🥃 Haig

Haig is a historic brand of blended Scotch whisky from the Haig family, linked to the company John Haig & Co and now owned by Diageo. Haig Gold Label was once Britain's best-selling whisky and the first spirits brand to sell a million cases. A more refined version, Dimple, also exists.

History. Haig Gold Label appeared at the end of the 19th century and quickly gained a squat, dark brown bottle with a white label. The company John Haig & Co is linked to the Cameronbridge grain distillery in Fife and was one of the founders of the Distillers Company in 1877. By 1939 Haig had become Britain's best-selling Scotch, and in 1971 it became the first in the world to pass the million-case mark. Sales in Britain fell sharply by the 2000s, and Diageo, owner since 1997, focused on other brands. Dimple first appeared on the market in 1893; in the United States it is sold as Dimple Pinch.

Composition and production. The blend combines malt whiskies, such as Glenkinchie, with grain whisky from Cameronbridge. Under the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, the blend must mature in oak for at least three years and have an ABV of at least 40%. In 2014 Diageo also released Haig Club, a single grain Scotch made at the same Cameronbridge distillery.

Range. Haig Gold Label is still sold in many countries, and Dimple is available in a number of markets.

Why this matters to you. Haig Club and the classic Haig Gold Label are different types of Scotch: the first is single grain, the second is blended. Check the type on the label. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.