The Teachers brand has been existent in the Indian Subcontinent for quite some time and popular too! Not only was it the first international-level scotch blend that was introduced in India, it also held the coveted title of the most popular premium brand available for quite a while. Teachers in India are popular for bringing out 3 brands, the Highland Cream, the 50 and the Origin. Today we shall review the Teachers Origin and see if that really stands up to its name. This whisky is double aged, first in bourbon casks and then further matured for 2 years in quarter casks.

The teacher’s bottle is quite contemporary and a different kind of ‘old school’ with the standard splash of Gold, Black and white colors on the bottle. I find it to be a little less masculine, given the thin, tall and narrow frame. I would have liked it to be bolder with broader shoulders. There is no indication of age on the bottle, but researching a bit shows it to be a blend of whiskies with ages between 5 and 13 years.

Eyes: Dark Gold with a tinge of Red.

Nose: Initially you get a sweet creamy smoky aroma, followed by woody and fruity scents. The smoky note is robust with the sweet apple like-citrusy fragrance dwelling in the background. Nosing the whisky also revealed hints of toffee.

Taste:  Sipping the whisky exposes peaty, smoky and woody flavors which suppresses the slight hint of sweetness. I can certainly feel a bit of pepper, but a major portion of the taste is still earthy. This flavor profile is mostly credited to the 65% malt mix, which usually is the proportion that grain whiskies take in most blends. The malt used is Ardmore, a Speyside that is quite peaty in nature.

Finish: The finish is warm and lasts for some time, with a slight grapey sweetness.

Teacher’s certainly has some good flavors and for those who love peat and those subtle fruity notes, this drink does check a few boxes. However, for me I feel the drink is a tad bit harsh and slightly dry. The flavors are definitely there but for some reason they just don’t marry unless you pour in a few drops of water.

In terms of having this whiskey, it could be served neat as long as you pinch yourself every time you get slapped by the spirity ‘upper hand’ (I’m just kidding!) But I think the flavors could be of a better use in Cocktails.