Month: September 2014 Page 1 of 2

My whisky this week is Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie Edition 01 single malt Scotch whisky. The Bruichladdich distillery lies on a peninsula not far from Bowmore on the isle of Islay. The distillery produces mainly single malt Scotch whisky.

It is one of eight working distilleries on the island. The Harvey brothers, William, John and Robert, built Bruichladdich in 1881 on the shore of Loch Indaal.

At the time, the distillery was an advanced design, unlike Islay’s older distilleries, which had grown from old farm buildings. It was built from stone from the seashore and had a very efficient layout.

The uniquely tall and narrow-necked stills were chosen to produce a very pure and original spirit. This spirit style was seen as the opposite of the styles produced by the older distilleries. Bruichladdich changed owners various times, and the new owners mothballed the distillery in 1994.

Much of the equipment still in use on Bruichladdich is still the original Victorian equipment. The process is gravity fed, and no computers are used in production, apart from in the offices and to run a series of webcams.

A group of private investors bought the distillery in 2000. With some clever marketing and an excellent wood policy, they set out to make Bruichladdich a name to remember. Rémy Cointreau bought it in 2012.

Malt whisky produced at Bruichladdich distillery sells under three different brand names; Bruichladdich (unpeated), Port Charlotte (heavily peated) and Octomore (super-heavily peated). Octomore whisky is considered to be ‘the most heavily peated single malt whisky in the world’.

The Bruichladdich Classic Laddie is the foundation of the distillery’s core range. It has the classic flavours of Bruichladdich, distilled from unpeated barley. The distillers are calling this ‘the essential Bruichladdich’.

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Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie Whisky Review

Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie single malt has no age statement. It is non-chill-filtered and colour free.

REGION: Islay

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: A light gold. It is a fairly thick whisky with slow fingers developing on the inside of the glass.

NOSE: Cereals, oak and vanilla. There are notes of fresh fruits and hints of florals. The Bruichladdich Laddie Classic does not have an overly complex nose.

PALATE: More fresh fruit, especially green apple mixed with notes of vanilla sweetness, barley and oak. There are hints of citrus and spice and more fresh-cut flowers.

FINISH: Medium length with notes of citrus, fruit and last hints of vanilla. It is a smooth whisky, but not very complex. However, the lack of complexity does make it a very easy drinking whisky.

RATING: VERY GOOD

The Classic Laddie Scotch is a lovely drinkable whisky to have around. Best of all, it is affordable. It brightens up the whisky room with its turquoise colour and stands out between the ‘normal’ whisky bottles.

But I think it might be lonely and it needs the rest of its family to join it in our collection. So – 2 more names added to my whisky wish list. Have you tried this Bruichladdich Laddie Classic?

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Old Pulteney 21 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/22/2014

In Single Malt whisky

Today I am trying a whisky from the Scottish Highlands. A whisky that has won numerous awards and is a favourite of many people. I am looking a the Old Pulteney 21 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

In 1826, during a period in the Wick county town history known as the Great Herring boom, a small distillery was established right in the heart of ‘Pulteneytown’.

This Old Pulteney Distillery was and still is one of the most northerly distilleries on the Scottish mainland. This Highland distillery was quite inaccessible before they built roads. Barley was brought in by sea, and they shipped the whisky out the same way.

Many of the distillery workers were also employed as fishermen. Wick became known for the barrels of silver (herring) and gold (whisky), which left the port in huge numbers.

The distillery itself has a fascinating history, with its distinctive pot stills defying convention to this day. The wash still is an ongoing source of interest due to the absence of a ‘swan neck’.

Legend has it that it was too tall for the still house when the still was delivered, and the manager decided to cut the top off. The Old Pulteney bottle incorporates a bulbous neck to reflect the shape of the stills.

The distillery closed in 1930 due to declining trade after the local parish enforced prohibition laws. However, it was re-opened in 1951 when the parish abolished the law. The distillery bottle single malt whisky under Old Pulteney’s name, and there are both official and independent releases over the years.

Pulteney is part of the International Beverage Ltd company, whose whisky portfolio includes Hankey Bannister, Balblair, anCnoc, Catto’s and Speyburn whisky.

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Old Pulteney 21 year old Whisky Review

The Old Pulteney 21 year old whisky has been voted 2012 World Whisky of the Year by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible. The Old Pulteney single malt has been matured in ex-Olorosso sherry cask as well as ex-bourbon casks. Non-chill-filtered and with natural colour.

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: A golden amber with straw highlights. It is an oily whisky with slow fingers on the inside of the glass.

NOSE: The first impression of the nose brings sherry with cereals. There are notes of oak and florals. The nose is smooth and quite subtle. The sweetness from the bourbon casks comes through in notes of toffee and vanilla.

