Category: Whisky Comparison Page 5 of 10

Whisky Comparison

A combination of side by side whisky / bourbon / whiskey comparison blog posts. A look at all the most popular whiskies and how they rate next to their rivals. From bourbons and Scottish whisky to blends and single malts. A broad collection of comparisons I have tried.

Jim Beam vs Jack Daniel’s Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/14/2021

In Whisky Comparison

This week, my side-by-side comparison is two high-volume brands against each other; Jim Beam bourbon vs Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey. Both are from large commercial distilleries, and between these two brands, they command quite a bit of bottle space. They are in a similar price category and are both known globally.

However, Jim Beam and Jack Daniel’s are distinctly different in several ways. Jim Beam is a straight bourbon whiskey made in Kentucky, while Jack Daniel’s is a whiskey distilled in Tennessee.

But what happens when you put them side by side in a taste test?

Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey

Jim Beam Bourbon White with glass
Jim Beam Kentucky Straight whiskey is one of the best selling brands of bourbon in the world. In 1795 a group of German farming immigrants founded Jim Beam. Jacob Beam noticed how fertile the Kentucky region was for cereal farming, and he grew corn and grains, which he eventually used in his whiskey.

He began selling it under the name of Old Jake Beam, and in 1820 his son David began managing the distillery at just 18 years old. The distillery and brand grew from strength to strength. In 2014, Suntory Holdings bought Jim Beam to create Beam Suntory.

The Beam Suntory bourbon portfolio includes Makers Mark and Knob Creek. The whisky portfolio includes Yamazaki, Laphroaig and Bowmore and a few more.

The Jim Beam White Label bourbon is distilled at lower temperatures and aged for 4 years in newly charred American oak. The mash bill is 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% barley. I have also done a comparison between this bourbon and the Evan Williams bourbon and you can read all about it by following the link.

Jack Daniel’s Old No 7 Tennessee whiskey

Jack Daniel's Old No 7 with glass b
Love it or hate it, you will find Jack Daniel’s all around the world! Jasper Newton ‘Jack’ Daniel’s started the Jack Daniel’s distillery around 1875 in Moore County, Tennessee. Jack Daniel developed the Lincoln County process.

This is where the whiskey is filtrated through sugar maple charcoal before maturation. This process is of crucial importance to the finished whiskey’s character. Whiskey from the Jack Daniel’s distillery is bottled as Tennessee whiskey.

The distillery remained in Jack’s family until 1956. It was sold to Brown Forman, a Kentucky distilling company. The Jack Daniels’ brand of Tennessee whiskey has become the highest-selling American whiskey in the world.

The Jack Daniel’s Old No 7 whiskey has a mashbill of 80% corn, 8% rye, and 12% barley. After the charcoal filtration, the new spirit is aged for at least 4 years in new charred American oak.

I paired this bourbon with some KFC to see how it would work. See which bourbon paired best with the fried chicken. I have also done a side-by-side comparison between the Old No 7 and Gentleman Jack to see how big the difference is.

Jim Beam vs Jack Daniel’s Whiskey

Comparison: Jim Beam vs Jack Daniel's Whiskey

	Jim Beam Bourbon	Jack Daniel's Old no 7
Type	Bourbon Whiskey	Tennessee Whiskey
Mash Bill	5% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley	80% corn, 12% barley, and 8% rye
ABV	43%	43%
Colour	Golden Mahogany	Light amber
Nose	Subtle vanilla, spice, pine forests, toasted oak and lemon zest with hints of toffee. Sticky pudding and caramelized fruit.	Quite sweet with honey, vanilla and toasted oak with a hint of smoke. Dried red fruit and marzipan.
Palate	Spicy with toasted oak and mint freshness. Hints of dry paper and pepper. A faint hint of vanilla. Water brings more citrus and pepper It has a light body and is not very complex.	Oak and butterscotch sweetness. A hint of sour cherries and cereal. Bits of fruit and loads of vanilla. It is quite an oily whiskey and has a medium body.
Finish	Long and dry with citrus and pepper.	Medium length with some toasty oak, butterscotch and spice.
My Rating	Very Good	Very Good
Comments	A bit bland. Great inoffensive for cocktails.	Not very complex, easy-drinking and comforting. It is a very mellow and smooth whiskey.
Price	$15	$20

The Jim Beam Kentucky bourbon whiskey has notes of pine forest, toasted oak, vanilla, and lemon pepper. It is quite spicy with not many sweet notes. It is also a bit cheaper than Jack Daniel’s whiskey. The Jim Beam makes for quite a light drinking experience, and I found it a bit bland.

