Category: Whisky of the Week Page 25 of 77

Whisky of the Week

Whisky of the Week review and tasting notes for whisky, bourbon and whiskey from all around the world. Single malts, blends, blended malts, rye and grain whiskey tasted and reviewed.

Glenfiddich Fire and Cane Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/06/2021

In Single Malt whisky

Today I look at the 4th release in the Glenfiddich Experimental Series, the Glenfiddich Fire and Cane single malt Scotch whisky. This whisky follows the very successful Glenfiddich IPA Cask, the Glenfiddich Project XX and the Glenfiddich 21 year old Winter Storm Experimental series whisky released by Glenfiddich over the last couple of years.

The Experimental Series allows Glenfiddich the freedom to play around with unusual combinations to expand their boundaries and test new ideas.

The Glenfiddich Fire and Cane whisky was released in mid-2018. Malt Master Brian Kinsman finished some of Glenfiddich’s peated single malt and bourbon barrel matured malts for three months in various Latin American rum casks.

Also Read: Aerstone Land Cask Whisky

He wanted to enhance the campfire smokiness, balanced with a toffee sweetness in the whisky. When it was available in South Africa, it retailed for around R1000. With covid hampering the industry, I have not seen it around for a while.

Like the other Experimental Series releases, I have seen people both love and hate the Fire and Cane release. Just like some people adore the Glenfiddich Project XX, and others (me included) found it boring and stuffy.

I loved the Glenfiddich IPA cask whisky as it reminds me of brewery visits. Other people found it uninspiring and ordinary. I have seen similar sentiments for this Fire and Cane. However, I think it is an interesting whisky to try and was quite excited to add it to my collection.

Glenfiddich Fire and Cane Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Deep gold

NOSE: Billowing smoke, bits of peat with a honey sweetness. The nose reminded me a bit of liquid smoke. It has notes of sweet toffee with fresh fruit notes and bits of spiciness. Unique.

PALATE: Wood fire smoke, dry wood with toffee sweetness. It reminded me a bit of the Big Peat Cape Town Edition whisky from Remarkable Malts. It has a similar “braai” (BBQ) note on the palate. A charred wooden note with fruity sweetness.

Baked apple, ginger and chocolate orange. Some alcohol heat. Medium body. The Fire and Cane needs a few drops of water to release flavour. Not the most complex dram.

FINISH: Short with notes of pepper and oak.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What an interesting bottling. Unfortunately, the finish on this Fire and Cane single malt is a bit short. I was also expecting the tropical fruity rum notes to be bolder. That being said, just like the Glenfiddih IPA Cask, I think this is a successful experiment. It allows the drinker to experience a tropical smoke flavour that you don’t get to try every day.

It is not an everyday drinking dram, but a drinkable and unique whisky to enjoy on occasion. A great addition to my whisky collection. Thank you, Luben, for spotting and getting the bottle for me.

Also Read: My Top 5 Whisky Food Pairings

Ardbeg Corryvreckan Islay Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/30/2021

In Single Malt whisky

In honour of Ardbeg Day, I decided to try the Ardbeg Corryvreckan Islay single malt Scotch whisky. The Corryvreckan is seen as the personification of ‘the untamed spirit of Islay’ and was released to replace Airigh Nam Beist. Ardbeg Corryvreckan takes its name from the famous whirlpool that lies to the north of Islay.

Ardbeg Distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery on the south coast of the isle of Islay, in the Inner Hebrides. Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy owns the distillery. Ardbeg was legally established as early as 1815, but claims of some distilling pre-dates its legal start by a decade or two.

With the official 2014 FIFA World Cup start just weeks away, the theme for this year’s Ardbeg Day is predictably Football. Or as Ardbeg define it “the Ardbeggian take on the football World Cup.”

Football has a rich and noble history in mainland Scotland where kings and lords would take to the pitch and teams were made up of gentlemen. Playing on Islay, however, has its own unique challenges like playing knee-deep in peaty pitches.

