Category: Blended Malt Whisky Page 3 of 5

Rock Oyster Whisky

On 05/27/2019

A whisky I have written about before in a twitter tasting, but I think it deserves its own blog post. The Douglas Laing’s Rock Oyster blended malt Scotch whisky is a firm favourite. Rock Oyster was released in 2015 as a blend of single malts from Scottish islands, including Orkney, Arran, Jura and Islay.

And like all the Douglas Laing releases, it has a lovely nautical themed label. The idea behind Rock Oyster was to create a maritime personality that reminds you of sea-salt, sweet peat, smoke, honey and pepper.

This is just the malt to make you miss the Scottish Islands. Rocky Oyster blended malt Scotch whisky is part of the Remarkable Malts range, together with the Scallywag and the Timorous Beastie and Big Peat.

Also Read: Big Peat 26 yo whisky

During 2018, Douglas Laing changed the name from Rock Oyster to Rock Island, which might be a bit more appropriate. However, this is still capturing my tasting notes for the Rock Oyster whisky release. I would love to try the Rock Oyster and Rock Island next to each other, but that will be a blog for another day.

Rock Oyster is a blended malt and is not chill-filtered, naturally coloured with no age statement, and bottled at 46.8%.

Rock Oyster Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 46.8%

COLOUR: Golden

NOSE: Peat, medicinal notes and iodine. Hints of smoke with newly cut green grass, hints of fruity sweetness, stormy ocean air.

PALATE: Peat, smoke with bits of summer fruit like peaches and apricots drizzled with caramel sauce. Hints of pepper, vanilla and heather. Delicious ocean character with bits of salt, seaweed and green notes. Big and bold and just delicious. Despite the bold palate, it is easy drinking, and I want a second glass.

FINISH: Wonderfully balanced between the peat and the fresh fruit with pepper. Big and bold, and it goes on forever. Warming you from the inside while you are standing on the windswept cliff.

RATING: EXCELLENT

I love this. It is like comfort food. Not fancy and spectacular, warming, comforting and it hits just the right notes. And at the price point, it is perfect. It has beautiful Islay notes, but they are perfectly balanced with the softer Highland heather and green notes and sweetness from Arran.

I can’t wait to see what the Remarkable Malts Rock Island will be priced at and how it compares to this release. I will do a side by side comparison between the two when the time comes.

Also Read: Bennachie Whisky

Johnnie Walker Green Label Scotch Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/20/2019

In Blended Malt Whisky

As I continue my journey through the remarkable Johnnie Walker colour spectrum, I am pausing today to explore the exceptional qualities of Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 year old blended mat Scotch whisky.

The Green Label is a truly unique offering within the Johnnie Walker family, and I’m excited to delve into the details of this blended malt whisky.

Johnnie Walker Green Label, known for its distinct character, was initially introduced in 1997 under Johnnie Walker Pure Malt 15 yo. It was rebranded in 2004 as Johnnie Walker Green Label. One of its standout features is that it’s a blended malt whisky consisting of a blend of only single malts, each aged for a minimum of 15 years.

Also Read: Bennachie Whisky

Notably, in 2012, Diageo discontinued the production of the Green Label as part of a range restructuring effort. However, whisky enthusiasts worldwide rejoiced when the brand made a triumphant return in 2016.

To add to the excitement, in recent years, Diageo unveiled a special edition called the Green Island, offering a fresh take on this classic. For today’s tasting experience, I’m delving into the pre-2016 release of this iconic blend.

Johnnie Walker describes the Green Label as representing various Scotch whisky regions, including Speyside, Highland, Lowland, and Island. This well-crafted blend results from harmoniously combining at least 27 distinct single malts, all matured in a mixture of American and European oak casks.

These single malts hail from renowned distilleries like Cragganmore and Linkwood, playing key roles alongside the spirited contributions of Caol Ila and Talisker distiller malts. Together, these components create a symphony of flavours that define the Green Label’s unique character.

Johnnie Walker Green Label Scotch Whisky Review

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Golden Honey

NOSE: On the nose, the Green Label offers delightful aromas of after-dinner mints, aniseed, oak, and subtle hints of smoke. The bouquet is further enriched by fruity sweetness, malt, and a slight dash of pepper. There are also gentle reminders of fresh-cut grass and vanilla, providing a sensory journey for the whisky enthusiast.

