Month: July 2014 Page 1 of 2

Whisky from England? Today I try The English Whisky Co Chapter 6 single malt whisky made in Norfolk at the St Georges Distillery. Although whisky distilling has been widespread in Scotland, just south of the border in England, whisky production was almost non-existent.

It stopped more than 100 years ago with the closing of the Lea Valley Distillery in 1903. It all changed when James Nelstrop retired. After spending his working life on projects around the globe, he decided to follow his dream upon retiring.

His vision was to make whisky in Norfolk. Together with his son Andrew, he obtained a distilling license in January 2006, and the English Whisky Co was born.

St. Georges Distillery in Roudham, Norfolk was built and the first barrels filled at the end of 2006. The grain for the whisky comes from Fakenham, the yeast comes from Kingston upon Hull, and the water comes from the Breckland. The first whisky came on to the market during 2009 and was three years old.

To indicate a sequence in their release schedule, St. Georges Distillery uses a sequential bottling system. Starting with Chapter 1, the distillery released a range of aged malt spirits and single malt whiskies.

Odd numbers in the range have been made using peated malt. Some exception exists such as Chapter 7 which was aged in Rum Casks. Now England has a place in the history of whisky again. The Saint George Distillery is stepping up and with courage and boldness, producing a magnificent golden liquid that England can be proud of.

Related Article: Penderyn Whisky

The English Whisky Co. Chapter 6 Whisky Review

I have a bottle from Cask Type ASB, Cask Number 463,464, 465 and 466. Distilled in September 2007 and bottled in March 2011. It is not chill-filtered. The English Whisky Co. Chapter 6 single malt is unpeated. Iain Henderson was the distillery manager.

COUNTRY: England

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: The whisky is a light golden colour.

NOSE: The nose is very delicate. There are notes of barley, fresh fruit sweetness and fresh-cut grass. There are hints of vanilla and almond sweetness.

PALATE: Add water carefully as to not overwhelm this delicate whisky. The palate is an amazing surprise. I was expecting a delicate soft whisky but got a wonderfully robust full-bodied taste. There are notes of oak, barley and some citrus. The English Whisky Co Chapter 6 whisky has hints of fresh apples, vanilla sweetness and some nuts.

FINISH: It is a complex whisky with a long finish. It ends in notes of spice and oak.

RATING: EXCELLENT

A surprising mouthful of taste for a 3 yo whisky. It is probably one of the youngest whiskies in my collection, but this shows that age is not always a predictor of quality. It is a whisky that England can be proud of. I will certainly extend my collection with a few more bottles from this distillery when I get the chance.

Also Read: The Chita Whisky

Glenfiddich 18 year old Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/28/2014

In Single Malt whisky

The Glenfiddich distillery is one of my favourite distilleries, and I have quite a few bottles from this distillery. Today I talk about the Glenfiddich 18 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

Located in Dufftown in the Speyside region of Scotland, the distillery was founded in 1886. Glenfiddich is one of three William Grant-owned whisky distilleries which sit in relative proximity to each other.

Glenfiddich was the first distillery with a visitor centre. The differently shaped Glenfiddich has become one of the world’s best selling single malts. The distinctive triangular-shaped bottles have been a Glenfiddich feature since 1957.

The shape and packaging were introduced during the difficult times’ whisky producers faced in the 60s and 70s. Today, partly because of these innovations, Glenfiddich remains one of the few distillers still in family ownership.

My bottle of Glenfiddich 18 year old is a 1L bottle from Glenfiddich’s core range, and it was matured in a mix of Oloroso Sherry and Bourbon casks.

Every batch is individually numbered, and I have a bottle from batch no 3104. The prestigious International Wine and Spirit Competition in 2005 and 2006 judged it to be the best 18 year old Scottish whisky in the world.

I have previously tasted the Glenfiddich 12 year old whisky and rated it Excellent. It is one of my favourite whiskies for when there are guests who are new to whisky. The Glenfiddich 15 year old Solero Reserve is also a favourite in my house.

Related Article: The Glenlivet 18 yo whisky

Glenfiddich 18 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Golden colour. It hints at a rich experience ahead. It is not a very oily whisky.

NOSE: In terms of the nose, the oak and fresh apple notes intertwine with barley and cereals. There is a definite sweetness of dried fruits and hints of toffee in the background. The 18 yo has a fairly complex nose.

PALATE: Tasting the whisky after adding a few drops of water brings notes of oak, barley and cereal. There is a mild spice note on the palate. It seems like an extraordinary smooth whisky. There are notes of sweet fruit cake and Christmas pudding with some warming cinnamon spice at the end. Some roast nuts come through. It is a layered whisky that takes time to unpack fully.

