malt and peat smoke notes come to the fore and offer a warming, long and evolving profile. White pepper, cinnamon, clove and combine with a late twist of candied orange peel and hint of yeast.

What's the verdict?
This is not the most sophisticated drink, but if you like your smoky whiskies to be youthful with a punch then you may like Big Mouth. The simple but pleasant flavour profile leaves you with plenty of vibrancy and kick, while the finish is impressively long for something that clearly contains a decent percentage of younger whiskies.

Overall, Big Mouth is a lovely blend and a decent offering for the price. We tried our sample after reviewing it with some ice and a splash of ginger ale - it was delicious and worked superbly.