PALATE: When tasting the Old Pulteney without adding any water, it is fairly spicy. After adding a bit of water, the palate brings notes of oak, spice, cereals with hints of butterscotch. There are notes of fruit and malt cookies in the background.

FINISH: A medium length finish that ends in notes of spice, oak and fruit.

RATING: VERY GOOD

Strangely the Old Pulteney reminded me a bit of the Highland Park 18 year old that I tasted. There are notes in the finish of both these whiskies that are very similar. Looking at a map of distilleries, I noticed that these two distilleries are quite close together.

As enthusiastic as many people are about this whisky, it will never be a favourite. I find the spice overwhelming and the light sweetness underwhelming. It feels to me like they just don’t fit. After 21 years in a barrel, it is not the most complex dram. With the endorsement of Jim Murry, I was expecting something more.

In terms of a whisky food pairing, Marc, owner of the WhiskyBrother shop in Hyde Park (and my favourite whisky shop in South Africa), suggest that you try the Old Pulteney 21 year old whisky with a whole quail. Now that sounds interesting!

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Ballantine’s 17 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/15/2014

In Blended whisky

Earlier this year, I received a Ballantine’s Finest Whisky as a gift from good friends. Neither John nor I had ever tried a Ballantine’s, so we did not know what to expect. We were blown away by what we found. Not only was it a fantastic whisky, but it also earned my first Divine rating for 2014.

No blend has ever received a ‘Divine’ rating in our books. I grabbed my Whisky Bible and scanned it to see what Jim Murray’s views were. And lo and behold, he liked it as well. I was not far wrong in my views. But I noticed that he liked the Ballantine’s 17 year old blended Scotch whisky even more.

My friend Marc from WhiskyBrother tweeted that he had a few Ballantine’s 17 year old Scotch whiskies in stock. And so I added a second Ballantine’s to my collection. Ballantine’s Scotch whisky dates back to 1827. George Ballantine began supplying a selected range of blended Scotch whiskies to distinguished customers from his grocery store in Edinburgh.

Sales were good, and Ballantine employed his son, George Jr, to help with the expansion. They soon began exporting products to Europe, and the business went from strength to strength.

Based on 2012 sales, Ballantine’s is one of the top 10 whisky brands in the world. Today Ballantine’s whisky is owned by Pernod Ricard and produced in Dumbarton, Scotland.

The Ballantine’s 17 year old whisky was first blended in the 1930s and created in the true Ballantine family style. “Ballantine’s 17 year old displays all the flavours of Scotland, with a careful combination of malt and grain whiskies from all over Scotland.”

The Ballantine’s 17 year old won the Whisky Bible 2011 World Whisky of the Year. A controversial choice by Jim Murray, so I was quite interested in trying it.

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Ballantine’s 17 year old Whisky Review

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Golden amber. When you at first open the bottle, sherry and toffee notes float up. The Ballantine’s 17 year old makes long thick oily fingers in the glass.

NOSE: After the initial sherry sweetness, the nose brings notes of tropical fruit, pineapple and banana. There are hints of oak and cereal at the back. The nose is complex, luxurious and creamy.

PALATE: The Ballantine’s is incredibly smooth. The palate brings notes of creamy oak and spice. There are hints of vanilla sweetness balanced with little bits of smoke. It is a complex whisky that reminds us of liquid gold. Drinking this 17 year old is an amazing experience.

FINISH: Long and lingering with fruit and hints of sweetness, oak and spice at the end. This blended whisky is impressive.

RATING: DIVINE

The Ballantines 17 year old blended whisky is amazingly smooth, complex and well balanced. I can understand why Jim Murray rated this blend so highly. One of the best Scotch whiskies I have ever tasted. Perfectly balanced and complex with many intricate layers.

I will certainly extend my collection of Ballantine’s whiskies based on this delicious dram. This fantastic whisky was also my Blend of the Year 2014.

Note: I have been extending my Ballantine’s Scotch whisky collection with a variety of releases. Some of my favourite Ballantine’s releases include:

A Whisky and Indian food pairing

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/10/2014

In Lifestyle

Last Friday, some friends came over for our regular girls’ lunch. I wanted to spice things up and served an Indian curry lunch combined with a whisky pairing. Some research on the internet indicated that Indian food and whisky fit well together. Especially the more peaty whiskies, pair well with the spicy South Indian food.

I also found various combinations where the more floral and fruity Speyside whiskies were paired with Indian finger food and seafood. The matching of Indian food and whisky is a delicate balance between the spicy food and the whisky’s subtle flavours.

Pairing Whisky and Indian Food

The one should not overwhelm the other but bring out the best of each element. For starters. I choose a simple Indian aloo masala (potato curry). The potatoes are flavoured with chilli, mustard seeds and curry leaves, and it is a dry curry.

