Sheep Dip Scotch

Jim Murray describes Sheep Dip in his 2006 Whisky Bible as "Young and sprightly like a new-born lamb, this enjoys a fresh, mouthwatering grassy style with a touch of spice. Maligned by some but to me a clever accomplished vatting of alluring complexity”.

Richard Paterson, Scotland’s renowned and only third generation master blender created the Sheep Dip "vatting” by marrying together several single malt whiskies. The whiskies are aged between eight and twelve years in quality "first fill wood," each adding unique characteristics to produce an exceptional product. 

The name came about because British farmers have long referred to whisky as Sheep Dip. There was a time when farmers distilled their own "home-made” whisky and in order to avoid paying taxes to the revenue man hid the whisky in barrels marked "Sheep Dip”. Farmers' merchants continued this tradition by entering cases of whisky as "Sheep dip” on farmers' bills and so "pulling the wool” over the farmers wives eyes.