Category: Blended whisky Page 2 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.

Vat 69 Scotch Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/05/2024

In Blended whisky

In the expansive realm of whiskies, from limited editions to exclusive drams, I enjoy exploring budget-friendly options to find that affordable gem. Among the notable names that consistently top my Google search stats is Vat 69 Scotch whisky. So, let’s go and explore this well-known Scottish whisky.

Crafted by the Leith-born blender William Sanderson in 1882, Vat 69 is a blended Scotch whisky that has made its mark worldwide. In his quest for the perfect blend, Sanderson created 100 vats of uniquely blended whiskies.

Then, he asked a panel of friends and experts to taste each one of them. Slowly working their way through 100 casks must have been a daunting task. At the end of this tasting, Vat No. 69 that stood out as the winner.

The blend was well established by the time of Sanderson’s passing in 1908. It even accompanied Sir Ernest Shackleton on his 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition for medicinal and celebratory purposes.

At the start, Glen Garioch formed the heart of the blend. Today, the recipe incorporates a blend of 40 malts and grains. It does not have an age statement.

Affordability is a defining trait, with Vat 69 retailing for around Rs 1000 in Mauritius and approximately R 185 in South Africa. It is available in the UK for around £30. Here in Mauritius, it is one of the most affordable global whiskies. In India it retails for around ₹ 1,856.

Emblazoned on the cap are the words’ Sans Dieu Rien,’ translating to ‘Without God, nothing.’ Vat 69 is part of the Diageo stable.

Also Read: Label 5 Whisky

Vat 69 Blended Whisky Review

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: Light Gold

NOSE: Grain sweetness with a hint of alcohol on the nose, accompanied by toasted wood, caramel, and soft apple and pear notes.

PALATE: The palate surprises with creaminess, showcasing wood, cinnamon, grain sweetness, and hints of caramel apples and vanilla. Water tempers the sweetness, bringing forward black pepper and subtle ripe oranges.

FINISH: The finish echoes wood, pepper, and faint fruit notes.

RATING: VERY GOOD

While not the most intricate dram, Vat 69 Scotch whisky embraces simplicity with a ‘what you see is what you get’. The notes from the nose mirror the palate. Despite lacking in complex nuances, this whisky is very drinkable.

With a light body and abundant grain sweetness, it offers smoothness and remarkable value for money. Personally, I found it more enjoyable than the Johnnie Walker Red Label whisky, which, in comparison, had a slight alcohol burn, requiring a few extra drops of water to cool down.

This whisky is an excellent choice for cocktails. Whether crafting a Rob Roy or Rusty Nail, Vat 69 is the perfect pour, adding a touch of smooth sweetness to your next concoction.

Also Read: Scottish Leader Original Whisky

Ballantine’s 17 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/11/2023

In Blended whisky

Earlier this year, I received a Ballantine’sFinest Whisky as a gift from good friends. Neither John nor I had ever tried a Ballantine’s, so we did not know what to expect. We were blown away by what we found. Not only was it a fantastic whisky, but it also earned my first Divine rating for that year.

No blend has ever received a ‘Divine’ rating in our books. I grabbed my Whisky Bible and scanned it to see what Jim Murray’s views were. And lo and behold, he liked it as well. I was not far wrong in my views. But I noticed that he liked the Ballantine’s 17 year old blended Scotch whisky even more.

My friend Marc from WhiskyBrother tweeted that he had a few Ballantine’s 17 year old Scotch whiskies in stock. And so I added a second Ballantine’s to my collection. 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.

Sales were good, and Ballantine employed his son, George Jr, to help with the expansion. They soon began exporting products to Europe, and the business went from strength to strength.

Based on 2012 sales, Ballantine’s is one of the top 10 whisky brands in the world. Today Ballantine’s whisky is owned by Pernod Ricard and produced in Dumbarton, Scotland.

The Ballantine’s 17 year old whisky was first blended in the 1930s and created in the true Ballantine family style. “Ballantine’s 17 year old displays all the flavours of Scotland, with a careful combination of malt and grain whiskies from all over Scotland.”

The Ballantine’s 17 year old won the Whisky Bible 2011 World Whisky of the Year. A controversial choice by Jim Murray, so I was quite interested in trying it.

