Category: Whisky of the Week Page 33 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.

Craigellachie 13 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/05/2020

In Single Malt whisky

One of the most exciting and indeed the oldest dram I tasted during 2019 was the Craigellachie 51 yo single malt whisky. Georgie Bell, the Global Malts Ambassador for Bacardi, brought a few bottles of this very very limited release to South Africa and I was fortunate to try it.

It was my first foray into whisky from the Craigellachie distillery. So let’s look at the entry-level single malt from this distillery, the Craigellachie 13 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

The Craigellachie distillery was built in 1891 by Craigellachie Distillery Co. Limited, a group of blenders and merchants led by Alexander Edward. It is a Speyside distillery in Banffshire that overlooks the little town of Craigellachie. The Gaelic name means “Rocky Hill” and is pronounced Krai-GELLacky.

Also Read: Milk & Honey Elements Peated Whisky

The brand is part of the John Dewar & Sons stable. For many years, it was only used in blends like White Horse and various Dewar’s blends. It is only in 2014 that distillery releases become available. The distillery is known for its meaty, sulphurous nature.

The Craigellachie single malt range includes a 17 year old as well as a 23 year old whisky. There used to be a 19 year old release, but this has been discontinued. There are also various independent bottling available. It is part of the Bacardi stable of brands.

Craigellachie 13 year old Whisky

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Pale gold

NOSE: Apricots and dried cherries with toffee sweetness. A fruity sweet nose. The nose is like a colourful fruit salad with bits of malt and toasted nuts in the background.

PALATE: Medium body with the sweet fruit salad from the nose continuing on the palate. White pepper, oak, hints and malt with bits of smoky bacon and toasted nuts behind it all. I was hoping for a bolder meaty note on the palate. There was also a bit of alcohol heat. Water softened the alcohol heat and brought more sweetness to the front.

FINISH: Medium long, with some oak, pepper and fruity sweetness.

RATING: VERY GOOD

It is a good introduction to the Craigellachie stable and taste profile. John enjoyed the Craigellachie without the water, and I preferred it with the water. The water toned down the spices and the alcohol heat and created a smooth drinkable dram.

I want to explore more of the meaty notes from this distillery and need to find the 17 year old release somewhere. I do have a bottle of the discontinued 19 year old whisky in my collection, and perhaps I need to go and open that bottle.

Also Read: The Singleton 15 yo Whisky

Milk & Honey Classic Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/21/2020

In Single Malt whisky

Today I have the opportunity to try the Milk & Honey Classic single malt whisky. What an exciting opportunity, the chance to try whisky from a new country; Israel. This country is certainly not known for whisky distilling.

Plans for a whisky distillery began in 2012 after a group of entrepreneurs decided to establish the first whisky distillery in Tel Aviv.

The Milk & Honey distillery was Israel’s first urban single malt whisky distillery and began operating in 2014 in the south of Tel Aviv. The distillery’s first products reached the shelves during the first quarter of 2016.

The climate in Israel is certainly as far removed from cold and wet Scotland as possible. Similar to India or indeed South Africa, the hot, humid climate speeds up maturation.

Also Read: Signature whisky

The entrepreneurs hired the late Dr Jim Swan, one of the world’s most accomplished master distillers and an expert in hot climate distillation and maturation, as an advisor. Dr Swan assisted with the recipe and all kinds of specifications to make sure the production was optimal for warm weather.

Other releases from this Israel based distillery include the Elements Red Wine Cask, Elements Peated and the Elements Sherry Cask. They also produce gin, namely the Levantine gin and oak-aged gin and even a young malt aged in pomegranate wine casks.

It is matured in ex-bourbon and red-wine STR (shaved, toasted, re-charred) casks. The Milk & Honey Classic is unpeated, non-chill-filtered with natural colour. It is now available in SA and retails for around R 790. I see that Whisky Brother and Bottega Whiskey club has some bottles available. Milk & Honey Classic single malt is certified kosher.

Milk & Honey Classic Single Malt Whisky

COUNTRY:Israel

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Rich gold

NOSE: Caramel sweetness, dry oak with hints of vanilla and toffee. An amazingly bold nose for such a young release. I love the creamy caramel sweetness. The Classic has a unique nose.

PALATE: Dry wood with vanilla and pepper and faint hints of green grass. After the sweet nose, I was expecting a sweeter taste, but the sweetness only comes through after adding a bit of water. Medium body and quite oily. Bit of alcohol heat.

