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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.

Arran Napoleon Cognac Finish Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/09/2016

In Single Malt whisky

I love adding whisky finished in interesting casks to my collection. A rum finished whisky or a Sauternes cask finish adds interesting dimensions to the whisky and also to my collection. I have plenty of bourbon, and Sherry cask finishes, a Madeira cask finish and even a Merlot cask finish.

But one of the finishes I enjoy the most, looking at the nearly empty bottle on my shelf, is the Arran Napoleon Cognac single cask finish Scotch whisky. I can’t find many whiskies aged in Cognac casks. Not currently in South Africa anyway.

To learn more about Arran Malts, you can read my review on the Arran Sherry cask. The Arran Malt has also done a Lepanto PX Brandy cask finish as well together with a host of other unique cask releases.

But for today, let’s stand still and appreciate the Arran Napoleon Cognac cask whisky. Cognac is a variety of brandy produced in the wine-growing region around the town of Cognac.

The production methods of Cognac must meet specific legal requirements, and it is made from specified grapes. Cognac is aged and graded based on the time in cask.

This whisky was aged in Napoleon Cognac casks from A Hardy. A Napoleon Cognac designates a blend in which the youngest cognac was aged for at least 6 years. I have The Arran Napoleon Cognac cask bottle no 15 of 456. It was bottled 19 Sept 06 at an ABV of 51.8%.

Related Article: Amrut Intermediate Sherry whisky

Arran Napoleon Cognac Cask Whisky Review

REGION: Scottish Islands

ABV: 51.8%

COLOUR: Light gold

NOSE: Initially there are rose florals, fresh grapes and oak with hints of honeycomb sweetness floating about. It’s got a remarkably clean and flavourful aroma. Slowly the cognac notes start to build on the nose. When you nose it for the second time, more of the cognac sweetness comes through.

PALATE: Very surprising. It has far more cognac then expected. It hits you with a lot of cinnamon spice and then the traditional long slow lingering cognac finish. Some of the fermented grape notes, associated with Cognac, come through beautifully.

There are hints of leather and wood. The addition of water brings a lot of smoothness and takes away some of the spice. Water releases a bit more sweetness as well.

FINISH: It lingers and warms the heart. With the addition of water, the dram finishes on the more classic notes of dried wood, citrus and notes of leather.

RATING: EXCELLENT

This Arran Napoleon Cognac cask whisky is a dram that will polarize people. For the lovers of Cognac, this is a brilliant dram. Those who prefer the traditional style of whisky may not rush to this particular expression.

However, I find this an excellent dram. It’s different, it’s unique, it has personality and balances the oak sweetness wonderfully with the fruity Cognac notes.

Also Read: Glen Moray Classic whisky

The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/02/2016

In Single Malt whisky

One of the more dusty bottles in my collection is the Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve single malt Scotch whisky. This Dalmore whisky bottle has been part of my whisky collection at least nine years, and I have barely touched it.

Dalmore is located on the northern shores of the Firth of Cromarty, part of the Scottish Highlands. Alexander Matheson founded Dalmore distillery in 1839. After building Dalmore and running it for 28 years, he decided in 1867 it was time to pass on the distillery to new owners. Andrew and Charles Mackenzie stepped forward.

They brought with them the iconic 12-pointed Royal Stag emblem, which has adorned every bottle of The Dalmore since. Dalmore now stands as Whyte and Mackay’s largest distillery as well as being the flagship for the brand.

The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve whisky was discontinued in mid-2009, causing an uproar among its fans. It was brought back in this new format.

The whiskies that make up the reworked Cigar Malt release are slightly older. The percentage of sherry wood is higher. The Dalmore is initially matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks and 30 yo Matusalem Oloroso sherry butts; it is then finished in Premier Cru Cabernet Sauvignon wine barrels.

Related Article: Glenlivet 15yo whisky

The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve Whisky Review

REGION: Highlands

ABV: 44%

COLOUR: A dark copper.

NOSE: The name implies smoky cigar notes, and that is the first impression when you get nosing this whisky. Elements of the tobacco mixed with sherry sweetness and juicy raisins. There are faint hints of malt and leather.

PALATE: This malt lives up to its name again. It’s very spicy, with bitter citrus. My first impression on tasting the Dalmore Cigar Malt, without water, reminds me of the smell of overflowing ashtrays in a closed room.

There are some bitter notes and something a bit like old cigarette smoke. Adding water softens the slight alcohol bite. Water also brings out more sherry sweetness and hints of orange and ripe cherries. It is not a complex whisky.

FINISH: The Cigar Malt Reserve whisky has a medium body and finishes in notes of cigarette smoke bitterness.

RATING: GOOD

The whisky lives up to its name. It tells you it is going to deliver cigar/cigarette smoke. And it does just that. If you like an old smoke lounge, you will probably love this dram. I’m not too fond of old cigar smoke. The spice and smoke overwhelmed all the other notes. A bit one sided.

It has put me off trying anything else from Dalmore; which might be a shame. Any suggestions for a Dalmore worth trying?

Also Read: The Balvenie GoldenCask whisky

Hammerhead Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 04/11/2016

In Single Malt whisky

Today I look at whisky from a unique destination, the Hammerhead Czech single malt whisky. This is the 1989 Edition. It was the height of the Cold War. In the Soviet Union, the national drink was vodka.

But in Communist-era Czechoslovakia, a few high ranking comrades had a taste for something different. They wanted whisky. Importing it from the West was impossible. But the resourceful comrades made a plan.

A small distillery in Pradlo, know for pot stilled spirits, had a hammer mill. It dated from around 1928. It was noisy and crude, but it was the only one in the entire Czechoslovakia. The barley was 100% Czech, and the water was from the Bohemia region.