The Jack Daniel’s Old No 7 whiskey has more butterscotch sweetness, vanilla notes, marzipan, and toasted oak. Again, it is not the most complex dram but more memorable than the Jim Beam. The Jack Daniel’s also has an oily note that helps to capture the sweetness.

I have a sweet palate, so Jack wins hands down. John enjoyed the more spicy notes of the Jim Beam bourbon, but in the end, the mellow note of the Jack won him over.

So in my book, the Jack Daniel’s whiskey easily takes the crown for the best between these two.

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Last but not least, I did a side by side comparison between the Evan Williams and the Jack Daniels to see how they stack up against each other.

Johnnie Walker Blue vs Black Label Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/17/2021

In Whisky Comparison

One of the search terms, according to Google Analytics, that bring many hits to the blog is a query relating to Johnnie Walker Blue vs Black Label blended Scotch whisky. The exclusive and expensive Blue Label versus the more affordable, standard range Johnnie Walker Black Label.

At first glance, it seems like an unreasonable comparison to do. A luxurious blend of older drams compared with a younger blend that is affordable and widely available. However, perhaps the real question is, is the Johnnie Walker Blue worth the high price, and if I can’t afford it, what is a quality alternative?

The Johnnie Walker story started as a blend in a grocery store in Ayrshire, Scotland. John Walker sold made-to-order whiskies, blended to meet specific customer requirements because he did not have any brand of his own. As his blends became successful, he started creating blended drams that he labelled Walker’s Kilmarnock whisky.

His grandson introduced the brand’s signature square bottle in 1860. The popularity of the blended releases grew steadily, and today it is one of the world’s top-selling brands.

Let’s put them side by side and see how they compare.

Also Read: Johnnie Walker Red vs Black Label whisky

Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky

Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 yo with glass
Johnnie Walker Black Label blended whisky is a blend of about forty whiskies from all around Scotland. Smoother and more drinkable than its little brother, Johnnie Walker Red Label.

This release has a consistent taste profile and an affordable price point. In SA, the Black Label retail for around R 340.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Whisky

Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky with glass b
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a blended whisky made from thirty five grain and malt whiskies aged for up to 60 years. Master Distiller Jim Beveridge created the Johnnie Walker Blue Label to mirror whiskies’ style in the early 19th century.

Only one in ten thousand casks from the extensive Diageo inventory make the grade. It has no age statement, but each bottle has a serial number. In South Africa, it is seen as the whisky to drink to show that you have arrived. It retails for around R 2 700.

Johnnie Walker Blue vs Black Label Whisky

Johnnie Walker Blue vs Black label whisky comparison

	Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky	Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky
Type	Blended Whisky	Blended Whisky
ABV	43%	43%
Colour	Light golden amber	Polished amber
Nose	Peat, smoke with oak and malt. Christmas cake, spice and dried fruit. Adding some water unlocked fresh flowers and florals.	Faint smoke, red berries, Christmas pudding with heaps of toffee and hints of winter spice.
Palate	Peat and old wood. Water smooths it toward a more floral, sweeter bouquet with notes of oak and toffee.	Smooth and creamy with smoke and bold peat, perfectly balanced with fruit, citrus flowers, oak and malt. A toffee sweetness with hints of spice.
Finish	Medium length with notes of pepper and nutmeg, caramels and oak.	Long and rewarding balanced between fruity sweetness, citrus peel, vanilla and warming pepper spice.
My Rating	Excellent	Divine
Price	$250	$40
Pairs well with	Roast Beef or tiramisu or a light blue cheese.	A cheese platter or roasted pork.

When I look at the ratings on Whizzky, it seems more people like the Blue Label than Johnnie Walker the Black Label whisky. However, I’m afraid I have to disagree. I think the Black Label is far superior to the Blue Label whisky. Let me explain why.

Both these releases bring the characteristic Johnnie Walker peat, smoke and a fruity sweetness. However, the Black Label is more memorable and bolder. The nose on the Bue Label is soft with more floral notes.

On the palate, the Blue Label exhibit a more wooden character when compared to the Black Label. It is also slightly spicier. The Black Label brings bold fruits, malt and mixed spices.

It is better balanced, richer, and more complex than the Blue Label. Make no mistake. The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch is a good dram. It is elegant, smooth and delicious, with a lovely palate. But I am not convinced that what you are paying is worth it.