FINISH: Medium body with oak and soft black pepper.

RATING: VERY GOOD

Not the most complex release, but easy drinking and distinctive. The best feature is the nose. It is warming with creamy caramel; I could smell my glass the whole evening.

This Classic edition is one of those releases that leaves a clear picture in my head; eating cream caramel toffees while hiking through an old forest. I enjoyed it, and I am happy that I have a big bottle in my collection to enjoy this again.

I tried the Classic and a few of the Element releases as part of an online tasting event hosted by WhiskyBrother and Universal Beverages, the importer of Milk & Honey to South Africa. We had the opportunity to listen to the team at the Tel Aviv distillery.

We even had a virtual walkabout in the Tel Aviv distillery. The attention to detail and quality from this distillery shines through in the whisky, and I will extend my collection with more when they become available in South Africa.

Also Read: Ballantine’s Finest vs Teacher’s whisky

Loch Lomond 12 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/14/2020

In Single Malt whisky

Just before SA’s second alcohol ban, I managed to pick up my sample pack of Loch Lomond whiskies for an online whisky tasting with Michael Henry. A few weeks before, I tasted the Inchmurrin 11 year old that was bottled exclusively for the Bottega Whiskey Club.

Savi and Musi, the Loch Lomond Brand Ambassador, set up this interesting online tasting. The online tasting included the Bottega Whisky Club Inchmurrin, the Loch Lomond 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky and the Inchmurrin 18 yo whisky.

Loch Lomond Distillery, situated in Alexandria, a small town south of the beautiful Loch Lomond, produces a broad range of different whiskies. They create single malt as well as single grain and blends.

Micheal took us through the different distilling options that he has available at Loch Lomond, and it was so refreshing to listen to how he works with the various elements that he has available to come up with all the different variations.

Also Read: Inchmurrin 11 yo Whisky

The Loch Lomond stills include special distillation trays in the necks, allowing for more significant contact with the cooling alcohol vapour. These stills can produce alcohol up to 90% ABV where traditional stills deliver the alcohol at around 70% ABV. From there it goes into maturation.

I captured tasting notes for the Loch Lomond Signature and Loch Lomond Single Grain whisky as well as for various other brands within the Loch Lomond portfolio in the past, and you can read all about it there.

The Loch Lomond 12 year old is drawn from a selection of three cask types – bourbon casks, refill casks and recharged casks. In South Africa, it retails for R625.

Loch Lomond 12 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Higland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Dark gold

NOSE: Apricot, peach and freshly cut green grass. Sweet spices, honeycomb and vanilla. Fruity sweetness with hints of lemon and malt.

PALATE: Fruity sweetness with vanilla and faint hints of smoke. Malted puffs with bits of dry oak, lemon and apricots and bits of pepper. Something green in the background. Adding water releases more spicy notes. Medium body.

FINISH: Medium length with drying oak, vanilla and pepper.

RATING: EXCELLENT 

It was interesting how the water changed the spices in this Loch Lomond 12 year old whisky. For me, adding a few drops of water tones down the spice notes in a whisky and brings more sweetness forward. However, with this release, the water made it spicier. I enjoyed it more without water.

Even at 46% ABV, it is smooth and easy drinking with no alcohol heat. An excellent whisky for autumn as it gently warms you from the inside. Just lovely. It is worth picking up a bottle when you see it.

I have also tasted the Loch Lomond Steam and Fire single malt whisky during my trip to Scotland and loved it.

Also Read: Compass Box No Name No 2 Whisky

Glenkinchie Distillers Edition 1986 Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/10/2020

In Single Malt whisky

This past week was just full of drama, and after all of this, I needed a dram to cheer me up. I grabbed a glass of the Glenkinchie Distillers Edition 1986 single malt Scotch whisky and went to sit in the sun on my own for a while to relax.

A stone’s throw from Edinburgh lies the Scottish Lowland whisky region. This region traditionally known for its softer drams with notes of grass, cream, fresh toast and ginger. There were at last count around 18 active distillers and another 8 in development.

The distillery lies in a glen of the Kinchie Burn near the village of Pencaitland. The name ‘Kinchie’ is a corruption of ‘De Quincy’, the original owners of the land. It was founded around 1825 by brothers John and George Rate. A convergence of events bankrupted the brothers in 1853, and the site converted to a sawmill. However, in 1881, the distillery was rebuilt and resumed whisky making.

