Tag: Rating: Divine Page 2 of 7

Whisky of the Week review and tasting notes for whiskies that I rated as Divine. Divine means that after tasting the whisky, I try not to finish the bottle in one sitting. Just perfection. See more HERE.

This past week was just full of drama, and after all of this, I needed a dram to cheer me up. I grabbed a glass of the Glenkinchie Distillers Edition 1986 single malt Scotch whisky and went to sit in the sun on my own for a while to relax.

A stone’s throw from Edinburgh lies the Scottish Lowland whisky region. This region traditionally known for its softer drams with notes of grass, cream, fresh toast and ginger. There were at last count around 18 active distillers and another 8 in development.

The distillery lies in a glen of the Kinchie Burn near the village of Pencaitland. The name ‘Kinchie’ is a corruption of ‘De Quincy’, the original owners of the land. It was founded around 1825 by brothers John and George Rate. A convergence of events bankrupted the brothers in 1853, and the site converted to a sawmill. However, in 1881, the distillery was rebuilt and resumed whisky making.

Also Read: Aerstone Sea Cask 10 yo Whisky

In 1914, Glenkinchie joined forces with fellow Lowland distillers Rosebank, St Magdalene, Grange and Clydesdale to form Scottish Malt Distillers. This company has since evolved into the Diageo group.

The Glenkinchie core expression include the 12 year old single malt whisky and a Distillers Edition. This limited release Glenkinchie 1986 Distillers Edition single malt was distilled in 1986 and bottled in 1999. They finished the whisky in Amontillado sherry casks.

Glenkinchie Distillers Edition 1986 Whisky Review

REGION: Lowland

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Dark gold

NOSE: Sherry sweetness, bits of apricot, malty goodness with hints of oak and honey. Rich and inviting.

PALATE: Luxurious with notes of oak, dried apricot, bits of cherries and sherry sweetness. Toasted nuts and freshly baked shortbread. Creamy honey sweetness with soft pepper, candied ginger and cinnamon. Just amazing. Drinkable, complicated and full of body.

FINISH: Dry oak with sherry sweetness and bits of spice. Long and lingering.

RATING: DIVINE

Drinking this Glenkinchie whisky is an experience to be savoured. A wonderful, complex, luxurious moment in time to sip and appreciate. I finished my first glass without water; it did not need any water. For the second glass, I added a few drops of water, and it just brought more sweetness to the front.

Perfectly balanced and elegant. Perfection. The Distillers Editions from the various Diageo brands is, in general, delicious.

I loved the Oban Distillers Edition, and the Dalwhinnie Distillers Edition is one of the best drams I have ever tasted. I was 15 years old when Glenkinchie distilled this liquid. It makes for a special bit of history. Sadly, not many of these 1986 releases remain, and I have only seen them on auction.

My bottle will be appreciated and enjoyed with every glass that I pour. A stunning release.

Also Read: Top 5 Single Malt under R750

GlenDronach 18 year old Allardice Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/08/2020

In Single Malt whisky

Time for an 18 yo Highland release, so today I am looking at the GlenDronach 18 year old Allardice single malt Scotch whisky. The GlenDronach opened its doors way back in 1826. A syndicate headed by James Allardes started the distillery, and it iss located at the Dronach Burn in the Deveron area.

Ownership changed frequently and nearly all the big whisky brands owned this distillery at one stage or another. Chivas Brother, Charles Grant and William Teacher and Sons left a mark.

BenRiach’s owners purchased the GlenDronach distillery in 2008. The new owners added a visitors centre and re-launched the old core range of 12 year old, 15 year old, 18 year old and GlenDronach 21 year old whisky releases. They also introduced a Peated expression to showcase their innovative streak.

In 2016 GlenDronach (and BenRiach Distillery Company) was purchased by Brown-Forman. The GlenDronach 18 year old release is named after the distillery’s founder, James Allardice. The current Master Blender is Dr Rachel Barrie.

This single malt release was matured exclusively in ex-oloroso sherry casks and was initially released in 2009. It is not chill-filtered and of natural colour.

GlenDronach 18 year old Allardice Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Burnished mahogany

NOSE: A big and rich sherry bomb. So delicious with notes of Christmas cake and fresh red berries drizzled with sugar. Chocolate covered cherries and fudge with bits of cinnamon and vanilla. Something tropical in the background mixed with raisins and lemon peel.

PALATE: Brandy soaked Christmas cake sweetness, chocolate-coated nuts, stewed fruits and allspice mixed with rich sherry. Overripe figs with bits of dried orange peel, vanilla, fresh cream and pepper.

Perfectly balanced. Chewy and delicious. I finished my first glass without water. It was just perfect! Adding water releases a bit more complexity in the dram.

FINISH: Red berries and cinnamon sugar. Complex and long.

