Category: Whisky of the Week Page 5 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.

Talisker Storm Single Malt Scotch Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/29/2023

In Single Malt whisky

Today I am looking at the 3rd of my mini Talisker bottles, and it is time for the Talisker Storm single malt Scotch whisky. The Talisker 10 yo whisky easily makes it onto my top 10 desert island drams. I love the smoky, creamy notes of this release.

It is affordable and bursts with flavour. I enjoyed the Talisker Skye but found it a bit rough around the edges.

Talisker is the oldest working distillery on the Isle of Skye. It is part of the Diageo brands and part of their Classic Malt range. The distillery was founded in 1830 by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill on the shores of Loch Harport. Talisker was updated over the years and changed hand a few times.

The distillery’s water comes from Cnoc nan Speireag (Hawk Hill). The malted barley used in production comes from Muir of Ord. Talisker whisky is typically peated to a phenol level of approximately 18–22 parts per million (ppm).

Diageo released Talisker Storm in early 2013 with no age statement. The whisky is matured in specifically selected refill and toasted American oak casks. Pre Covid, the Talisker Storm single malt Scotch whisky was occasionally available in SA. Sadly, I have not seen it around for the last couple of months.

Other releases include the Talisker 57 North whisky. There is also a Talisker Dark Storm that was released as a travel retail special. Dark Storm was matured in heavily charred casks compared to the standard Storm release.

Also Read: Springbank 18 yo Whisky

Talisker Storm Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: Island of Skye

ABV: 45.8%

COLOUR: Dark Gold

NOSE: Delicate and soft with peat, smoke and sweetness. Sea salt and honey with a soft fruity note. Surprisingly sweet.

PALATE: Medium body with notes of peat, oak and honey sweetness. A bit of a chilli bite mixed with smoke and hints of black pepper. Bolder than what the nose suggested. Lovely and warming on a cold Friday afternoon. Not the most complex dram, but easy drinking. Quite a bit sweeter than the 10 yo release. Water tones down the chilli heat.

FINISH: Peat and oak dryness with a fruity sweetness.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What a lovely dram. It warmed me up on a cold Friday evening, and I will undoubtedly be looking for a big bottle of this when it becomes available in SA again. I was surprised at how much sweeter it is when compared to the Talisker 10 yo whisky.

As soon as I managed to find a big bottle, I will do a side by side comparison. The 10 yo is still my favourite of the lot, but this Talisker Storm single malt whisky is not far behind.

Also Read: Ardbeg 10 vs An Oa Whisky

Tamnavulin Double Cask Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/25/2023

In Single Malt whisky

Today I look at the Tamnavulin Double Cask Speyside single malt Scotch whisky, produced at one of the younger Scottish whisky distilleries. The Tamnavulin distillery was built in 1966, mainly to supply the booming market for whisky to use in blends including Whyte & Mackay and Mackinlay’s.

Tamnavulin distillery was built on the remains of a wool mill, and Tamnavulin is a translation of the Gaelic for ‘mill on the hill’. The water used is from underground springs in the neighbouring hills.

The distillery changed hands a few times and spend some time closed. It ended up in the Emperador/ Whyte & Mackay stable together with Jura and Dalmore.

Also Read: Springbank 18 yo Whisky

In 2016, Tamnavulin was re-launched in the UK as a single malt brand. It marks the 50th anniversary of the distillery. The Tamnavulin range also includes a Sherry cask edition, a red wine cask edition as well as a Vintage Collection.

The Tamnavulin Double Cask single malt whisky is the first official release from the distillery in more than two decades! It is first matured in American oak barrels before a finishing period in sherry casks.

Tamnavulin Double Cask Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Amber gold.

NOSE: An unusual nose. It took me a while to identify the notes. Fermented grapes, wet moss with bits of caramel sweetness. Some alcohol notes floating around—something like mouldy bread in the background.

PALATE: Oak, pepper with bits of caramel, lemon and tobacco. Not a very complex whisky. Adding water renders it flat and one dimensional. Water brings the honey sweetness to the front and softens the oak and pepper notes.

FINISH: Drying oak and pectin.

RATING: GOOD

I have seen very positive reviews on this release, and I was excited to try it. However, it left me disappointed. I saw people mentioning flavours including chocolate mousse, brownies and marzipan. I am wondering if there is something wrong with my bottle.

According to the reviews, I could look forward to Christmas pudding and some fruit, but could not find any of these in my glass; I did not even want to finish my drink. Sadly, I think this bottle of Tamnavulin will be in my collection for quite some time.

It retails for an affordable £30 on Amazon, and perhaps I should go give some of the other expressions a try before judging to harshly.

Also Read: Glen Scotia Double Cask 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:

Balvenie 17 year old Doublewood Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/11/2023

In Single Malt whisky

I have not had a glass of Balvenie in ages. The last time I had any Balvenie in my glass was when we did the Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask comparison, and the bottles were empty after that tasting. I looked at my whisky collection for something new to drink and saw the Balvenie 17 year old DoubleWood single malt Scotch whisky, so I grabbed it and am glad I did.

The first ever Balvenie I tried was the DoubleWood 12 year old, and I have found it to be a bit of a hit and miss. I have had an amazing bottle, and the bottle after that was just blah. Since then, I have tasted numerous Balvenie releases.

Balvenie is a Speyside distillery, part of the William Grant portfolio, together with Glenfiddich and Kininvie distillery.

