Meandering the world, one whisky at a time

Month: January 2014 Page 1 of 2

Johnnie Walker Explorers Club The Gold Route Whisky

Johnnie Walker Gold Route Explorers' Club Whisky headerIn August 2013, a fire broke out inside the main terminal building of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya. The fire destroyed most of the international terminal. John had to fly to Kenya for business, and it was with trepidation that he set off. He was unsure what the state of the airport would be and if they will be able to land.

With typical African ingenuity, however, the airport was up and running within two days. When John departed Nairobi, the Duty-Free shop was set up in a tent.  In this tent, next to the burnt down terminal building, he found a bottle of Johnnie Walker Explorers Club The Gold Route whisky.

 Related Article: Johnnie Walker Blue vs Black Label Whisky

According to the company, the Johnnie Walker Explorers Club The Gold Route was inspired by journeys around South America. They claim inspiration from the lush Amazon forests of Central America through the snow-capped Andean mountains, passing the mystical Inca pyramids and along the coast of the Pacific Ocean.

The blend comprises a variety of ages of whisky, including some very old cask. As it was purchased in duty-free, the bottle was a 1 litre, not the standard 75cl or 70cl. The Gold Route is the second expression in the Explorers’ Club collection. The Spice Route and The Royal Route complete the collection.

Johnnie Walker Explorers Club The Gold Route Whisky Review

Review and tasting notes Johnnie Walker Explorers' Club, The Gold Route blended whisky with glass Johnnie Walker gold routeABV: 40%

COLOUR: Light amber. It looks lovely in the light. The whisky is nice and oily.

NOSE: Initially offers spice, butterscotch and dried fruits. In the background are hints of honey.  The addition of a few drops of water opens this whisky up. Fresh fruits, greengage and oak now come to the fore. The nose is lovely.

PALATE: On the palate, one is struck by the smoothness. The greengage and fresh fruit also carry on to the palette. The fruit slowly turns to butterscotch and spice. Some aniseed and dried apricots also come through. It’s a medium-bodied whisky that feels great in the mouth. 

FINISH: Not long, but smooth and mellow. It ends with cinnamon and cloves. Some pepper also appears at the end.

RATING: EXCELLENT

This bottle is an excellent addition to the Explorers’ Club collection. It is an incredibly smooth whisky.  I did not, however, pick up any notes of smoke that other reviewers mentioned in their tasting notes. It is, nevertheless, a great expression from Johnnie Walker. If you like blends and happen to be in an airport, do pick up a bottle.

It will be a fabulous addition to whatever you may already have. Based on how delicious the Gold Route is, I think the Royal Route might also be worth getting. I will keep a lookout for it when I travel. What were your impressions of this Gold Route from Johnnie Walker?

Some of the other Johnnie Walker releases I have tried include the Johnnie Walker Swing as well as the Johnnie Walker Blue Label.

Related Article:Compass Box No Name No 2 Whisky



Highland Park 18 year old Whisky

Highland Park 18 yo Single Malt Whisky headerIn my quest for new and interesting whiskies, I often consult my friend Marc. He owns the Whisky Brother shop in Hyde Park and always has fine whiskies on hand. On a recent visit, I left with a bottle of Highland Park 18 year old single malt Scotch whisky. The Highland Park has won many awards over the years, and luminaries such as Jim Murray has consistently rated it highly.

Slyrs Bavarian Single Malt Whisky

Slyrs Bavarian Single Malt Whisky headerThe distillation of whisky in Germany is a relatively recent development and only started in the last 30 years. Today there are around 23 distilleries in Germany producing whisky. Slyrs whisky is Bavaria’s first single malt whisky. Built on the banks of Lake Schliersee, it is also the largest whisky distillery in Germany. I acquired this bottle on a recent trip through Frankfurt.

The Slyrs whisky is roughly about 3 years old, bottled at 43% ABV. The whisky was matured in American oak and is sold in limited quantities. It is presented in a cream-coloured box; the bottle has both English and German working on the label. There is no age statement on the bottle.

Also Read: Sullivans Cove Double Cask whisky

My goal is to collect a single malt whisky from every country in the world that produces one. To date, I have whiskies from 19 different countries. I have been pleasantly surprised by the excellent quality of whisky from countries not usually thought of as whisky producers.