Wild About Whisky in Dullstroom hosted Ardbeg Day in South Africa this past weekend. Events for the day included Peaty Football South African style and shorty foosball. And the most important activities during the day was Ardbeg tastings.

Limited information is available on the age and what casks this Corryvreckan single malt was aged in, but some sources indicate that it was ex-bourbon and virgin French Limousin oak.

Related Article: Kilchoman Sanaig Whisky

Ardbeg Corryvreckan Islay Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 57.3%

COLOUR: A dark amber. It is a wonderfully oily whisky that clings to the side of the glass.

NOSE: Peat even at a distance. Classic peat, smoke and sea salt come through. There are medicinal notes with some creamy butter and hints of sweetness. All dark and brooding and the smell of seawater and fishing boats during a storm at night.

PALATE: The Corryvreckan is a huge mouthful. At first, it tastes like having a peat bog in your mouth. The initial notes are followed by liquorice and vanilla. There are smoke, tar and medicinal notes on the tongue.

This whisky is wonderfully smooth with hints of salt, spice and perhaps a little fresh fruit. Both the nose and palate have a remarkable complexity that stays.

FINISH: Long and lingering. It slowly builds and reaches a crescendo long after you put your glass down. It builds and builds warming your soul along the way. There are notes of spice, pepper and toffee. Oak and vanilla float about. This complex whisky leaves you with some liquorice and salt at the finish.

RATING: DIVINE

It is my first Divine rating for a single malt this year. And it is well deserved. If you have another dram of Ardbeg Corryvreckan, a whole new range of nose, palette and finish pops out. It is, however, a polarizing whisky.

You will either hate it or love it. Nothing about this whisky is average. There will be some firm opinion from people. The price for the Ardbeg Corryvreckan whisky is around £62 in the UK.

I paired this single malt with some Lindt Cranberry Intense chocolate, and the results were terrific. This Ardbeg Corryvreckan is part of the Ardbeg standard release and readily available. Some other magnificent Ardbeg core range releases include the Ardbeg Uigeadail and Ardbeg An Oa whisky.

Also Read: Aberlour A’bunadh whisky

Ballantine’s Finest Blended Scotch Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/23/2021

In Blended whisky

Today I try a blend; the Ballantine’s Finest blended Scotch whisky. 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 another son, George Jr to help with the expansion. They soon began exporting products to Europe and the business went from strength to strength.

In 1895 Queen Victoria awarded George Ballantine & Son a Royal Warrant – the most significant endorsement of the company’s prestigious reputation.

The business remained under George Jr’s watchful eye until 1919 when Barclay & McKinlay acquired the business. In 1938 the company received its Grant of Heraldic Arms. This Grant recognized George Ballantine & Sons as an ‘incorporation noble on the Nobleness of Scotland’.

This crest appears on every bottle of Ballantine’s Scotch. The blend is made up from as many as 50 single malts. The blend includes single grains and malt from distilleries like Miltonduff and Glenburgie.

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

I received this whisky as a gift from friends and have never tried any Ballantine’s whisky before this tasting. So it should be interesting, given my preference for single malts.

Related Article: Vat 69 Whisky

Ballantine’s Finest Blended Scotch Whisky Review

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Light gold. The spirit is quite oily for a blend, which promised good things.

NOSE: Fruitcake, glazed cherries, wood and spice came through. Wow! I was not expecting this complexity from a blend.

PALATE: Smooth and has a beautiful, substantial full body. Flavours of Christmas cake, dried fruit and muscovado sugar are evident. In the background are hints of peat and smoke.

FINISH: The finish is also brilliant. Long and lingering, Ballantine’s Finest ends in notes of spice, ginger and fudge.

RATING: DIVINE

I was blown away by this Ballantine’s Finest blended Scotch whisky. I never expect a budget blend to taste this fantastic. This one is super smooth and full-bodied. Luxurious and sophisticated, the Ballantine’s Finest is an easy-drinking spirit that will have you reaching for a second and third glass.

From its appearance in the glass, the nose, palate and finish, this blend has surprised me with its complexity and richness. In the end, this Ballantine’s Finest whisky achieved my highest possible score.