Also Read: Highland Queen Majesty whisky

Ballantine’s 17 year old Whisky Review

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Golden amber. When you at first open the bottle, sherry and toffee notes float up. The Ballantine’s 17 year old makes long thick oily fingers in the glass.

NOSE: After the initial sherry sweetness, the nose brings notes of tropical fruit, pineapple and banana. There are hints of oak and cereal at the back. The nose is complex, luxurious and creamy.

PALATE: The Ballantine’s is incredibly smooth. The palate brings notes of creamy oak and spice. There are hints of vanilla sweetness balanced with little bits of smoke. It is a complex whisky that reminds us of liquid gold. Drinking this 17 year old is an amazing experience.

FINISH: Long and lingering with fruit and hints of sweetness, oak and spice at the end. This blended whisky is impressive.

RATING: DIVINE

The Ballantines 17 year old blended whisky is amazingly smooth, complex and well balanced. I can understand why Jim Murray rated this blend so highly. One of the best Scotch whiskies I have ever tasted. Perfectly balanced and complex with many intricate layers.

I will certainly extend my collection of Ballantine’s whiskies based on this delicious dram.

Note: I have been extending my Ballantine’s Scotch whisky collection with a variety of releases. Some of my favourite Ballantine’s releases include:

Ballantine’s Limited Edition Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/15/2023

In Blended whisky

One of the bottles that made it to the island with me is the Ballantine’s Limited Edition blended Scotch whisky. It is no secret that we are huge Ballantine’s whisky fans. This is the second bottle from the Ballantine’s range I am writing about this year. The first one was the Ballantine’s 7 year old Bourbon finish whisky.

I have several Ballantine’s releases in my collection and have written about some of the flavoursome releases I have tasted. The Ballantine’s Limited Edition whisky is a blend of Ballantine’s most exclusive Scotch whiskies. It has no age statement, and little information is available on the this Limited Edition.

John picked up this bottle in one of the whisky auctions, and we have had it in our collection for at least 5 years.

Also Read: Johnnie Walker Black Label Sherry Whisky

The bottle comes in a beautiful blue box with wood insides, and the bottle is a striking blue colour. When the bottle is empty, I am keeping the empty bottle just because it is pretty. My Ballantine’s Limited Edition is release no: G25095.

The inside of the box states that “it carries the name Limited because only the best whiskies are used in its making, including the company’s own aged single malts from Miltonduff and Glenburgie.”

One of the reasons we enjoy Ballantine’s so much is the bold, memorable flavours from their releases. The Ballantine’s 17 year old and 17 year old Scapa Edition is on my list of best drams ever. The Limited Edition was quite expensive, and I have seen prices in excess of $150 online.

Ballantine’s Limited Edition Whisky Review

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Golden amber

NOSE: Subtle and elegant with rich red fruits, bits of oak, vanilla, and notes of honey sweetness. Dried cherries with soft spices and soft green notes. Really lovely.

PALATE: Smooth and rich with toffee notes and overripe pears and hints of black pepper and cinnamon. All notes are put together very elegantly. Bits of drying oak and vanilla with hints of lemon. Adding water releases notes of dark chocolate and leather and softens the pepper.

FINISH: Long and lingering with notes of drying oak, soft honey sweetness, and light pepper.

RATING: VERY GOOD

It’s a lovely dram. Easy drinking and well-balanced. The bottle will not last very long. However, it is not the bold and complex dram I expected from Ballantine’s. At the price point, I was hoping for something more memorable. Something special that holds our attention. However, at this price point there are more impressive blends and single malts out there.

For the serious Ballantine’s collector, it’s an interesting bottle to have to complete the collection. But rather buy the Ballantine’s 17 year old if you want to spoil yourself with something spectacular.

Also Read: GlenDronach Peated Whisky

Dewar’s White Label Blended Scotch Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/27/2023

In Blended whisky

During my latest shopping expedition, I looked for something wallet-friendly and novel. This led me to seize a bottle of Dewar’s White Label blended Scotch whisky. Given my adoration for Dewar’s 12 year old and 15 year old expressions, adding the White Label to my collection was as instinctive as it was irresistible.

Dewar’s, a respected Scottish whisky brand, takes pride in its membership within the Bacardi lineage. It is also one of the top Scottish whiskies sold in the USA.