There are many similarities between the Scottish and Bavarian regions. The Scottish Speyside region landscape is quite similar to Upper Bavaria. I was looking forward to tasting the Slyrs.

Slyrs Bavarian Single Malt Whisky Review

Review and tasting notes Slyrs Single malt Bavarian Whisky with glassABV: 43%

COUNTRY: Germany

COLOUR: Yellow gold. It is reminiscent of golden autumn leaves.

NOSE: Citrus notes with some oak and spice come through.  There are also quite distinct alcohol vapours in the nose.  It’s probably best to let it breathe a bit.

PALATE: On the palate, it comes across as quite light. It’s not a rich whisky. The tasting brings citrus again, with hints of vanilla, caramel and wood. However, the citrus is a bit overwhelming, and it changes to bitter citrus with notes of pepper and ginger.

FINISH: Well-rounded. It initially has a short finish but then comes back with a longer ending with bitter citrus, pepper and caramel notes.  You get a sense that there are some rough edges, but not bad ones at all.

RATING: VERY GOOD

This distillery has lots of potential, and I will be looking out for more releases in the future. It is a whisky I will try again. For a 3 yo it’s really not bad. The Slyrs website recommended you try Slyrs with a 70% dark chocolate. I tried it with a 60% Lindt Lindor chocolate, and it paired well. The chocolate smoothed out some of the edges and softened the citrus. The whisky, in turn, brought out more caramel in the chocolate.

It is a great combination to try. Collecting whiskies from around the world often produces a gem. If you make allowances for the three year age, it’s well worth acquiring. I paired the Slyrs with some Montagnolo Affine cheese, and it worked beautifully.

Also Read: Floki Icelandic Young Malt



Ardbeg Uigeadail Whisky

Ardbeg Uigedail single malt whisky headerIn December 2013, I got some time to catch up on some of my blog posts. I initially tasted this Ardbeg Uigeadail Islay single malt Scotch whisky during July 2013.

My first introduction to Ardbeg was on Ardbeg Day 2013 when I wandered past Marc’s Whiskybrother Shop in Hydepark and tasted the Ardbeg 10 yo whisky.

Both me and John fell in love with it and walked out with our first bottle. Ardbeg has become one of my favourite distilleries, and my collection has since grown to a few more bottles, including expressions like Uigeadail and Corryvreckan.

I acquired the Ardbeg Uigeadail whisky on an online auction. The name Uigeadail derives from the Scotch Gaelic for ‘Dark and Mysterious Place’ and is named for the Loch from where Ardbeg draws its peat-laden waters.

Most of the standard Ardbeg releases is peated to about 50 ppm and the Ardbeg Uigeadai is a NAS release.

Also ReadArdbeg Uigeadail vs An Oa whisky

This expression marries the traditional smoky notes of Ardbeg with the sweet raisiny notes of old ex-Sherry casks. This release was launched 10 years ago and has won awards ever since. The Ardbeg distillery is part of the Louis Vuitton stable together with Glenmorangie distillery.

In 2009, Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible named Ardbeg Uigeadail ‘World Whisky of the Year’ – in praise of its “utter silky brilliance” and “complexity on a level only a handful of distilleries in the world can even dream of reaching.”

The 80,000 strong Ardbeg Committee also voted Ardbeg Uigeadail as their favourite Ardbeg. I was thrilled to get it and excitedly looked forward to tasting it.

Ardbeg Uigeadail Islay Whisky

Review and tasting notes Ardbeg Uigeadail single malt whisky with glass REGION: Islay

ABV:  54.2%.

COLOUR: Light amber. It’s a beautifully oily whisky, leaving delightful fingers on the inside of the glass. On the addition of water, it goes slightly milky – just beautiful.

NOSE: Nosing is unforgettable. Peat hits you like a wet cloth in the face. Smoke, iodine and medicinal notes follow soon after. You know you are dealing with an Ardbeg! Raisins, hints of honey and spice follow in the background. It’s complex and sophisticated.

PALATE: On tasting the Uigeadail, you are struck by how big a mouthful this whisky is.  Peat and smoke fill your mouth. Notes of sherry and Christmas cake come through.

FINISH: Something else! The finish is long and lingering. Starting with raisins and honey, it ends with notes of pepper and espresso. Along the way, it evolves in complexity and richness and continues long after you have swallowed.