FINISH: Long and lingering with lots of spice. A lingering spicy finish with mild nuts and toffee at the end.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The Glenfiddich 18 year old single malt has a wonderfully complex nose and an easy-drinking and relaxing whisky. Just what you expect from Glenfiddich. I am delighted that I have a 1-litre bottle of this Glenfiddich expression because I certainly would want to have another glass or two.

The price for the Glenfiddich 18 year old single malt Scotch whisky is around $105 or £68.

Playing around with this release, I paired it with a Brebirousse d’Argental cheese. Not a bad pairing to try. I have also compared this release with the Glenmorangie 18 year old whisky to see how these two iconic 18 year old’s stack against each other.

Also Read: Belgian Owl Passion Whisky

Johnnie Walker Premier Rare Old Scotch Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/21/2014

In Blended whisky

It is time for a blended whisky again, and this week I look at the Johnnie Walker Premier Rare old Scotch whisky. Johnnie Walker needs little introduction. I have various bottles of this brand in my collection, and the Johnnie Walker Black is one of my favourite easy-drinking whiskies.

The Johnnie Walker company started in the 19th century when John “Johnnie” Walker began selling whisky from his grocery shop in Ayrshire, Scotland.

His blends were popular at the time. It wasn’t until he died in 1857, when Alexander Walker with his son Alexander Walker II inherited the company, that the brand took off.

Johnnie Walker whisky was sold in the distinctive rectangular bottles for the first time during 1870. I can’t find very much information on the Johnnie Walker Premier Rare Old Scotch whisky. I have had this bottle for quite a long time, so the packaging is lost. It is probably one of the first bottles in my collection.

From the little available information, it seems that the Johnnie Walker Premier whisky was a blend aimed specifically at the Japanese Market. It is in a heavy rectangle-shaped bottle, very different from their standard square bottle. It seems like this blend has been discontinued.

According to the internet, Johnnie Walker Premier whisky is a blend from some very rare whiskies in the Johnnie Walker inventory. A portion of this is from closed distilleries.

My research suggests that this bottle includes rare and exclusive whisky from the most precious of Johnnie Walker’s vast stocks of long-aged malts. Some of which are from now-silent distilleries and can never be replaced.

Related Article: Linkwood 8 yo Whisky

Johnnie Walker Premier Rare Old Scotch Whisky Review

ABV: 43%.

COLOUR: This blended whisky has a beautiful red copper colour. It is quite an oily whisky.

NOSE: Initially, there is almost a bourbon sweetness on the nose. On the addition of some water, dried fruits, raisins and caramels come through. There are hints of vanilla, ice cream, barley and oak. This Johnnie Walker whisky has a gratifying rich nose.

PALATE: It is a whisky with a pleasant big, bold taste and a wonderfully warming feel in the mouth. The tasting brings notes of rich oak and spice with some sherried sweetness on the palate. Some toffee, ginger and still lots of oak comes through.

FINISH: It has a big and rewarding finish. It ends in notes of spice with black pepper and ginger. The finish is long and lingering, with hints of oak and toffee at the end. It is a wonderfully complex whisky that offers a big mouthful. It has a lingering finish and is amazingly smooth.

RATING: EXCELLENT

It narrowly misses being a Divine. It just lacks the last little bit of the WOW factor. If you can still get your hand on a bottle, grab it! It is worth it. Bold and complex with a delicious finish.

Some of the other Johnnie Walker releases I have tried include the Johnnie Walker King George V, Johnnie Walker XR 21 yo as well as the Johnnie Walker Swing blended whisky.

Also Read: Waterford Cooladine Whisky

Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/14/2014

In Single Malt whisky

Amrut is a brand of Indian single malt whisky manufactured by the Amrut Distilleries in Bangalore. It is the first single malt whisky to be made in India. The brand became famous after whisky connoisseur Jim Murray declared Amrut Fusion single malt whisky as one of the world’s best whiskies in the 2010 edition of his annual Whisky Bible.

Amrut Distilleries Ltd was founded in Bangalore, Karnataka, in 1948 by JN Radhakrishna Rao Jagdale. The company initially manufactured Indian Made Foreign Liquor.

They built the distillery in 1987, and it is located on Mysore Road, roughly 20 km from Bangalore. Most distillers in India were manufacturing whisky by converting molasses to alcohol. In 1982, Jagdale decided to create a premium whisky from barley blended with malt.

Amrut Distilleries began procuring barley from farmers in Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan. The company had a surplus stock of their malt whisky by 1995, and Jagdale allowed some barrels to age longer to see how they would turn out. Amrut, according to the company, translates as “Elixir of Life”.

