🥃 Cutty Sark Prohibition
Cutty Sark blended whisky line at 50% ABV with no age statement; released in 2013.
Cutty Sark Prohibition is a blended Scotch whisky line at 50% ABV (100 proof), with no age statement. It was released in 2013, for the brand's 90th anniversary and the 80th anniversary of the end of Prohibition in the United States. The name honours Captain Bill McCoy, who, according to the brand's page, brought Cutty Sark to America.
Production. According to the producer's page, this is a small-batch blend of single malt and grain whiskies, matured in carefully selected American oak casks that had previously held sherry. Difford's Guide also mentions American oak and bottling at 100 proof. The taste is described as creamy, with caramel and pepper; the brand suggests it for cocktails.
Why it matters to you. Compared with Cutty Sark Original, this line is considerably stronger: 50% against 40% ABV. Strength affects the taste and how much water or ice may be wanted. According to available data, the line is part of the brand's permanent range, but availability in shops varies. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Year founded | 1923: brand; Prohibition: release 2013 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Blended Scotch Whisky) |
| EU category | 2: whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | single malt and grain whiskies (small batch) |
| Cask type | American oak, sherry casks |
| Minimum maturation | no age statement; by law at least 3 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 50% ABV (100 proof) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Cutty Sark Prohibition → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Sherry, 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Cutty Sark, 🥃 Blended Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 The Famous Grouse, 🥃 Cutty Sark 12 Year Old, 🥃 Cutty Sark 12 Year Old, 🥃 Cutty Sark Original, 🥃 Cutty Sark Original
Frequently asked questions
Is Prohibition stronger than Original?
Yes: 50% ABV against 40% ABV for the Original.
Who is the name dedicated to?
Captain Bill McCoy, who, according to the brand's page, shipped Cutty Sark to the US during Prohibition.
When was it released?
In 2013, according to Difford's Guide, for the brand's 90th anniversary.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 The Famous Grouse — Scottish blended whisky from Perth; created by the Gloag family in the late 19th century; 40% ABV; owned by William Grant & Sons since 2024-2025.
- 🥃 Cutty Sark 12 Year Old — 12-year-old blended whisky line from Cutty Sark at 40% ABV; matured in bourbon and sherry casks; presented in 2021 to 2022.
Similar
🥃 Cutty Sark Original · 🥃 Cutty Sark 12 Year Old · 🥃 The Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky · 🥃 The Famous Grouse Sherry Cask Finish · 🥃 The Famous Grouse Smoky Black · 🥃 Dewar's 15 Year Old
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition (50 %, NAS, 2013, American oak)
- Cutty Sark (brand site): Cutty Sark Prohibition (50 %, small batch, American sherry oak casks)
- Scotchwhisky.com (Whiskypedia): Cutty Sark (Berry Bros. & Rudd, 23.03.1923, composition)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)