Meandering the world, one whisky at a time

Tag: Speyside Whisky Page 1 of 14

Speyside is a “protected region” for Scotch Whisky distilling under UK Government legislation.According to Visit Scotland, this region includes the area between the Highlands to the west, Aberdeenshire in the east and extending north to the Cairngorms National Park.  Speyside single malt whisky is single malt Scotch whiskies, distilled in Strathspey, the area around the River Spey in Moray and Badenoch and Strathspey, in northeastern Scotland.

Aultmore 18 year old Whisky

Aultmore 18 yo whisky header
Today, I’m diving into the Aultmore 18 year old Foggie Moss whisky, and what immediately captures my attention is the enchanting name of their single malt collection: Foggy Moss. Just mentioning it conjures a vivid image – a hauntingly beautiful scene of fog weaving through the corridors of a moss-draped, long-forgotten castle nestled on the misty moors.

Balvenie 17 year old Doublewood Whisky

Balvenie doublewood 17 yo whisky header
I have not had a glass of Balvenie in ages. The last time I had any Balvenie in my glass was when we did the Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask comparison, and the bottles were empty after that tasting. I looked at my whisky collection for something new to drink and saw the Balvenie 17 year old DoubleWood single malt Scotch whisky, so I grabbed it and am glad I did.

GlenDronach Peated Whisky

Glendronach peated whisky header
I have tried at least one GlenDronach each year for the last three years, and in 2022 I want to continue this streak. So this year, I chose a peated release from this typical sherry forward distillery; the GlenDronach Peated single malt Scotch whisky.

Rhino Whisky

Rhino Whisky review and tasting notes
Today I look at a delicious whisky with a great cause. That is a win-win situation. A week ago, this bottle of Rhino whisky arrived. I love the design and packaging, and it comes with an extraordinary story.

Benriach The Smoky Twelve Whisky

Benriach the smoky twelve whisky header
My previous post featuring Benriach was looking at The Twelve whisky. Today I explore further and look at the Benriach The Smoky Twelve single malt Scotch whisky. I got to taste both these drams as part of a Benriach tasting in June.

One of the things I enjoy about Benriach whisky is the links with South Africa. John Duff travelled through South Africa before he opened Benriach in Scotland.

During June, my whisky friend Paul S tweeted about some more Benriach South Africa connections. He posted about the Benriach Cape of Storms 12 year old and 16 year old whisky released exclusively for the South African market at Whisky Live in 2007.

Benriach Cape of Storms was a limited release special bottling created to celebrate the launch of BenRiach into South Africa.

The casks were shipped to South Africa, where they were left to mature for another three years before bottling. SWA rules stipulate that Scotch whisky must be matured in Scotland, which meant that the extra three years of maturation in South Africa did not count towards the age statement.

There were 225 bottles of the Benriach 12 year old and 195 bottles of the Benriach 16 year old released. Both bottles were packaged in wooden crates. The crates for the Benriach 16 yo were made from staves of old BenRiach oak casks.

But back to the current dram in my glass: The Smoky Twelve single malt whisky. It is part of the core range together with The Twelve, Benriach The Ten and The Smoky Ten. All four of these core expressions are made up of different cask types.

BenRiach The Smoky Twelve Whisky Review

Benriach the smoky twelve whisky with glass

The Smoky Twelve single malt Scotch is created from a combination of unpeated and peated spirit, and these casks matured for at least twelve years in bourbon barrels, sherry casks, and Marsala wine casks. The whisky from each cask is then married together.

According to Rowan, it is peated to about 35 ppm, which is similar to the Lagavulin 16 year old whisky. The peat used is from Caledonia.

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Burnished gold

NOSE: Heaps of oranges, smoky peaches and roasted almonds. A smattering of peat, vanilla and cloves is mixed with raisins and red fruit. Banana bread baking in the oven.

PALATE: Sweet red berries dipped in dark chocolate, peaty goodness, orange peel, brown sugar and toasted oak. Oranges and vanilla with BBQ smoky notes. A simply satisfying mix between the fruity sweetness and smoke. Hints of nuts and warming oak spice and the peaty notes are green and heathery. I finished my glass without water. Just a few drops allow more sweetness through.

FINISH: Long and lingering with nuts, black pepper and soft smoke.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What a lovely dram. Rich, smoky with sweet fruity notes balanced with green earthy peaty notes. The Benriach Smoky Twelve is perfect for autumn days next to the BBQ. The spice, sweetness and peat balance is perfect, and the peat is inviting but not overwhelming. Adding water takes away a bit of the complexity.

I can drink this without water every day in winter. Another point in its favour is the price range. It is readily available and retails for around R700 in South Africa.

Sample disclosure: I received this whisky from the BenRiach team. The review and tasting notes are my own honest, fair and independent thoughts about the whisky.

Also Read: KWV 12 yo Brandy



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