This dish is one of the main fillings for an Indian masala dosa, a fermented pancake made from rice and black lentils. At our lunch, this was served with some roti. I paired the aloo masala with The Black Grouse whisky.

I tried the Black Grouse earlier in the year and was amazed by the complexity. It is the peaty expression from the Famous Grouse and I rated this blended whisky excellent.

The Black Grouse has notes of peat, smoke and oak. What a great whisky and food pairing! The mildly peated Black Grouse paired wonderfully with the spicy potatoes and created an enticing combination.

Even the girls who didn’t like peated whiskies enjoyed this combination.

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The main course was an Indian chana masala (Chickpea Curry). I cooked the chickpeas in a sauce of onions, tomatoes, garlic and masala spices. This dish is a popular Punjabi dish and is also found in Pakistani cuisine. Basmati rice and a cucumber salad accompanied the dish.

I paired this chana masala with a Bain’s Whisky. I was hoping the spicy and nutty notes from the chickpeas will pair with the toffee, oak and floral notes in the Bain’s whisky. The pairing was not as successful as the first one, and we grabbed the Black Grouse again to see if that combination worked better.

And lo and behold, the Black Grouse whisky paired wonderfully with the different spices in the Chana Masala.

The Verdict: Black Grouse Whisky and Potato Curry

The peaty Black Grouse whisky paired amazingly well with the two different curries. The peat and smoky notes are mild enough to suit people who are not peat lovers but strong enough to enhance the spicy Indian Food.

The combination was smooth and satisfying, and the Black Grouse complemented the potatoes and chickpeas well. I give this pairing a RATING: EXCELLENT.

The Black Grouse will probably also pair well with samosas and most tomato-based curries. It is the one whisky that every Indian restaurant should have in their bar. The Black Grouse whisky is in the affordable price range and will enhance most dishes on the Indian menu.

And the Bain’s whisky? I am on a mission to find an interesting dish that will pair with this amazing whisky. So keep watching this space. In 4 months, the girls are coming for lunch again; perhaps by then, I would have found my Bain’s whisky dish.

Also Read: Bain’s Whisky Chicken Marinade Recipe

The Belgian Owl Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/08/2014

In Single Malt whisky

On my whisky journey, I seek to obtain a bottle of whisky from every whisky producing country in the world. I was fortunate to get my hands on a bottle of Belgium single malt – The Belgian Owl single malt whisky.

This single malt is the first to be produced in Belgium. It shows just how whisky creation has expanded around the world.

The Belgian Owl distillery is in the town of Grâce Hollogne, near the city of Liège. Etienne Bouillon and two partners founded the distillery in 1997. The original name of the distillery was Pure.

The barley for the whisky is grown in the fields around Liège, and the malting, mashing and fermentation processes take part in an old converted farm on the city’s outskirts. They filled the first barrel in October 2004. The first 3 year old single malt whisky was bottled in October 2007 and called Identité. From then, they have grown from strength to strength.

The Belgium Owl Identité whisky is matured for 3 years and then bottled in small batches at a strength of 46% ABV. The ageing takes place in 1st fill bourbon casks. The Belgian Owl whisky is unpeated and not chilled-filtered.

There is a great legend posted on the distillery website that tells how the whisky came by its interesting name.

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The Belgian Owl Whisky Review

COUNTRY: Belgium

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: A pale golden yellow. It is one of the lightest coloured whiskies in my collection. It is a medium oily whisky with some slow fingers on the side of the glass.

NOSE: Freshness and sweetness as soon as you open the bottle. There are hints of cereal and oak. The nose is quite subtle with fresh flowers and vanilla. The bourbon sweetness delicately comes through in the background.

PALATE: Quite spicy with floral undertones. There are notes of green grass with hints of lavender flowers floating by. The palate also brings oak and barley, and the bourbon sweetness comes through very subtly. The whisky is creamy smooth and has a medium body.

FINISH: Medium length. It ends in spicy and oak notes.

RATING: EXCELLENT

For a 3 year old this Identité is an amazing whisky; one of the better whiskies in this young age group. It is not the most complex whisky, but it is easy to drink and quite spicy. So it should pair quite nicely with some young creamy Dutch cheese.

Unfortunately, the bottle is 50cl volume, which means I will drink this very sparingly, as it is not available in South Africa as yet.

I will be looking out for more expressions from this Belgium distillery when we travel to Europe again. It is a worthy addition to any collection.

Added: The Whisky Bible 2015 chose the Belgian Owl Single Malt ‘64 Months’ as their European Whisky of the Year (Single Malt).

Added 2022: I was fortunate to taste quite a few more of the Belgian Owl whisky and I have captured my tasting notes for the Belgian Owl Passion and the Belgian Owl Evolution Whisky.

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