Category: Blended whisky Page 13 of 14

Blended whisky

Whisky of the Week review and tasting notes for blended whisky. A collection of all the interesting releases I have tried. From Scotland and all around the world including some of the most well known and loved brands.

Ballantine’s 12 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/24/2015

In Blended whisky

After trying it for the first time last year, Ballantines has quickly become my favourite blended whisky. The Ballantine’s Finest received my first divine rating, and the Ballantine’s 17 year old was my Blend of the Year 2014.

Based on 2013 case volume sales, Ballantine’s is the number 2 Scotch whisky brand in the world. I added the Ballantine’s 12 year old blended Scotch whisky to the collection, and my collection has grown to over nine different expressions.

The brand is owned by Pernod Ricard and produced in Dumbarton, Scotland. 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.

Related Article: J&B Rare Whisky

In 1938 they received the Grant of Heraldic Arms featured on their bottles. It recognized George Ballantine & Sons as an ‘incorporation noble on the Nobleness of Scotland’. The key ingredients in the Ballantine’s blends are Miltonduff and Glenburgie together with whisky from around fifty other malt distilleries as well as from four other grain distilleries.

We took this bottle with us on our trip to the Drakensberg mountains. It was the perfect accompaniment for the blue sky and the beautiful mountains.

Ballantine’s 12 year old Whisky Review

ABV: 43%.

COLOUR: Light golden. It is a medium oily whisky.

NOSE: Sweet with notes of fresh-cut flowers, condensed milk and oak. There are hints of vanilla in the background. The nose is nicely balanced and subtle.

PALATE: Quite spicy with hints of plump raisins. The Ballantine’s 12 year old whisky is rich and creamy smooth. Toffee notes appear after a bit. This blended whisky has a big mouthfeel and is lovely and chewy. Water smooths out the spicy notes and softens the hints of pepper. It brings a lightness to the glass and enhances the sweetness.

FINISH: Wonderful and long. It begins big and then fades away slowly leaving hints of spice and fruit.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The Ballantine’s 12 year old blended Scotch whisky has become our ‘go-to’ whisky for a relaxing, uncomplicated dram. It kicked my beloved Johnnie Walker Black Label off the Number 1 spot on our favourite list.

However, the question is: is the Ballantine‘s 12 year old as good as the 17 year old whisky? Not quite. The Ballantine’s 17 whisky blew my minds with its complexity and smooth, creamy quality.

However, this 12 year old is much more affordable than the Ballantine’s 17 year old as well as the Ballantine’s 30 year old and at the price point, a whisky you can drink again and again. This bottle cost around ₹ 5,650 in India.

I have found a Ballantine’s 7 year old Bourbon finish release that I wrote about as well.

Also read: Dewar’s 12 yo whisky

Johnnie Walker Platinum Label 18 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/11/2015

In Blended whisky

This week’s whisky is a blend again, and this week I chose the Johnnie Walker Platinum Label 18 year old blended Scotch whisky. I have rated various Johnnie Walker releases, and you can read my thoughts on the Johnnie Walker King George V, Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky and the Johnnie Walker Explorers Club Gold here.

The Johnnie Walker Platinum Label whisky was the first new ‘colour’ to be released in many years, and it was initially introduced only into the travel retail. This release was brought out to replace the iconic Johnnie Walker Gold Label whisky and fits in next to the Johnnie Walker Blue Label.

With a mix of malts around 18 years old, it is Diageo’s competing product in the 18 year old single malt market.

John “Johnnie” began by selling whisky from a grocery shop in Ayrshire, Scotland. John Walker’s grandsons, Alexander Walker II and George Walker, established the colour-based naming system. Johnnie Walker Red Label launched in 1909. The colour based system extended from there.

The Johnnie Walker Platinum Label combines a limited number of single malt and grain whiskies, each matured for a minimum of 18 years. According to Diageo, this release is blended in the elegant sweet Speyside style.

Related Article: Chivas Regal 12 yo whisky

Johnnie Walker Platinum Label 18 year old Whisky Review

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: A bright golden colour It forms medium length tears on the glass.

NOSE: Toffee sweetness, brandy-soaked fruits with hints of orange and smoke. There are notes of fresh-cut flowers and butterscotch. Traces of vanilla and caramel intermingle in the background. Adding water brings out more oiliness in the Platinum.

PALATE: Medium-body whisky. There are mild spice and hints of oak on the palate. Little peaty hints in the background. It is a sweet and easy-drinking whisky. The Platinum Label has bits of florals, malt, cinnamon and oranges intermingling with smoke. It is not the most complex whisky.

