Every so often we get a message that starts with something like "I don't think I like my whisky" and a slightly worried tone, as if they've done something wrong. Almost always, the answer is the same: give it time. What you're tasting is probably "bottle shock".

What is bottle shock?

When whisky goes from cask into bottle, it goes through a bit of an upheaval. The flavours that were sitting nicely balanced in the cask can come across as disjointed, sharp, or just "off" for the first few days or even weeks after bottling. It's a real, well-known phenomenon — it happens with single malts straight from one distillery, never mind a blend.

And that's the bit that matters for us: our blends are made from single casks of whisky from different distilleries, married together in the bottle only days before they reach you. That's a lot of different characters being asked to get along in a confined space with no notice. Give them a moment to settle in.

Why it's worse in a blend

Imagine four whiskies that have spent years quietly doing their own thing in separate casks — say, a slightly peated charred-marshmallow note, a sweet north-coast salty butter, a properly sweet Speyside banana split, and a richer Highland spicy beeswax. Lovely on their own. Now marry them together and bottle them straight away, and for a wee while they can taste like four different opinions shouting over each other rather than one harmonious dram. That's bottle shock, and it settles down.

What to do about it

• Be patient. Leave the bottle for a few days, or even a couple of weeks, and try again. Whisky in glass does change.
• Let it breathe. Pop the cork out for a while and let some air get in — a bit of oxidation helps things mellow and integrate.
• Don't judge it on the first pour. The whisky you taste on day one is not necessarily the whisky you'll have on day ten.

And if it still isn't for you?

That's absolutely fine, and it doesn't mean anyone made a bad whisky — just one that maybe isn't to your taste. There's a whole world of flavour out there, and if your current blend isn't hitting the mark after it's had time to settle, get in touch. We're always happy to help you find or create something that suits you better.

So: don't panic, don't pour it down the sink, and definitely don't blame the cat. Just give it time, and let it find its feet.