I have tasted many whiskies over the past two years, but this is the first blend to achieve this rating. And the best of it all is the price. This affordable blend retails for around R 250 in South Africa.

Both me and John fell in love with this brand and over time, have built up quite a collection. I have also tried the Ballantine’s 30 yo Scotch whisky and wrote about it here.

Update: This past weekend I spend some time sitting outside on the patio exploring a comparison between the Teacher’s Highland Cream whisky and the Ballantine’s Finest. Both are budget blends and it made for a fun afternoon. The Ballantine’s Finest whisky also pairs wonderfully with a rich Camembert.

Related Article: Teacher’s Whisky

Glen Scotia Dunnage Tasting Set

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/16/2021

In Single Malt whisky

It has been a challenging year so far. Between covid lock downs, online school and alcohol bans, it feels like we are all trapped in a recurring dream. However, now and again, the year has an unexpected highlight to break the monotonous rhythm.

One of these unexpected moments came when I got the opportunity to sample the Glen Scotia Dunnage tasting 2021 set.

A pack of 5 Glen Scotia single malt releases was specially selected for Glen Scotia’s distillery online festival. Master Distiller Iain McAlister chose five drams from specially-selected casks within the warehouse for people worldwide to experience. The spirit spent time in bourbon casks and was then finished in 1st-fill bourbon, port or oloroso.

Glen Scotia is situated in the small Campbeltown whisky region on the Kintyre peninsula in Scotland. Once this region was once the premier whisky-producing region in the world. At one point in time, Campbeltown was home to over thirty whisky distilleries.

But less than forty years later, Campbeltown became a prime example of the fragility of the whisky industry. By the 1920s, the heavy smoky/oily Campbeltown style that had come to define the region’s whisky was out of fashion. Due to Prohibition and the Great Depression, export was down. Only Springbank and Glen Scotia remained to represent the Campbeltown style on the whisky stage.

The Glen Scotia Dunnage Tasting Review

Glen Scotia Double Cask Whisky

I wrote about the Double Cask before. Released in 2015, the Double Cask single malt is matured in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels and then finished in ex-Pedro Ximénez sherry casks for up to 12 months. A great dram available in South Africa and retails for around R780.

Glen Scotia 1st Fill Bourbon 2015 – Cask 1535 whisky

First up was a single malt whisky from a 1st fill bourbon cask (Cask1535) at a whopping 60.5% ABV. It was distilled in 2015 and bottled in 2021.

NOSE: Grassy freshness, peaches, caramel, vanilla and oak. Rich and fruity.

PALATE: Bit of alcohol heat, warming oak spices, pepper, cinnamon, vanilla, butterscotch, creme brulee with pear. A bit of water softens the pepper spices and makes it very accessible and drinkable.

FINISH: Long and lingering. Just lovely!

RATING: EXCELLENT

Glen Scotia Refill/1st Fill Bourbon 1999 – Cask 257 Whisky

Next was a dram that first aged in refill bourbon and was then finished in 2st fill bourbon. Cask2018/257/2, distilled 1999 and bottled 2021. Another huge ABV of 59%.

NOSE: A more prominent nose. Charred wood, vanilla, oak, brandied fruit, Christmas cake, winter spices with burnt caramel.

PALATE: Toasted oak, pepper (more than the previous cask), Christmas cake, bits of leather and honey. Rich and oily. Water softens pepper notes.

FINISH: Long and lingering with notes of dry oak and honey sweetness.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Glen Scotia Refill Bourbon/1st Fill Oloroso 2002- Cask 618 Whisky

This single malt Scotch release was aged in refill bourbon and then finished in 1st fill oloroso sherry casks. Cask no 2019/618/81, distilled 2002 and bottled 2021. It has an ABV of 58.7%. A beautiful copper colour.

NOSE: Condensed milk sweetness with cherry pie, salted caramel and honeycomb.

PALATE: Drying oak, cherries and pepper with a ripe orange sweetness. Big and bold with lots of complex fruity notes with peaches and dried fruit. Here you can easily pick up the salinity from the coast. However, water kills the complexity and dulls the dram. Not a whisky for beginners. It is an after-dinner or evening sipping drink. Delicious but not easy drinking.