Bacardi owns five whisky distilleries nestled in the heart of Scotland’s landscape:

Aberfeldy
Aultmore
Macduff
Royal Brackla
Craigellachie

But let’s zero in on the star of this blog post – Dewar’s White Label whisky. The brand was created back in 1899 by the visionary hands of A.J. Cameron, the first Master Blender of John Dewar & Son’s legacy.

Dewar’s White Label whisky is a harmonious blend, uniting around 40 distinct malt and grain whiskies, Aberfeldy at its core. After blending, the whisky returns to oak casks for a further period. This additional maturation serves to create a smooth and seamlessly integrated flavour profile.

White Label Scotch is a NAS release and is available worldwide. I picked this bottle up in Mauritius for around Rs1300.

Dewar’s White Label Blended Scotch Whisky Review

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: Light gold

NOSE: Honey with orchard fruit and cereal. Bits of sun-ripened lemon and peach.

PALATE: Honey and mild chili. Cereal with oak, vanilla, and floral notes. In the background, there are fresh orchard fruits with grass and floral notes. Medium body and not the most complex. Water increases the chili heat a bit and brings forward more lemon rind. Sooth and uncomplicated.

FINISH: Short with honey sweetness and lemon drops.

RATING: VERY GOOD

The Dewar’s White Label is an entryway into Dewar’s world of blended Scotch whisky. A canvas adorned with the fruity and honeyed brushstrokes that hallmark Dewar’s creations.

As one traverses the Dewar’s spectrum, the voyage from the White Label to the 12 year old or the 15 year old expressions sees these familiar flavours transform into a more intricate tapestry.

John found the White Label a tad one-dimensional. However, I liked it and found it unpretentious and perfect for a leisurely afternoon Highball cocktail.

An accessible starting point for a deeper exploration of Dewar’s artistry. To further understand the nuances of this dram, I have done a side by side comparison between the Dewar’s White Label and the Famous Grouse whisky to see how they compare.

Also Read: Dunville’s PX Cask 12 yo Whiskey

Ballantine’s 7 yo Bourbon Finish Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/13/2023

In Blended whisky

Wandering around the supermarket in Tamarin Mauritius I spotted a Ballantine’s whisky I have not tried before; the Ballantine’s 7 yo Bourbon Finish blended Scotch whisky. I love Ballantine’s whisky. I have many bottles in my collection and have written about them extensively. So this bottle landed in my trolley pretty quickly.

Ballantine’s blended whisky is one of the largest Scotch whisky brands and is available in over 160 countries. Ballantine’s is currently owned by Chivas Brothers, part of the larger Pernod Ricard group.

Also Read: New Zealand Whisky Company Whisky

The Ballantine’s Bourbon Finish is a permanent addition to the core range and was released in September 2020. It is a blend of single malts and single grain whiskies for a traditional Ballantine’s expression that was aged for a minimum age of seven years, before being finished in ex-bourbon casks, sourced from Kentucky.

The new whisky is inspired by founder George Ballantine, who started selling his own 7 years old aged whisky in the 1870s. It was also a time when Ballantine’s was one of the first companies to be importing ex-bourbon casks from America.

Ballantine’s 7 yo Bourbon Finish Whisky Review

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: Deep Gold

NOSE: Elegant and soft with oak and tropical coconut notes. Caramel sweetness and light vanilla with fruity notes. The nose is quite sweet and not very complex.

PALATE: Creamy oak with hints of black pepper and fresh apples. On the palate, the 7 yo whisky is bolder and less sweet as suggested by the nose. Hints of fruity sweetness, caramel, and vanilla with something biscuity in the background.

The Bourbon Finish has a medium body and is easy to drink. It is not the most complex dram and quite sweet on the palate.

FINISH: Medium length with oak and hints of sweetness that moves to black pepper.

RATING: VERY GOOD

Probably the least favourite of the Ballantine’s that I have tried. It is far more delicate than even the standard Ballantine’s Finest whisky. It lacks a bit of the Ballantine’s complexity that I enjoy. Having said that, my bottle is nearly finished, so it is not a bad whisky at all. Just not as complex and sassy as some of the other releases.

In South Africa, the standard ABV is 43%, so it takes a bit to get used to the lower ABV. I need to concentrate on not adding water too quickly. I have not seen it in SA yet, but online it retails for around € 23. The Ballantine’s 7 blended whisky is available in Mauritius for around RS1700 and I have seen it around the bigger supermarkets.

Also Read:Ardbeg Supernova Whisky