Like its younger sibling, the Balvenie DoubleWood 17 year old single malt is matured in ex-bourbon casks before finishing in ex-Sherry Casks. The DoubleWood 12 year old was released in 1993 and was so popular that they added the DoubleWood 17 year old whisky to the portfolio in 2012. Sadly, Balvenie discontinued the DoubleWood 17 year old in 2021.

Other releases in the Balvenie range include the Caribbean Cask as well as the Balvenie Roasted Malt and the Balvenie Peated Cask whisky.

The Balvenie 17 year old Doublewood Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Old gold

NOSE: On the nose, this whisky is a pleasure to experience. It combines oak, nuts, vanilla, red fruits, and delicate orange blossom. The subtle hint of cinnamon sugar adds a touch of sweetness, while citrus notes provide a refreshing zing. After standing a bit, there is a tropical note in the background.

PALATE: The oak and fruits from the nose continue on the palate with bits of tart red apple and creamy grain. Cinnamon, cloves and vanilla mix with wood, dried fruit and almonds and are balanced with a toffee sweetness. The DoubleWood single malt has a medium body and is quite oily. Water takes away the sweetness and some of the complexity. It is better without water.

FINISH: The finish is medium long with notes of toffee sweetness, lingering creamy vanilla and a drying woody oakiness. Somewhere in the background is a milk chocolate note that makes me want to explore this dram again.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The combination between the fruity sweetness and the oak spices is well-balanced, contributing to a satisfying and well-rounded drinking experience. It is elegant and delicious. After 17 years in wood, I expected a bit more body on the Balvenie. However, the medium body makes it easy to drink.

If you see a bottle of this Balvenie Doublewood 17 year old Scotch whisky floating around, do yourself a favour and grab it. It is an enjoyable whisky experience you will be sorry to have missed.

Also Read: Ardbeg 10 vs An Oa Whisky

Glenfarclas 12 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/04/2023

In Single Malt whisky

Tasting the Glenfarclas 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky this week brought back some fond memories. I purchased this bottle of Glenfarclas 12 year old on my most recent visit to Dullstroom. It was one of the whiskies I tasted in the bar during the weekend away, and I just had to stock up.

The Glenfarclas distillery sits in Banffshire, just a mile from the River Spey, in the heart of Speyside. Established in 1865 the distillery is still family-owned. Glenfarclas produces several expressions in the traditional Speyside style, with a heavy sherry influence.

It is one of the few Scottish distilleries that never use exotic woods for maturation. Both the bottle and tube are presented in the now-classic Glenfarclas packaging. The distillery is situated in the middle of green pastures. A perfect place for whisky.

Related Article: Rhino Whisky

The range includes a Glenfarclas 10 year old, 15 year old, Glenfarclas 17 year old whisky, up to a 30 year old whisky and even a Glenfarclas 40 year old whisky. There is also the Glenfarclas 105 release as well as the various Family Cask releases.

Glenfarclas has a beautiful visitors center on-site, and it is one of the places on my bucket list to visit. How perfect would it be to taste some of the older Family Casks right there at the distillery?

Glenfarclas 12 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Vibrant amber gold. I think that the sherry renders it more copper in nature.

NOSE: Lots of sherry and honey. There are subtle hints of spice, oak and smoke.

PALATE: Nice, medium-bodied mouthful. The sherry sweetness immediately comes through with further notes of fruitcake, raisins, oak and spice. The 12 year old is not a complex whisky, but the flavours are beautifully balanced.

FINISH: An interesting one. Initially, I thought it dropped off quickly, but it comes back! It has a long tail with spice and honey.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The overall impression of this is a well-rounded whisky. The whisky lacks complexity, but it has an amazing finish. It is easily one of the most sherried whiskies I have tasted. I have also tasted an older 12 year old release from Glenfarclas. Similar to this release, it was also bursting with plums, caramel and raisins with the sherry notes.

The the releases were from different periods and has very different packaging but you can taste the similarities in the sherry fruitiness. Interestingly, the finish on the older release was much shorter than the finish on this release.

In 2006 this Glenfarclas 12 year old whisky was named the ‘Best Sherried Whisky’ in the Single Malt World Cup, and I can understand why.

My friend Marc, from the Whisky Brothers shop, also loves this whisky but suggests that the Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength 60% ABV has an even greater sherried nature.

I will certainly be looking out for this expression in future, but for now, I highly recommend the Glenfarclas 12 year old whisky. A great addition to my collection.

Also Read: Glendronach 12 yo whisky

Glenfarclas and Food Pairings

There was still some Woolworths Cherry Genoa Christmas cake leftover. I paired our second glass of the Glenfarclas 12 yo with this cake. The whisky made the Cherry Genoa rich and fruity, while the Glenfarclas sherry notes were accentuated. It makes for a lovely pairing!

I also tried the Glenfarclas with a sweet dessert cheese (White Rock with cranberries) to see if I can get a similar result, but the soft dessert cheese and the sherry whisky did not pair well. If you have tasted this Glenfarclas 12 yo whisky, or the Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength, I would love to hear your impressions.

Update: I paired this release with some Wensleydale cheese with cranberries. See how this pairing worked. This release has made it onto my Top 5 Single Malt whiskies under R500 for 2014 list.

Also Read: The Macallan 12 yo whisky