PALATE: The palate is equally captivating, with notes of vanilla, fruity sweetness, and a touch of cinnamon. This is complemented by a mild Scottish Highland peat smoke, which adds depth and complexity to the tasting experience.

The presence of oak, malt, and the freshness of flowers balances a slight warmth from the alcohol. The after-dinner mint sensation, resembling fresh-cut mint and dark chocolate, becomes even more pronounced. A dash of water enhances the honeyed sweetness within the palate.

FINISH: The finish is medium-length and concludes with a delightful combination of pepper and a faint wisp of smoke.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Unsurprisingly, the Johnnie Walker Green Label earns this rating, with its delightful mint chocolate notes setting it apart as a delightful and easy-drinking dram. The price for the Johnnie Walker Green Label is around R1000 in South Africa.

The allure of the Green Label is undeniable, and I find myself curious about the differences that the newer 15-year-old expression and the Island Green edition might bring to the table. An exciting side-by-side tasting awaits in the future.

But for now, I’m content to savour the timeless charm of this blended malt. What are your thoughts on this remarkable release?

Update: My whisky adventures continue, and in 2023, I had the pleasure of discovering the Johnnie Walker Island Green whisky. I have also played around with a Green vs Blue Label comparison to see who the those two colours differ.

Also Read: Shackleton whisky

Kamiki Blended Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/04/2019

In Blended Malt Whisky

Time for a world whisky again and this week I look at the Kamiki blended malt whisky. I tasted this interesting expression last year at Bottega Cafe in Parkhurst, where Savi has an fantastic variety of whisky.

Kamiki is a blended malt whisky that combines Japanese malt whiskies with specially selected malt whisky from around the world. After blending, the Kamiki whisky is cut with Japanese spring water and then finished in casks made from Japanese cedar wood.

Also Read: Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky

Japanse Cedar or Yoshino Sugi trees are indigenous to Japan and grow at the base of Mount Miwa. These trees are well known as a particularly aromatic type of wood.

The brand website states that Kamiki is the first whisky ever to enjoy a cedar cask finish. According to the experts, the aromatic wood is difficult to handle but imparts immense depth to the final liquid.

Kamiki translates as ‘God’s breath’ and is named after the winds that descend from Mount Miwa in Nara. Kamiki blended malt whisky was bottled at cask strength and is non-chill-filtered and has no age statement.

Kamiki Blended Malt Whisky Review

ABV:48.5%

COLOUR: Rich Gold with hints of red

NOSE: Fruity sweetness and caramel with red berries with lashings of dry wood. Faint spicy hints with smoke. Not a very complex nose and there is a bit of alcohol burn.

PALATE: Tobacco and white pepper with caramel sweetness and raw wood. It is like standing in a carpenters workshop while they are sanding, and the wood dust burns your eyes and throat. The first bit of wood is warming, but then it quickly becomes overwhelming. Light fruity notes with cinnamon.

Many people commented that the Kamiki has some peaty notes, but neither John nor I picked up any peat. It needs a bit of water to tone down the alcohol burn. Water brings more fruity sweetness to the forefront. However, the whisky is a bit one dimensional with not a lot of depth.

FINISH: Medium length and end in notes of pepper and wood.

RATING: GOOD

I was expecting a bit more from this blended malt. The spice and woody notes quickly become overbearing and drown out any of the other, more subtle notes. My personal view; the cedar wood makes for a clever marketing angle.

However, the impact of the cedar wood finish drowns out of anything else. I also suspect that there are a few rather young malts in the blend, as some of the alcohol has distinct raw notes.

The Kamiki whisky retails for around R800 in SA and is only available in a 500ml bottle. You can find out more about Savi’s Bottega Whisky Club and see what other interesting releases he has.

Also Read: Milk & Honey Classic Whisky

Shackleton Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/25/2019

In Blended Malt Whisky

During 2018 I attended the soft launch of the new Shackleton blended malt Scotch whisky in South Africa. The blended malt is a follow up to the Mackinlay’s The Enduring Spirit that came out a few years earlier. Where the Enduring Spirit was a limited edition firmly in the premium price class, the Shackleton blended malt is more readily available and way more affordable.

The launch evening was terrific. Master storyteller Rob Caskie narrated the history of Shackleton’s attempt to traverse Antarctica, via the South Pole. Without visual media, Rob sketched the history in fascinating detail.