Then, there is the hefty price difference. I will keep my current Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky for occasional celebrations. The bottle should last me quite a while. And I don’t know if I will restock when it is finished.

On the other hand, I will always have a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky in my collection. What do you think?

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Exploring further, I have done a side by side comparison between the Green and Blue Label whisky to get a better understanding of their differences.

Also Read: Glenfiddich 18 vs Glenmorangie 18 yo Whisky

Ardbeg 10 vs Lagavulin 16 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/15/2021

In Whisky Comparison

Ardbeg 10 yo whisky vs Lagavulin 16 year old Whisky side by side comparison
Today I look at another battle of big Islay malts; Ardbeg 10 vs Lagavulin 16 year old whisky. Both these single malt Scotch drams achieved cult status with peat heads. When you mention Islay whisky, one of the first drams that come to mind is the Lagavulin 16 year old whisky.

Another Islay legend is the Ardbeg Scotch whisky and the passion for Ardbeg reaches fever pitch all over the world on Ardbeg Day. But when you put these drams in a blind tasting next to each other, how do they stack up?

Ardbeg 10 year old Whisky

Ardbeg 10 yo whisky with glass
Ardbeg Distillery is situated on the south coast of the isle of Islay. Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy owns the distillery and produces a heavily peated Islay whisky. Ardbeg single malt Scotch whisky is peated to 55 ppm. The Ardbeg 10 year old whisky is aged for at least 10 years in ex-bourbon barrels.

Lagavulin 16 year old Whisky

review and tasting notes Lagavulin 16 yo whisky with glass
Lagavulin’s name is the English translation of the Gaelic ‘Lag a’a’ Mhuilinn’, which means the mill’s hollow. Lagavulin was one of the six whiskies marketed as part of the Diageo’ Classic Malts of Scotland’ range.

Lagavulin distillery is known for its use of a slow distillation speed and pear-shaped pot stills. The Lagavulin 16 year old single malt Scotch whisky is peated to 35 ppm.

Also Read: GlenDronach 18 vs 21 yo Whisky

Ardbeg 10 vs Lagavulin 16 year old Whisky

Ardbeg 10 vs Lagavulin 16 yo whisky comparison

	Ardbeg 10 yo whisky	Lagavulin 16 yo whisky
ABV	46%	43%
Region	Islay Whisky	Islay Whisky
Peat Level	55 to 65 ppm	35 ppm
Colour	Pale Straw with green hints	Dark Gold
Nose	Peat and smoke with hints of vanilla, sea salt and citrus sweetness. It is not overwhelming but inviting and intriguing.	Liquorice, smoke, hints of peat with a fruity sweetness. Bits of oak, iodine, and vanilla. Delicate and well balanced.
Palate	After the initial peat, some warming citrus and hints of vanilla. It continues to bring you hints of coffee and a bit of iodine. This Ardbeg 10 yo is a big whisky but not overwhelming at all.	Dry oak, peat with hints of cherry sweetness and smoke. Medium body with iodine and tar in the background. A bit one-sided.
Finish	What an epic finish! You will remember the Ardbeg 10 yo long after you have emptied the glass.	Medium length with peat and hints of oak and vanilla.
My Rating	Excellent	Very Good
Comments	Complex and well balanced	Lacks some complexity and has a few sharp edges.
Price	$65	$108
Pairs well with	Garlic leg of Lamb or a charcuterie platter	Blue Stilton

When John and I first tasted the Lagavulin 16 year old whisky, we looked at each other and frowned. It did not live up to our expectations. We felt that it was a bit one dimensional and boring. In the blind tasting, against the Ardbeg 10 year old whisky, the difference was even more evident.

The first difference between these two Islay drams is the peat level. The Lagavulin is peated at 35 ppm, and the Ardbeg sits at 55 ppm. There is also a big difference in the taste of the peat. The Lagavulin has more medicinal notes, and the Ardbeg has more ocean salt and fishy notes.

The Lagavulin 16 year old Scotch brings notes of dry oak, cherries and vanilla. Yes, it is peaty with smoke and fruity sweetness, but it lacks the complexity and wow factor. It has a medium body and a medium length finish.

The Ardbeg 10 year old has peat, smoke, sea salt, vanilla and citrus notes. There are hints of coffee and light iodine with an epic finish. It is big, bold, and complex. Just delicious.