The Angel’s Share

The whiskies had been ageing for almost four to five years by the year 2000. Amrut discovered that the hot weather in India makes whisky mature faster than it does in Europe or the United States. The fraction lost to the angels’ share is also higher, at 11–12% per year.

In Scotland, the annual evaporation loss is about 2%. Surinder Kumar, the master blender at Amrut Distilleries, estimates that one year of barrel ageing in India is equal to three years of ageing in Scotland. Launched in 2009, Amrut Fusion is produced using 25% Scottish peated barley and 75% unpeated Indian barley.

The two barleys are matured separately in oak casks in Bangalore for around four years. Subsequently, the two matured malts are blended in measured proportions and married for three months in ex-bourbon casks.

Also Read: Paul John Bold Whisky

Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky Review

COUNTRY: India

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: A golden yellow. It is quite an oily whisky and makes long fingers on the sides of the glass.

NOSE: Quite subtle. There are notes of oak, cereals and barley. There is a hint of bourbon in the background and very mild peat. After the addition of a bit of water, fresh-cut flowers appear on the nose.

PALATE: Without the addition of water, the palate brings oak and is very spicy. Adding some water allows the Amrut Fusion to open up, and it delivers a nice mouthful that hits you with lots of spice, very mild peat and sweetness. There are notes of oak and bourbon with hints of toffee. This full-bodied Amrut Fusion has a wonderfully complex palate. It is a warming whisky with amazing character.

FINISH: The Amrut Fusion single malt has a stunning finish. It builds to a crescendo transitioning from spicy to sweetness at the end. Most whiskies finish the other way around. The fantastic thing about the Amrut Fusion whisky is that it ends on a deliciously sweet note after starting quite spicy. There are notes of condensed milk with soft spices at the end. A thoroughly brilliant whisky for a cold evening.

RATING: DIVINE

This is a delicious single malt whisky from an amazing country. I could not find Amrut in Bangalore on our last trip in 2011 as Amrut only launched in India this past year. I will hopefully be going back to India in 2015 to spend some time with our friend Professor Sundar in Bangalore and then hope to visit this amazing distillery.

The Amrut Fusion retail for around £50 in the UK and ₹ 3,286 in India.

Other Amrut Expressions I have tried include the Amrut Kadhambam as well as the Amrut Intermediate Sherry whisky.

Also Read: Reisetbauer 12 yo Whisky

Glenfarclas 12 year old Whisky (older expression)

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/07/2014

In Single Malt whisky

Some time ago, I captured my tasting notes on a new release Glenfarclas 12 year old whisky. It was one of the exceptional whiskies that I got to taste on our trip to Wild About Whisky in Dullstroom. I rated this Glenfarclas whisky as ‘Excellent‘ and was happy to add this distillery to my whisky collection.

I heard about a collector selling a few bottles of older Glenfarclas releases. Soon afterwards, a box with five bottles of Glenfarclas arrived. The Glenfarclas 12 years old single malt Scotch whisky is the first that I try from this collection.

Situated in Banffshire, just a short distance from the River Spey, it is a Speyside distillery. Glenfarclas is from the Gaelic, meaning “Glen of the green grassland”. The Glenfarclas distillery obtains its water from pure springs on the rough Ben Rinnes mountain range.

Established in 1865, the distillery is still family-owned. Glenfarclas produces several expressions in the traditional Speyside style, with a heavy Sherry influence. It is one of the few Scottish distilleries never to use exotic woods for maturation.

It is difficult to date this bottle of Glenfarclas whisky. There was another 12 year old in a more traditional blue tin in the box, similar to my newer release 12yo. Looking at the printing and the beige colours, I guess that this older Glenfarclas whisky was released late 1980’s somewhere.

Related Article: Macallan 12 yo whisky

Glenfarclas 12 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%.

COLOUR: The colour can be defined as golden copper. It appears quite dark in the bottle but lighter in the glass. It is not a very oily whisky.

NOSE: Brings plum fruits, raisins and sherry. There are hints of sultanas and sweet grapes mixed with some oak.

PALATE: A well-balanced mix of sweet and spicy notes. Notes of oak, sherry and fresh fruits and traces of caramel and toffee follow. This Glenfarclas older bottling is a full-bodied whisky but not very complex. It is wonderfully smooth and warming. It alternates between the sweetness and the spiciness on the palate.

FINISH: Not that long, but it kind of comes back at the end and lingers. The finish ends with spice and oak notes. There are hints of ginger and pepper in the end.

RATING: EXCELLENT

It is an easy-drinking whisky, and we quickly had a second glass. I have three different Glenfarclss 12 releases from this distillery and would love to see how they compare against each other. Also, to compare the consistency in colour and tasting notes of the different bottlings. But that is for another day. Now to sip some more of this delicious dram.