FINISH: Medium length and ends in notes of orange and spice.

RATING: VERY GOOD

Platinum Label is an easy-drinking whisky with notes of spice, wood and sweetness. This release does not quite have the bold character it would need to compete against some well known 18 year old single malts. But it is readily available and offers consistent quality. What did you think of the Johnnie Walker Platinum Label 18 year old whisky?

I have done a side by side comparison between the Platinum Label and the Johnnie Walker Gold Label blended. Both 18 year old releases, but how do they compare?

Also Read: Tomatin 12 yo Whisky

Drayman’s Solera Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 11/03/2014

In Blended whisky

Not too far from the Cradle of Mankind is the administrative capital of South Africa. Here the majestic Union Buildings towers over Pretoria. This Highveld region was known for its pot still products like “witblits” and “mampoer” in earlier times.

In the shade of the Union Buildings, a small microbrewery has been making quality, German-style beers since 1997. It is not too far away from where Capital gin distillery is situated. During 2006 the master brewer, owner and manager of Drayman’s, Moritz Kallmeyer, expanded his vision. Drayman’s, based in Silverton, now also distils, blends, and matures Scottish style malt whisky.

After ten years of brewing pure malt beer, making pure malt, pot still whisky seemed to be a natural progression. Drayman’s Brewery uses the solera process on a small scale for their Drayman’s Solera whisky.

The Solera Process

In the solera process, a succession of containers is filled with whisky over time. At the end of the interval, after the last container is filled, the oldest container in the solera is tapped for part of its content. This is then bottled.

Then that container is refilled from the next oldest container and that one in succession from the second-oldest, down to the youngest container, which is refilled with new spirit. This procedure is repeated at the end of each ageing interval. The transferred spirit mixes with the older liquid in the next barrel.

No container is ever drained, so some of the earlier spirit always remains in each container. This remnant diminishes to a tiny level, but significant traces of liquid are much older than the average, depending on the transfer fraction.

In theory, traces of the very first product placed in the solera may be present even after 50 or 100 cycles. The oldest part in the Drayman’s Solera blend is 18 years, and the youngest 3 years.

The solera process at Drayman’s has a set of 8 French Oak Casks, each holding 225 litres. The first Drayman’s Solera whisky was bottled in 2009 when part of the mother cask contents was tapped.

The mother cask was then filled with the next oldest cask and that one from the second-oldest cask, down to the youngest cask, which was then refilled with new whisky. This process is repeated at the end of each six-monthly interval.

Also Read: Helden Hickory Wood Single Malt Spirit

Drayman’s Solera Whisky Review

The Drayman’s Solera is a mix of South African and Scottish whiskies.

COUNTRY: South Africa

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: This is a relatively dark whisky. It has a burnt copper colour. It is an oily whisky making long, slow fingers in the glass.

NOSE: On opening the bottle, we got hints of sherry and marshmallow. There is a bit of alcohol bite in the nose after pouring, but it quickly evaporates. The nose has hints of Christmas pudding, oak and orange.

PALATE: Without adding water, there are plenty of spicy notes when tasting the Drayman’s Solera. Water smooths out the spices and brings the fresh fruit and oranges to the fore. It is a mild whisky with hints of oak and bits of bitter chocolate.

FINISH: Shortish and ends in spice notes.

RATING: GOOD

It is a whisky with potential. Not my favourite South African whisky, but unique nevertheless. We will certainly try to get our hands on the Drayman’s single malt to compare it with this Solera whisky. Drayman’s Solera whisky is available from the Whisky Brother shop in Hydepark.

Also Read: Milk & Honey Elements Peated Whisky

Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/18/2014

In Blended whisky

The 15^th of August is an interesting day in the history of South Africa. A day that started the beginning of the end. To celebrate that we can live in a different South Africa, we decided to have a South African whisky that embodies the pioneering spirit that our country is known for – the Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish blended whisky.

On that night in August 1985 the then South African President, Mr P.W Botha, delivered his infamous “Rubicon” Speech in Durban. The world hoped that he would use this opportunity to announce radical reforms to the South African apartheid system.

But instead, he disappointed and announced that he will be consolidating the power his party had, but would not give in to pressure to engage with the ANC. After this speech, the Rand traded very low against the dollar and economic sanctions against South Africa followed.

Also Read: William Lawson’s Whisky

Four years later, the Groot Krokkedil (Big Crocodile the nickname for PW Botha) was gone. On the 15th of August 1989, FW de Klerk became president of South Africa. Not long after that, things started to change.