RATING: DIVINE

Just sublime! I have no other words. The GlenDronach 18 year old single malt leaves me speechless with wonder. This Scotch whisky is everything I could dream of in a whisky. Rich, delicious and perfectly balanced. Sherry sweetness, spices and fruity notes all work together to make something bold and smooth.

For me, with my sweet palate, it ticks all the boxes. I looked up at John to see his thoughts, and I could see he feels the same. Even though he prefers a peated whisky, this sherry bomb just bowled him over.

I loved the GlenDronach 12 year old release. I think the GlenDonrach 21 year old whisky should also make an appearance on my tasting lists quite soon. In South Africa the GlenDronach 18 year old Allardice single malt retails for around R1 600.

I have done a side by side comparison between the GlenDronach 21 yoParliament release and the 18 year old whisky to see how they rate next to each other.

Also Read: Amrut Two Continents Whisky

Big Peat Cape Town Edition Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 11/04/2019

In Blended Malt Whisky

This weekend is the Rugby World Cup Final and what better way to prepare for South Africa’s part than to taste the Big Peat Cape Town Edition blended malt Scotch whisky. It feels like it was Remarkable Malts’ year on the blog.

I have tasted quite a few of their expressions during this last couple of months. I covered Rock Oyster and Timorous Beastie as well as Big Peat. I covered Big Peat quite a few times.

Even at the whisky shows, I ended up at the Remarkable Malts stand, tasting the various age statement releases available. The Timorous Beastie 18 yo whisky especially stands out. I have captured tasting notes for the Big Peat 10 yo whisky and the Big Peat 26 yo Platinum Edition (Divine) as well.

But what better way to celebrate SA winning the final of the Rugby World Cup than with the Big Peat Cape Town Edition blended malt whisky. In June I tasted this release at The Only Whisky Show and was blown away. I took a bottle home, and it went with us on our holiday to Mapunbugwe National Park. There we nearly finished the bottle.

As the sun goes down, the elephants come down to the watering hole for a drink. Watching them with a visitor from Islay. #africansunset #remarkablemalts #bigpeat #bigpeatcapetown @HectorMcBeth @valotone @RemarkableMalts pic.twitter.com/5FA99Xg2Av
— WhiskyoftheWeek (@WhiskyoftheWeek) September 26, 2019

Big Peat Cape Town Edition is exclusive to South Africa and part of the Big Peat World Tour City Series. It is a blended malt using Islay whisky and peated to 44ppm.

The label honours South Africa’s Mother City with a braai in front of the famous Devils Peak in Cape Town. As with all Remarkable Malt releases The Big Peat Cape Town Edition whisky is not chill-filtered and bottled at a rather decent ABV.

Big Peat Cape Town Edition Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 48%

COLOUR: Lightest gold

NOSE: Peat and ‘braai’ smoke with hints of blueberry sweetness. Bits of spice and earthy notes mixed with oak and red apples.

PALATE: Ash, peat and smoke. Like standing next to a ‘braaivleis vuur’ (BBQ fire). Fresh fruit sweetness with hints of salted caramel and dark chocolate. Bits of crispy bacon and pepper. Adding water brings forward the sweetness. It is big and bold but in a laid-back and unpretentious way. It is just delicious!

FINISH: Peat and smoke that goes on forever with hints of salt and pepper.

RATING: DIVINE

John is originally from Cape Town, and this Big Peat Cape Town Edition made him nostalgic. It brought back many good memories.

The notes I took while in Mapungubwe read: Sometimes you find a whisky that makes you want to sit down and have deep philosophical discussions with a loved one. But once in a while, you find a whisky that makes you forget about everything else and requires you to be present. Not solve world problems, not deep philosophical discussions. But the quietness of nature, to look into the eyes of the elephant and just be.

I loved Big Peat the first time I tasted it, and I loved it on holiday. And I still loved it when I poured it for my Friday afternoon tasting session. The bottle will not see the end of this year. The next bottle is already ordered. Just don’t tell John. He is getting it for Christmas.

Also Read: Powers John’s Lane 12 yo Irish whiskey

Big Peat 26 yo Platinum Edition Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/19/2019

In Blended Malt Whisky

Today I look at the second of the Big Peat samples that I got from Remarkable Malts to celebrate the 10^th-anniversary release of the smoky sailor. But I decided to jump right to the end and try the Big Peat 26 yo Platinum Edition blended malt Scotch whisky.

I know, logically I should have gone for the Big Peat Original first and then the special Feis Ile release before opening the old man, but patience has never been my biggest virtue.

After tasting the Big Peat 10 yo blended malt whisky, I was curious to see what an additional 16 years would do to the peaty and smoky gentleman. Big Peat 26 yo is a blended malt comprising whisky from Islay’s most sought after malt whiskies.

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It is the oldest Remarkable Malts Big Peat ever released. It is the second release in a three-part Vintage series. The first was the Big Peat 25 yo Gold Edition released in 2018. The goal of the Vintage series is to show the salty sailors’ more mature side.

