The Black Grouse is a noticeable upgrade over the Famous Grouse with a richer character and offering up more in the way of aromas and flavors, but it’s muddled. Neither the aroma nor palate are crisp, but I still liked sipping on it nonetheless and it achieved the goal of any good blend which is cohesion; a unified experience that makes it an innocuous sipper and cocktail whisky. So if you’re going to go with a Grouse I’d suggest making it a black one.