Ardbeg is less medicinal than Laphroaig, however, it is more balanced and complex. Lagavulin has a more oily mouthfeel than the Ardbeg; however, the oiliness also seems to capture some raw alcohol notes.

The Ardbeg is drinkable and smooth and invites you back time after time. For my palate, this has a clear winner! The Ardbeg 10 year old every time.

I have done a side by side comparison between the Ardbeg Uigeadail and the Lagavulin 16 year old whisky as well to see how they stack up against each other.

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Also Read: Ardbeg 10 vs An Oa Whisky

Tullamore DEW vs Jameson Irish Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/15/2021

In Whisky Comparison

Tullamore DEW vs Jameson irish whiskey comprison
My second side-by-side comparison for 2021 and I am looking at two well-known Irish whiskey brands: Tullamore DEW vs the Jameson Irish whiskey. Jameson whiskey is the top-selling Irish whiskey in the world, by quite a significant number.

Second is Tullamore DEW with Bushmills following not far behind. I am not the biggest Jameson fan, so we had some fun over the weekend pitting with these two drams against each other. I did it in a blind tasting to take out the bias element.

Also Read: Johnnie Walker Red vs Black Label whisky

Tullamore DEW Irish Whiskey

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Tullamore DEW is a brand of Irish whiskey produced by William Grant & Sons. The distillery was founded in 1829 by Michael Molloy in Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland. The Daly Family acquired the distillery after his death.

The brand changed hands various times, and William Grant and Sons purchased it in 2010. The whiskey is triple distilled, triple blended and triple cask matured. Tullamore DEW whiskey is matured in traditional refill casks, ex-bourbon casks and ex-sherry casks.

Jameson Irish Whiskey

Review and tasting notes Jameson's Irish whiskey with glass
John Jameson, a lawyer from Scotland, founded the distillery in Dublin in 1780 and it was called Bow Street Distillery. All four sons followed in his distilling footsteps, and his son John Jameson II took over the family business. At the turn of the 19th century, it was a world-renowned whiskey.

It is part of the Pernod Ricard whiskey portfolio. Jameson whiskey is a blend of pot still and grain whiskey. Like all Irish whiskey, it is triple distilled. The Jameson Irish whiskey is aged for 4 years in oak.

Tullamore DEW vs Jameson Irish Whiskey

Tullamore DEW vs Jameson Irish Whiskey Comparison

	Tullamore DEW Whiskey	Jameson Whiskey
Type	Irish Whiskey	Irish Whiskey
ABV	43%	43%
Colour	Light amber	Gold
Nose	Vanilla and caramel with hints of fresh flowers, butterscotch and citrus with subtropical fruit. In the background, there are faint hints of spice, moss and wood. After the addition of water, the spice and wood dominate the nose.	Freshly baked banana bread, tropical fruit with bits of spicy wood and caramel. Grain mixed with plums, pineapple. Complex and delicious.
Palate	Heaps of spice and oak with hints of grapefruit and lemon rind. Bits of toffee sweetness and malt. However, the peppery spice dominates everything. Adding water mellows out some of the spicy notes.	Very smooth. Medium body but the tropical fruit deliciousness promised by the nose is not there. Bits of malt, aniseed mixed with vanilla and pepper notes. Adding water softens the pepper notes.
Finish	Rather short and end in spicy notes	Short with pepper and orange rind.
My Rating	Very Good	Good
Comments	Quite a spicy whiskey.	The nose promised the world. However, it all fell flat on the palate. Not as complex as I was expecting after the delicious nose.
Price	$29	$32
Pairs well with	Irish Dubliner Cheese.	Hawaiian pizza, Smoked salmon, dried fruit.

My tasting notes for the Tullamore DEW dates from 2016. Since then, my palate has evolved and matured from all the different whisky we taste. Putting these two Irish whiskeys next to each other show how much my tastes has changed.

The Tullamore DEW has notes of caramel, fresh flowers, oak, malt and nearly overwhelming pepper heat. It needs a few drops of water to tone down the spiciness. The Jameson brings notes of banana bread, tropical fruit, malt and vanilla. It has a unique and complex nose, but the nose does not continue on the palate.

The Tullamore DEW was rated ‘Very Good’, and I rated the Jameson whiskey as ‘Good’. However, in the blind tasting, the Jameson came out better than the Tullamore DEW. The Jameson whiskey’s nose is more elegant and inviting, and on the palate, the Jamesons is smoother.