The Big Peat 26 yo Scotch whisky is bottled at cask strength and was not chill-filtered and has a natural colour. Distillation Date: 1992.

Big Peat 26 yo Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 51.5%

COLOUR: Golden

NOSE: Very unique. It has notes of peat, smoky BBQ, burnt wood, salt and seaweed with a fruity sweetness. Big and bold.

PALATE: Peat, ash and smoke balanced with honey sweetness and salted caramel. Hints of coastal notes, lemon meringue tart and salty wind. When you add a bit of water, the more medicinal and earthy notes come forward. It reminded me of a fish braai (BBQ) on the beach. It is big and bold but wonderfully satisfying.

FINISH: Long and lingering. Hints of sea air and peat just warming you up from the inside.

RATING: DIVINE

O my word. I have fallen head of over heels in love with the salty gentleman this year. I have tasted quite a few of his releases during this year, and it is delicious. This is not the most complex release. However, it is perfectly balanced, there is no alcohol heat, and it just warms your soul up.

The BBQ notes make it unique and delicious. Even without water, it is easy drinking and just totally rewarding. I can easily sit next to the braai and slowly finish a bottle. That is for me always the best way to properly rate a whisky. Do I want another glass of this or not?

The Big Peat 26 yo Platinum edition is a limited release of only 3 000 bottles. A minimal number of this edition will be making their way to SA. So if you see it, grab it! It is worth it.

Sample disclosure: I received this sample from Douglas Laing. Though received as part of a promotional event, the review and tasting notes are my honest, fair and independent thoughts on the whisky.

Also Read: Amrut Kadhambam Whisky

Glen Grant 12 year old Non Chill Filtered Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/11/2019

In Single Malt whisky

One of my favourite events of the year is the annual Whisky and Spirit live festival in Sandton. Not only do I get to taste a variety of whisky, but I get to meet up with many whisky friends. And over the years, traditions have formed.

Every year, my friend Bernard G comes up to present at the Glen Grant stand, and we get to spend a bit of time together. For me, it is an opportunity to taste some of the delicious Glen Grant releases and to catch up on what has been happening.

The morning after the first Whisky Live evening, we always meet up to share a massive slice of chocolate cake and coffee.

I already knew and love the standard Glen Grant 12 yo as well as the Major’s Reserve. But during 2018, Bernard managed to get his hands on the Glen Grant 12 yo non chill filtered (NCF) single malt Scotch whisky release, which is (sadly) only available in travel retail.

He brought this and the standard release to our yearly coffee and cake session, and we sat down, right there in the middle of the Sandton coffee shop to taste the difference.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbRUi4il-_q/

I was not expecting a big difference. Yes, the ABV is a bit higher, but it is the standard Glen Grant 12 year old whisky, just the non-chill-filtered version. How big can the difference be?

It was HUGE. I could not imagine that this is the same dram. The sad part, it is only available in selected travel retailers. So when John travelled, he had strict instructions to buy nothing else but the non-chill-filtered edition.

Also Read: Cragganmore 12 yo whisky

What is chill filtering?

According to Wikipedia chill filtering is a method in whisky-making for removing residue. In chill-filtering, whisky is cooled to between -10° and 4° Celsius and passed through a fine adsorption filter.

Chill filtering prevents the whisky from becoming hazy when in the bottle, when served, when chilled, or when water or ice is added. It also prevents sedimentation from occurring in the bottles. I found an informative piece on ‘Whisky for Everyone” on chill-filtering and the reasoning behind it.

More reading indicates that many people say that chill filtering has no impact on the whisky and many more who say that it does. Various brands have gone the non-chill-filtered route. These include Bunnahabhain, Ardbeg and Compass Box.

However, it isn’t easy to properly test the difference between a non chill filtered and a chill filtered release as there are not many available in the market. That is until John brought back my bottle of Glen Grant 12 year old non chill filtered whisky.

Glen Grant 12 year old Non Chill Filtered Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 48%

COLOUR: Bright gold

NOSE: Fruity sweetness, ripe cherries, oak with hints of vanilla sweetness and cinnamon

PALATE: Big, bold and oily with heaps of pineapples, banana, tropical fruit, woody spices, honey, vanilla, and hints of butterscotch and cinnamon. You don’t even have to add water, it drinks so smooth. Water releases a few more sweet notes and softens the boldness.

FINISH: Fruits and nuts spices vanilla

RATING: DIVINE

My first Divine rated whisky for 2019. What a beautiful full rounded and balanced release. It is amazing how big the difference in taste is between the chill and non chill filtered. Later in the year, I will do a side by side blind taste comparison and write about it. I am not sure if it will hold for other releases, but in this Glen Grant 12 year old whisky, the non chill filtering has a significant difference in taste.

John is under strict instructions to pick up another one when he travels again. I am happy that this is a 1L bottle because it is going to be hard not to finish it before the end of the year. The best part of this dram, it pairs perfectly with rich chocolate cake. What more can you ask for?

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