North Star Spirits have been quietly building one of the more interesting independent portfolios in Scotch whisky, and their Tarot series — each release themed around a card from the Major Arcana — has become something of a cult favourite among collectors and drinkers alike. The Empress, card three, traditionally represents abundance, nurturing, and sensory pleasure. Whether or not you buy into the symbolism, what's in the bottle speaks for itself: a 17-year-old blended Scotch, distilled in 2007, bottled at a respectable 45.5% ABV, and priced at just under fifty quid. In a market where age-stated blends are increasingly rare — and increasingly expensive — that's a proposition worth paying attention to.
Let's be honest about blended Scotch for a moment. The category has spent decades being treated as the unglamorous workhorse of the whisky world, propping up the industry's bottom line while single malts hog the awards cabinets and the Instagram feeds. But a well-made blend at 17 years old, with some genuine cask maturity behind it, is a different animal entirely from the supermarket shelf fillers. The grain component at this age should be bringing real texture and sweetness, while the malt portion — whatever North Star have sourced — has had nearly two decades to develop complexity. At 45.5%, there's enough strength here to carry flavour without needing a PhD in cask-strength whisky appreciation.
What to Expect
Without confirmed distillery sources, we're in the realm of the blend's craft rather than its pedigree — which is arguably the whole point. North Star's founder, Iain Croucher, has built his reputation on careful cask selection rather than flashy names, and the Tarot series has consistently delivered whiskies that punch well above their weight. A 2007 vintage blend with 17 years of maturation suggests this was distilled in an era of strong production across Scotland, and the extended ageing should lend a polished, integrated character. Expect the kind of seamless balance between grain sweetness and malt depth that only time in wood can achieve — this isn't something you can shortcut.
The Verdict
I'm giving this an 8 out of 10, and here's why. At £49.95, a 17-year-old blended Scotch from a respected independent bottler is genuinely excellent value. For context, the major houses would charge you north of £80 for an age-stated blend of this maturity — if they released one at all. The Tarot series packaging is distinctive without being gimmicky, and North Star's track record of quality control gives me real confidence in the liquid. This is a whisky that rewards the drinker who's willing to look past category snobbery and appreciate the craft of blending at its best. It's not trying to be a single malt. It's trying to be a great blend, and at this age and strength, that ambition is well within reach.
Best Served
Pour this neat in a Glencairn and give it ten minutes to open up — 17-year-old whisky has earned your patience. If you're inclined, a few drops of water will likely coax out more from the grain component and soften any oak assertiveness. This would also make a genuinely luxurious base for a refined Scotch Old Fashioned — the maturity and balance here would shine through the bitters and sweetness rather than getting lost in them. But honestly, at this price and age, I'd savour it on its own first.