Its warmth seems to expand throughout your body. It is unforgettable. The Ardbeg Uigeadail is one of Johns favourites and a whisky he goes back to time and time again.

RATING: EXCELLENT

There is a perfect balance between the smoke and peat and the sweetness that the sherry casks bring.  Complex, big and bold that stays in your memory long after the glass is empty, I know people how don’t like peat can find an Uigeadail overwhelming.

It is not a whisky for firs time whisky drinkers. In South Africa, it retails for around R1 100. The Ardbeg Uigeadail is one of the finest whiskies that you can lay your hands on if you love the Islay style.

Also Read: Bowmore Enigma whisky

Ardbeg Uigeadail & food pairing

Pairing this whisky with food will be interesting. I can imagine fresh oysters and a glass of Uigeadail.  When I get my hands on some fresh oysters topped up with a drop of lemon juice and a dash of Tabasco, I am trying it.

The Ardbeg Uigeadail also pair well with salmon sashimi. The saltiness of the fish and the soya should complement the smoky, peaty finish of the whisky. On the cheese front, a strongly flavoured cheese will do well with this peaty whisky.

I paired this peaty release with some Lindt Lindor dark 60% chocolate, and it makes for a delicious combination.

Also Read: Ardbeg 10 vs Talisker 10 yo Whisky



Jura 10 year old Origin Whisky

Jura 10 yo Origin Single Malt Whisky headerToday something from an island, the Jura 10 year old Origin single malt Scotch whisky.  It was August 1946, and a lonely figure is furiously typing away in an abandoned farmhouse near the northern end of a remote island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.

George Orwell wrote one of the greatest novels of our time on the island of Jura. He managed to finish Nineteen Eighty-four during his stay in the farmhouse he brought from the proceeds  from Animal Farm.

The island‘s remoteness was giving him the peace he needed to write his famous novel 1984. However, a warming Jura dram would not have sustained the lonely writer during his time on the island. The distillery was dismantled in 1901. A brand new Jura distillery was only built in 1963.

Constructed on the same spot as the old distillery, it attempted to stimulate Jura island’s declining economy.  The island is as awkward to reach today as it was in 1946.




The island of Jura is located so close to the island of Islay and the ‘Parish of Peat’ that the distillery often participates in the annual ‘Feis Ile’ whisky festival of the Islay distilleries. The Jura flavours are, however, different from the peaty whiskies from the neighbouring island of Islay.

Jura’s mild climate and gentle breezes, together with the local spring water, are significant factors contributing to Jura’s flavours. I got the Jura 10 year old from WhiskyBrother in Hydepark, our favourite specialist whisky shop. It is a medium-bodied whisky and regarded as a very accessible, easy-drinking whisky by some.

Related Article: Glenfiddich XX whisky

Jura 10 year old Origin Whisky Review

Review and tasting notes Jura 10 yo Origin whisky single malt with glassThe packaging reflects a Celtic symbol that symbolizes beginnings and the forces of nature.  The Jura 10 year old Origin whisky is seen as the whisky that began the Jura story.

REGION: Island

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: The official colour for Jura 10 year old single malt is defined as rich gold, but in the sunset light of my whisky room, it seemed more copper-gold.

NOSE: Apricots and flowers. There is a freshness when first nosing the whisky.  The smell is reminiscent of open fields with clean air and lots of flowers.

PALATE: It is a light, delicate whisky.  It is not a big, bold mouthful. Tasting the Jura Origin, I picked up apricots, raisins and a little oak.  There are hints of mild spice and citrus.

FINISH: Quite a surprise. It is a long lingering finish ending with notes of pepper.  It is not sweet at all and very delicate.  I found this whisky a bit one-dimensional. It’s an easy-drinking, subtle and delicate whisky. We both quickly agreed on how we rated it.

RATING: VERY GOOD.

I looked forward to tasting a Jura, and my first one did not disappoint. It is a whisky I would offer to friends who want to try a single malt. I think that the Jura would pair well with some smooth milk chocolate or even a piece of white chocolate.

It might suit a sweetish desert cheese like an apricot flavoured white rock. I will look to add more Jura whiskies to my collection. What was your favourite Jura?

Update: I paired this Jura 10 year old Scotch whisky with a Comté Cheese, and it made for a fantastic pairing.

Also Read: Muirhead Silver Seal Maturity whisky

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