In any European country, the name Catto’s is a guarantee of quality, excellent taste and many years of experience. The Kattos brand is a blending pioneer, a trailblazer. It was with him that the history of Scottish blended whiskey began, which today, due to the many variations in taste, aroma, color and affordable price, is much more popular than single molts.
Historical reference. The creator of the first blend was James Catto – a tireless experimenter and adventurer, an enterprising owner of a grocery store in the Scottish port town of Aberdeen. The inventive trader became one of the first creators of the blended Scotch drink almost by accident, one day deciding to mix low-cost Lowland grain whiskeys, popular with the local population, with famous Highland malts.
Catto varied spirits, added new ones, removed those that seemed superfluous – achieving a ghostly goal known to him alone. And achieved! In 1861, James Catto created his signature blend. This year was the birth date of the Catto’s brand.
The success of the new drink was swift. The reason was not only the brilliantly created blend, other factors also played an important role: an audience ripe for learning a new audience, friends helping to solve problems with the popularization of scotch tape, and even geographical location. A good road led to the port city, along which casks of single malt whiskey were transported from the highlands, and grain spirits of the Speyside Valley were delivered by sea.
School friends of James Catto, who turned out to be founding owners of shipping companies, helped the aspiring distiller organize the supply of whiskey to ships going on a long voyage – this is how Catto’s began to gain fame outside of Scotland and even Britain.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, Catto’s was already a well-known brand far beyond the borders of the country and an authoritative brand among competitors. Such a company was passed into the hands of his heir by the aged founder James Catto, who died in 1908.
Robert Catto had great prospects, and he took up the matter very zealously: he continued to establish profitable trade with foreign countries, and actively promoted the company’s products in the domestic market. Given the fierce competition every year, it was not easy. In 1916, during the First World War, Robert was drafted into the army, he died defending the interests of his native country.
Robert Catto was the last bearer of the surname that gave the company its name. He had no children, the company was inherited by relatives who managed to preserve the atmosphere of Catto’s and the recipes of the famous blender, preserve the unique style and independence. The company could not be swallowed up by alcohol giants for a long time, as happened with many small family businesses. Only in 1990, Catto’s was bought on favorable terms by the international company Inver House Distillers Ltd.
Now the head office of Catto’s is located in the town of Airdrie, in the center of Scotland, has great transport and communication capabilities. The company makes a careful selection of employees, so the quality of products is consistently high, and the traditional recipe is strictly observed.
After the redesign, the shape of the bottle remained round, but the glass became thinner. In 2015, wavy grooves appeared on the glass. The appearance of the packaging box also changes – every year the number of depicted medals and diplomas of Catto’s increases. But the concept remains the same and is indicated on the company’s website: “Our products are for daring enthusiasts around the world, for those whose horizons know no boundaries.”
Types of adhesive tape Kattos
Catto’s 12 Year Old Deluxe Scotch Whiskey. Twelve-year aging of spirits in oak bourbon barrels gave the drink a beautiful golden hue and added pleasant woody notes to the taste. Delicate aroma consists of tones of honey melon, citrus and summer herbs. The taste is perfectly balanced – there are no dominant notes, the sweetness of vanilla and milk chocolate is pleasantly complemented by fruity freshness.
Catto’s 12 Year Old Deluxe was awarded an IWSC silver medal in 2013 and 2014, and won a silver medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Championship in 2013.
Catto’s Blended Scotch Whiskey 25 YO. Well balanced and easy to drink blended scotch with a bright amber color. In a pleasant aroma, tones of honey, raisins, vanilla and pears are noticeable. The multifaceted and delicate taste is soft, dominated by shades of vanilla, coconut and honey.
Catto’s 25 YO was awarded IWSC Gold in 2010 and 2014, Silver in 2012, 2013 and 2015, received Gold in 2011 from the International Spirits Challenge Awards, and won the San Francisco World Spirits Championship in 2013.
For the 150th anniversary of the Catto’s Blended Scotch Whiskey 25 YO brand, a limited edition of 2 decanter-shaped crystal bottles was released, packaged in leather boxes with gold embossing and symbols.