He told us all about the problems experienced by the expedition, the conditions that the team had to endure, the different personalities of the team members and the interaction with each other.

Also Read: Johnnie Walker Island Green Whisky

It is a story of courage, perseverance and endurance. It is the story that inspired Master Blender Richard Patterson to create a more accessible version of the first limited edition Mackinlay release. He wanted to capture the spirit of the original whisky commissioned by Shackleton.

Using the flavour profile of Shackleton’s favourite whisky, Patterson created a blended malt whisky comprising various Highland and Speyside single malts. It was launched as the Shackleton blended malt whisky.

The Shackleton blended malt Scotch whisky is aged in a combination of ex-bourbon American white oak barrels and Spanish Sherry butts. It is available at major retailers and sells for less than R500 in SA. It is part of the Whyte and Mackay stable.

Shackleton Blended Malt Scotch Whisky Review

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: Gold

NOSE: Sweetness balanced with notes of fruit, spices, smoke, and menthol. Faint peat in the background. The nose reminds me a bit of the Dalmore 15 yo.

PALATE: Rich and bold. Honey sweetness, malt, orchard fruit with warming cinnamon and vanilla balanced with dry oak and aniseed. Adding water makes the sweetness more rounded and complex. Easy drinking and smooth.

FINISH: Long and lingering with notes of sweetness and orange blossom.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What an enjoyable dram. And at the price point – this is a stand out malt! This bottle will not last long and will be replaced every time. This bottle is going with on my next hiking adventure.

After spending the day hiking in the beautiful Drakensberg, next to the fire, adding a few drops of fresh mountain water; it will just be perfect.

It is a whisky that works particularly well over ice. So it is also perfect for the sweltering SA summer we have been experiencing. On what adventure are you taking your Shackleton whisky?

Also Read: Dalmore Cigar Malt whisky

Wemyss Malts The Hive Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 04/23/2018

In Blended Malt Whisky

I have had a long love affair with Wemyss Malt releases. Since the first time I tasted Wemyss Malts in Dullstroom, I have been in love. The collection of Wemyss whisky in Wild About Whisky is extensive. They have an incredible range of Wemyss single cask releases available, and when we visited, I tasted my way through quite a few of them.

Unfortunately, up to about a year ago, there were no Wemyss Malts releases available in South Africa. The few limited releases I managed to get, we brought back from our travels to the UK. This changed with Wemyss bringing a few of their standard releases into SA. I got my hands on the Wemyss Malts The Hive blended malt whisky release and could not wait to write about it.

Wemyss is known for their Single Cask releases that are named for their taste notes. I have a bottle of Wemyss Brandy Casket, Wemyss Gooseberry Marmalade and Wemyss Sweet Mint Infusion whisky and as you nose and taste them, you can immediately pick up the notes.

However, the core of the Wemyss Malts blended malts is the three releases aptly named The Hive, The Spice King and Peat Chimney. All bottled at 46% ABV.

Launched in 2011, Wemyss Malts The Hive has no-age-statement (NAS). In 2016 Wemyss released a Batch Strength limited editions, of which 6,000 bottles were produced at 54.5% ABV. Sadly this is not (yet) available in South Africa.

Wemyss Malt The Hive focuses on sweet honey qualities with a few Speysider style notes at the core of this blend. It is a blend of at least ten single malts. The Wemyss blended malts are non-chill filtered.

Also Read: Muirhead Silver Seal Maturity whisky

Wemyss Malts The Hive Whisky Review

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Rich gold

NOSE: Honey sweetness, malt and oak with bits of vanilla, ginger and faint hints of citrus.

PALATE: Wemyss Malts The Hive has heaps of honey, freshly baked apple pie, vanilla sugar, oak with hints of pepper and ginger. A bit of an alcohol burn and adding water makes it easier to drink and releases more of the honeycomb sweetness. Rich and delicious.

FINISH: Medium length that ends in honey notes.

RATING: EXCELLENT

It is a great blended malt, not the most complex, but easy drinking and fun. Perfect for summer! It just needs to breathe a bit. Let it stand for a few minutes and add enough water. Other Wemyss releases that I have tasted and written about include the Wemyss Malts Dark Chocolate Orange as well as the Wemyss Velvet Fig blended Whisky.

Also Read: Tomatin 12 yo Whisky