In the Tullamore DEW, the tropical fruit, floral notes, and oaks are more pronounced on the palate than the Jamesons. However, the pepper spiciness of the Tullamore DEW overwhelms all the other tastes. Especially on the finish, the pepper spice of the Tullamore DEW drowns out the fruity sweetness. It is not as smooth as the Jameson, and the finish is shorter as well.

If I had to choose between the two Irish drams, my preference would be the Jameson Irish whiskey. It will never make my list of favourite brands. However, it is excellent for an Irish coffee in winter and this bottle will not go to waste.

Also Read: Teeling Single Malt vs Single Grain Irish Whiskey

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Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 01/18/2021

In Whisky Comparison

Originally this post was part of my Balvenie Golden Cask tasting notes, but it is such a fun and delicious side by side comparison, I decided it warranted a post of its own; Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask whisky. Both these Balvenie releases were finished in rum casks.

The Caribbean Cask release is part of the Balvenie core range, and the Golden Cask was travel retail special. Let’s look at the Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask single malt Scotch whisky comparison.

The Golden Cask has been finished in Caribbean Rum barrels and the Caribbean Cask in barrels that previously held Malt Master David Stewart’s personal blend of select West Indian rum.

I have both these expressions in my collection, so after capturing my tasting notes for the Golden Cask, I got out the Caribbean Cask whisky to do a bit of a comparison. For me, a side-by-side comparison is a valuable learning experience that shows the different sides of each dram.

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask Whisky

Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean casks comparison
Balvenie launched the Caribbean Cask 14 yo whisky to mark the 50th anniversary of David Stewart joining the Balvenie distillery. It is part of the Balvenie core range.

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask Speyside single malt whisky has been matured in traditional oak casks for 14 years. Afterwards, they finished it in casks that previously held Malt Master David Stewart’s blend of select West Indian rum.

The Balvenie Golden Cask Whisky

The Balvenie Golden Cask 14 yo single malt whisky with glass Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean casks comparison
The Balvenie Golden Cask whisky was initially bottled for the travel retail market. The Golden Cask single malt Scotch whisky was first matured in traditional oak casks and then finished in casks that formerly held golden Caribbean rum.

It was crafted by Balvenie’s David Stewart, and it has been discontinued.

Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask Whisky

Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask comparison

	Balvenie Golden Cask	Balvenie Caribbean Cask
Age	14 yo	14 yo
ABV	47.5%	43%
Cask Finish	Caribbean rum	David Stewart’s blend of select West Indian rum
Colour	Light wheat gold	Golden wheat
Nose	Heaps of fruits, florals with butterscotch and fudge and vanilla. Fields of summer flowers with hints of cinnamon spice and hints of chocolate coated fruits and oak.	Ripe mango, pineapple and guava, toffee, Christmas cake and plump rum-soaked raisins. Hints of florals and malt intermingling with oak. Fudge and lashings of spices.
Palate	The fruity sweetness promised on the nose is not so pronounced, and there are more spicy notes on the palate. The Golden Cask is refined and luxurious. It is fresh and light with pineapple, tropical fruit.	Mango and spicy notes, creamy caramel toffee, vanilla, oak, tipsy tart and ginger. Chewy and spicy.
Finish	Big and bold with sweetness and cinnamon that lingers	Softer with notes of pectin and pepper
Rating	Excellent	Excellent
Comments	More refined and floral with an amazing finish.	Chewy and delicious, but with a few sharp pepper notes.
Pairs well with	Dark chocolate and tropical fruit	Softer cheese such as camembert

Side by side, it is amazing how different these two releases are.

The Balvenie Golden Cask has a higher ABV and is slightly lighter than the Caribbean Cask release. Both releases have tropical rum notes, but they are more pronounced on the Golden Cask.

The Balvenie Golden Cask single malt has a floral note mixed with pineapples and oak. It also has notes of cinnamon and tropical fruit. The Balvenie Caribbean Cask has more mango, raisins, vanilla, and fudge. It has a spicier finish with more pepper and ginger notes.

Both are excellent and delicious, a testament to Balvenie’s Master Distillers’ skill and quality. If I have to choose a favourite, it will be the Balvenie Golden Cask whisky. The Golden Cask is more refined and less spicy than the Caribbean Cask. It is my favourite of these two bottles.

Both my bottles are nearly finished. I will be sad to see the Golden Cask empty; it was a delicious and unique dram. The Caribbean Cask is readily available, and when the bottle is empty, I will replace it.

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I have also done a side by side comparison between the Caribbean Cask and the Balvenie Doublewood.