FINISH: Medium with dried fruit and spices.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Glen Scotia Refill Bourbon/1st Fill Ruby Port 2002- Cask 609 Whisky

The colour of the ruby port whisky was just glorious. It reminds me of a bright red sunset. This sample is from cask no 2019/609/80 distilled in 2002 and bottled in 2021. It is from a refill bourbon cask and finished in 1st fill ruby port. Another big ABV at 53.8%.

NOSE: Red fruits, cherries, plums, nectarines. The fruitiest nose from all four samples.

PALATE: Cream covered red summer fruit salad. The port notes come through big and bold. Not as spicy as the other samples. Drying oak with hints of salinity in the background. Bits of cinnamon and faint vanilla.

FINISH: Fruity long and lingering

RATING: EXCELLENT

Each of these individual Glen Scotia Dunnage drams spent time in bourbon casks first and was then finished in other casks. It allows you to better see the impact of the finishing casks on the whisky from both a colour and a taste perspective. A wonderful experiment of sorts that shows what a difference the various finishing casks make.

They are all excellent drams. It took us a while to choose a favourite, but in the end, we both agreed that the first one (1st fill bourbon cask Cask1535) was our favourite dram, followed quickly by the last one (finished in 1st fill ruby port cask 609).

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

Also Read: Noble Rebel Orchard Outburst Whisky

Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/09/2021

In Irish Whiskey

I am exploring the last of my Teeling samples, a single malt whiskey from Ireland, and it is time for the Teeling single malt Irish whiskey. I wrote about Teeling whiskey for the first time in 2015 when I captured my tasting notes for the Teeling Small Batch whiskey.

In 2020 I got the opportunity to taste a few more releases from this inventive Irish whiskey brand. The Teeling Distillery of today was officially opened in 2015. However, the family’s distilling history in Ireland stretches back to 1782; Walter Teeling set up a craft distillery on Marrowbone Lane in the Liberties area of Dublin.

But unfortunately, as the economy turned, Irish whiskey fell on hard times, and the last still ran dry in 1976. Today the new Teeling distillery is only a stone throw from where Walter set up his distillery in the heart of Dublin.

To generate a profit while their own whiskey mature, they have been buying casks from other Irish distillers and selling it under their own brand.

The Teeling single malt whiskey has spirits matured in five different wine casks; sherry, port, Madeira, white burgundy and cabernet sauvignon. It is made from 100% malted barley with a range of different ages, including malt whiskey distilled in 1991.

In SA, this release retails for around R 790, and last time I checked, WhiskyBrother Shop had some stock. It is also available on Amazon and retail for around

Other releases in the range include the Teeling Single Grain and the Teeling Small Batch Irish whiskey. Teeling whiskey has no added colour, and it is not chill-filtered.

Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey Review

COUNTRY: Ireland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Gold

NOSE: Wood and fruity sweetness. Filled with sweet, ripe melon and lemon. Bits of dark chocolate and warming spices. A lovely inviting nose.

PALATE: A balanced mix of milk chocolate, toasty oak, white pepper and malt. Hints of warming cloves, cinnamon, ginger and malt. Hints of cherry lozenge and butterscotch. Medium body and very smooth. Some peppermint crisp chocolate in the background. Elegant and delicious! Add water carefully. Water dulls the flavours a bit.

FINISH: Long and lingering with dry oak and sweetness.

RATING: EXCELLENT

A well-balanced dram. The combination of wood, chocolate and spices are wonderfully warming. Just perfect for winter. It was my favourite of the three Teeling releases that I tried. The single malt is light but not delicate.

There is a chewy, oily quality to the mouth. Although Teeling used five different casks, none of the casks overwhelms the others. Each brings something unique, and they all fit together well. However, it was better to drink without water.

I have done a side by side comparison between this release and the Teeling Single Grain Irish whiskey to see which one I prefer.

Also Read: Redbreast 12 yo Whiskey