Today we can celebrate a country that has come a long way since that fateful day in 1985. And what better way to celebrate than with a whisky that has also come a long way – the Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish. I have written about this amazing Wellington-based distillery before. You can read my blog post on the Three Ships 10 yo single malt here.

Most recently this whisky won Double Gold at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Gold at the China Wine and Spirits competition.

Three Ships Bourbon Cask Whisky Review

Released in 2005, this premium whisky is a 100% South African blended whisky. This Three Ships Bourbon cask consists of malt and grain components that are distilled and matured in South Africa. After its first three-year maturation period, the whisky is placed in first-fill American bourbon casks for a further six month period.

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: A rich gold. It is a lovely oily whisky that leaves long fingers on the glass. The appearance of this Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish promises a rich experience.

NOSE: My first impression on nosing this whisky is delicious bourbon sweetness. There are notes of caramel and marshmallow mixed in between the cereal and barley. In the background, there are hints of fruitcake, dried fruit and Christmas pudding. Adding some water helps this whisky open up.

PALATE: Tasting this Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish brings spice and warm sticky toffee pudding. It has a rich and smooth mouthfeel. There are notes of sweetness mixed with Christmas cake, toffee apple and vanilla.

FINISH: The finish is long and lingering with a sweet-spicy ending. Amazingly smooth and rich for such a young whisky. A true testament to the teams’ whisky-making skills. This is the most underrated whisky in the Three Ships stable.

RATING: EXCELLENT

If you live in South Africa and you have not yet tried this amazing whisky – what are you waiting for? Go and get a bottle for yourself and enjoy. Recently this Three Ships whisky won a Gold Medal at the China Wine and Spirit awards 2014.

I have written about many more of the Three Ship whiskies. Just search the blog and you will find tasting notes on both the Bain’s Single Grain and the Three Ships Masters Collection releases.

Also Read: Drayman’s Solera whisky

Johnnie Walker Premier Rare Old Scotch Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/21/2014

In Blended whisky

It is time for a blended whisky again, and this week I look at the Johnnie Walker Premier Rare old Scotch whisky. Johnnie Walker needs little introduction. I have various bottles of this brand in my collection, and the Johnnie Walker Black is one of my favourite easy-drinking whiskies.

The Johnnie Walker company started in the 19th century when John “Johnnie” Walker began selling whisky from his grocery shop in Ayrshire, Scotland.

His blends were popular at the time. It wasn’t until he died in 1857, when Alexander Walker with his son Alexander Walker II inherited the company, that the brand took off.

Johnnie Walker whisky was sold in the distinctive rectangular bottles for the first time during 1870. I can’t find very much information on the Johnnie Walker Premier Rare Old Scotch whisky. I have had this bottle for quite a long time, so the packaging is lost. It is probably one of the first bottles in my collection.

From the little available information, it seems that the Johnnie Walker Premier whisky was a blend aimed specifically at the Japanese Market. It is in a heavy rectangle-shaped bottle, very different from their standard square bottle. It seems like this blend has been discontinued.

According to the internet, Johnnie Walker Premier whisky is a blend from some very rare whiskies in the Johnnie Walker inventory. A portion of this is from closed distilleries.

My research suggests that this bottle includes rare and exclusive whisky from the most precious of Johnnie Walker’s vast stocks of long-aged malts. Some of which are from now-silent distilleries and can never be replaced.

Related Article: Linkwood 8 yo Whisky

Johnnie Walker Premier Rare Old Scotch Whisky Review

ABV: 43%.

COLOUR: This blended whisky has a beautiful red copper colour. It is quite an oily whisky.

NOSE: Initially, there is almost a bourbon sweetness on the nose. On the addition of some water, dried fruits, raisins and caramels come through. There are hints of vanilla, ice cream, barley and oak. This Johnnie Walker whisky has a gratifying rich nose.

PALATE: It is a whisky with a pleasant big, bold taste and a wonderfully warming feel in the mouth. The tasting brings notes of rich oak and spice with some sherried sweetness on the palate. Some toffee, ginger and still lots of oak comes through.

FINISH: It has a big and rewarding finish. It ends in notes of spice with black pepper and ginger. The finish is long and lingering, with hints of oak and toffee at the end. It is a wonderfully complex whisky that offers a big mouthful. It has a lingering finish and is amazingly smooth.

RATING: EXCELLENT

It narrowly misses being a Divine. It just lacks the last little bit of the WOW factor. If you can still get your hand on a bottle, grab it! It is worth it. Bold and complex with a delicious finish.

Some of the other Johnnie Walker releases I have tried include the Johnnie Walker King George V, Johnnie Walker XR 21 yo as well as the Johnnie Walker Swing blended whisky.