Also Read: Aerstone Sea Cask 10 yo Whisky

In 1914, Glenkinchie joined forces with fellow Lowland distillers Rosebank, St Magdalene, Grange and Clydesdale to form Scottish Malt Distillers. This company has since evolved into the Diageo group.

The Glenkinchie core expression include the 12 year old single malt whisky and a Distillers Edition. This limited release Glenkinchie 1986 Distillers Edition single malt was distilled in 1986 and bottled in 1999. They finished the whisky in Amontillado sherry casks.

Glenkinchie Distillers Edition 1986 Whisky Review

REGION: Lowland

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Dark gold

NOSE: Sherry sweetness, bits of apricot, malty goodness with hints of oak and honey. Rich and inviting.

PALATE: Luxurious with notes of oak, dried apricot, bits of cherries and sherry sweetness. Toasted nuts and freshly baked shortbread. Creamy honey sweetness with soft pepper, candied ginger and cinnamon. Just amazing. Drinkable, complicated and full of body.

FINISH: Dry oak with sherry sweetness and bits of spice. Long and lingering.

RATING: DIVINE

Drinking this Glenkinchie whisky is an experience to be savoured. A wonderful, complex, luxurious moment in time to sip and appreciate. I finished my first glass without water; it did not need any water. For the second glass, I added a few drops of water, and it just brought more sweetness to the front.

Perfectly balanced and elegant. Perfection. The Distillers Editions from the various Diageo brands is, in general, delicious.

I loved the Oban Distillers Edition, and the Dalwhinnie Distillers Edition is one of the best drams I have ever tasted. I was 15 years old when Glenkinchie distilled this liquid. It makes for a special bit of history. Sadly, not many of these 1986 releases remain, and I have only seen them on auction.

My bottle will be appreciated and enjoyed with every glass that I pour. A stunning release.

Also Read: Top 5 Single Malt under R750

anCnoc Peatheart Batch 1 Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/03/2020

In Single Malt whisky

A smoky release from the Scottish Highlands. Today I look at the anCnoc Peatheart Batch 1 single malt Scotch whisky. It was released in 2017 as the first permanent, peated expression in the core anCnoc range. It is peated to 40 ppm.

In comparison, Highland Park whiskies sit at around 20 ppm, while Ardbeg whiskies are peated to about 50-55ppm.

This NAS whisky is produced at the Knockdhu distillery in the village of Knock in Aberdeenshire. It was founded in 1893 when John Morrison, who owned the Knock Estate, discovered the high quality of the water that ran through the estate. It sits on the border between the Speyside and Highland whisky regions.

Also Read: Rhino Whisky

The current owner is Inver House Distillers Limited, and they changed the brand name to anCnoc. They also own the Balblair and Speyburn distilleries. The anCnoc core range includes a 12 year old, 18 year old, 24 year old and a 35 year old whisky. My bottle is from Batch 001.

It was matured exclusively in ex-bourbon casks. Non-chill-filtered and naturally coloured. The Peatheart retails for around R800 in South Africa (pre Covid).

anCnoc Peatheart Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Light golden wheat

NOSE: Freshly cooked oats drizzled with honey, some earthy notes and hints of smoke. Delicate and airy. Fruity sweetness with citrus blossom. Inviting and refreshing.

PALATE: Smoked barley, citrus fruits, vanilla sweetness and chocolate. Notes of earthy peat, pepper spice, oak and cardamom. It is not an Islay medicinal type of peatiness, but more a smoky, burnt wood and wet earth type of peat.

Water brings more fruity sweetness forward. The nose was delicate, and I was expecting a softer dram, but it was wonderfully warming and delicious. Medium body.

FINISH: Sweetness that moves to peat and smoke and orange blossom. Medium length.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The anCnoc Peatheart single malt Scotch is delicious and easy-drinking. A perfect whisky to introduce someone to Highland peat. Highland peat, for me, is more green heather, fresh pine and smoky when compared to the more medicinal Islay peat.

It is a big peat mouthful, but elegant and with enough sweetness and complexity. Peathheart has a great balance between the peaty and sweet notes.

A refreshing addition to my whisky collection. Perfect for our cold winter months to drink next to the fire. It also nicely shows the range from this underrated distillery. Worth getting if you spot it in stores.

Also Read: The Wild Geese Whiskey