With a long and rich history since the 19th century backing up its legacy, the Dimple Pinch 15-year-old Scotch Whiskey has much more to offer than its smooth and rich taste. What started its life as the humble old Dimple Haig became the tasteful and luxurious Dimple Pinch in the US, with a distinctive and unique bottle design. 

History and Culture  

It first came to the people in 1893 and became immensely popular in the UK, becoming one of the highest-selling scotch whiskeys in the country. While its popularity in the UK waned considerably until the Haig Club came into the scene, its international presence leaped ahead. It grew in countries like South Korea, the US, and Germany. 

Being so old and distinguished has its perks, and the high malt proportion blend is also famous on screen and in literature. Dimple Pinch was the go-to choice of Felix Leiter, James Bond’s friend in Ian Fleming’s books. Much of its fame is also accredited to the classic television series Breaking Bad, wherein it was Walter White’s last drink to be had on the show, along with a few more appearances. 

The rustic and traditional feel of the bottle is carried ahead through the whiskey that offers a distinctly elegant and standout flavor profile, rarely offered in its class. This 15-year-old specially selected blended whiskey provides a smooth, full-bodied taste that feels soft with a peppery nose. Carrying 43% ABV, for the most part, most of its components are over 15 years old, with malts probably sourced from distilleries that parent company Diageo owns. 

Colour 

The clear glass bottle, with its unique shape, does a great job showing off Dimple Pinch’s collar. The hue is between orange and gold, a light amber that is pleasant to the eyes. The bottle design may seem a little polarising due to the ergonomics and being difficult to hold and pour, but that’s a bit subjective. 

The Nose 

Primarily sweet influenced, it may offer a reminiscence of something like sherry with hits of dates and figs. This is due to the aging process being done in sherry casks. Once the glass is poured and the heavy alcohol vapor flies away, you can smell a medium-bodied scent with notes of caramel and peppery spice post a few seconds. This aroma is accompanied by a note of butterscotch which offers the buttery smooth first feel. Many experiences suggest the slightest hints and tones of cherries, nutmeg, toffee, and apricots. 

Taste and palate feel 

The Dimple Pinch has a lot to offer in terms of value, and taste is where it shines the most. This is not one of those complex flavor profiles you would have to spend hours researching to decode. The buttery feel continues from the aroma to the palate, offering a silky mouthfeel accompanied by a minimal tongue burn. A fuller taste follows, including a slight flatness that is slightly drier than the note leads you to believe. You can feel an unmistakable brown sugar and raisin flavor, along with light hints of fruitiness. 

Finish 

The finish is confident, despite being short-lived, as the fruitiness returns to the scene with nuttiness from walnut and hazelnut hints along with fudge and oak notes. 

There is also talk of charcoal influence and smokey notes here and there, but it is difficult to confirm and is better left subject to individual experience. Best enjoyed during winters, it lends a warm feel when enjoyed by itself. 

Mixing 

Honestly, water or soda doesn’t help the glass, as it dilutes the delicate hints of various flavors blended deep into the whiskey, making you feel like it has lost much of the taste. On the rocks is one good way to go about it, albeit with limited ice, as it may bring out the smoke while going down smooth without too much of the burn factor. Bold experiments include mentions of mixing it with coffee, iced tea, and cola as well. 

Conclusion 

Dimple Pinch has a lot to offer from a standalone perspective, owing to its longstanding heritage of 15 years of age, well-integrated body, and grain component. But from the initial impression’s perspective, the aroma and the smell seem like they have a lot to offer, and the taste that follows feels a bit differing and confused even, not doing justice to the nose and, eventually, the price. 

It is most suitable for the non-serious whiskey aficionado due to the fruity and sweet factor and the easy-on-the-burn and bites factor that makes it an easy-drinking blend. For the more serious drinker, though, it misses out on that absolute flavor complexity and offers a light sweet body that fails to hit the spot for many. 

For the uninitiated, it is suggested that you should try it once before buying a bottle or more, and take the feel of it, as other contenders may seem a little more to your taste in comparison with the Dimple Pinch, despite it being one of the rare, tasteful choices. The Dimple Pinch is a great whiskey in its own right and holds off very well against the competition.