The biggest problem was the peat. Peat from the Czech region did not work. So, at a considerable cost, a train carriage full of Scottish peat was imported. It was to last for at least five years.

Also Read: The Belgian Owl whisky

Through trial and error, the comrades learned their trade. It took years. Reading about whisky and converting this into practice, did not prove to be easy. But they persisted. The end product was aged in 100% Czech oak casks.

The comrades liked the result very much, and a bottle of whisky from Pradlo was a prized gift. But then in 1989, the Berlin Wall came down, and Europe changed forever. The casks put down were forgotten, and they lay dormant in the old distillery cellars for over 20 years.

Stock Spirits purchased the distillery without knowing that the whisky even existed. They discovered the casks and after tasting it, discovered the true quality of the whisky.

It was bottled under the name Hammerhead in honour of the old Mill. We have the Hammerhead 1989 whisky release which is a 20 yo. There is also a Hammerhead 23 year old whisky.

Hammerhead Czech Single Malt Whisky Review

COUNTRY: Czechoslovakia

ABV: 40,7%.

COLOUR: Light wheat colour. Quite light for a 20 year old release.

NOSE: Initially there are spicy notes, with hints of sweet vanilla and malty oak on the nose. Hints of fresh-cut flowers fresh fruit and some citrus in the background. After a while, butterscotch notes appear. The addition of water seems to take away some of the spiciness but accentuates wheat and white oak on the nose.

PALATE: Very spicy with lots of winter spice notes, including cloves and nutmeg. A fair bit of citrus fruit floats about intertwined with toasted nuts. A few seconds later, vanilla and butterscotch come through.

Without water, the Hammerhead whisky is quite rich. The addition of water cuts through a lot of the spice and adds smoothness and makes it even more easy drinking. Water brings a roundness to the palate. The dram is chewy and smooth.

FINISH: Oak and pepper and is medium length.

RATING: EXCELLENT

A great addition to my collection. I can understand why Yeltsin liked whisky from this distillery. It is an excellent whisky for a group of people who learnt about distilling and ageing whisky in books. Now to get my hands on the 23 yo whisky to compare!

The Hammerhead whisky has received several awards including three gold stars at the 2014 and 2013 International Taste & Quality Institute (iTQi) awards. I saw a comment on a blog somewhere that the Hammerhead 23 yo was a favourite of Boris Yeltsin.

The Hammerhead is considerably nicer than the Maraska blended whisky from the old Yugoslavia.

Also Read: Kornog whisky

Bunnahabhain 18 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 04/04/2016

In Single Malt whisky

Today I chat about something soft from Islay, the Bunnahabhain 18 year old single malt Scotch whisky. The sea is my happy place. I sleep like a rock when I hear the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. I love to walk for miles and miles on the beach, looking for shells and dreaming away.

We all have such a place.A place where the cares of the day, the stress of work, the burdens that we carry, disappear. A place that makes us happy. For some people, it is the mountains. John and our friend Walter find peace when they go climbing.

For some people, it is a river, or a farm or a particular city. For me, it is a small town just outside of Durban on the Kwa-Zulu Natal South Coast.

I have gone there since I was ten years old. Tomorrow we drive down to the coast for a couple of days rest with some family. And what better whisky to take with, then one of my favourite whiskies of all time, the Bunnahabhain 18 year old whisky.

Also Read: Ballechin 10 yo Whisky

For more than 130 years, Bunnahabhain has been creating memories and have a special place in Scotland’s whisky history. Derived from the Gaelic for ‘mouth of the river’, Bunnahabhain was founded in 1881. In 2003, Edrington sold Bunnahabhain to Burn Stewart Distilleries for £10 million. Currently, Distell owns Burn Stewart.

Bunnahabhain is the Northern-most Islay distillery. It sits in a large bay to the North East of the Isle, drawing its water from the Margadale Spring.

The malt supplied to Bunnahabhain is required to be at levels of 3 p.p.m. The Bunnahabhain 18 year old is a single malt matured in a combination of used sherry and bourbon casks before it is bottled without the use of chill filtration.

Bunnahabhain 18 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 46.3%

COLOUR: Dark golden amber colour with hints of red.

NOSE: The first thing that strikes me about the nose is that it’s rich and complex. The 18 yo whisky has notes of malva pudding, fruitcake sweetness, candied fruits and caramel sweetness floating about. Hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Faint wisps of cloves. The addition of water changes the nose quite a bit. It seems to take away some of the complexity but oddly enough brings through more of the oak and spice.

PALATE: When you try this Bunnahabhain 18 year old for the first time, all you can say is “good grief, this is wonderful”. It’s a creamy, chewy whisky, complex with a layer of nutty sweetness floating around. Behind all the nutty sweetness is a salty feel. It’s that same salty air you taste when walking on a windy day on a rocky shore by a rough sea.

After the sweetness, there are some dried citrus peel and marmalade. The addition of water adds even more smoothness and gives it a luscious feel. You can even imagine the faintest hint of smoke and peat after adding a bit of water.

FINISH: Long and lingering and warms the heart. It ends in notes spicy oak and a bit of leather.

RATING: DIVINE

I finished the first glass of the Bunnahabhain 18 year old single malt without water. It was so good. To see the impact of water, I had to have a second glass. This Bunnahabhain is seriously impressive stuff. I love it. An all time favourite!

Also Read: Macallan 15 vs Glenfiddich 15 yo whisky

Amrut Intermediate Sherry Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/22/2016

In Single Malt whisky

As I write this review, John is in Bangalore as part of his teaching commitment. So it is only fitting that we try a whisky from India this week. I packed him a sample of the Amrut Intermediate Sherry single malt whisky to taste while he is there.

With the 3,5 hour time difference between South Africa and India, he could relax after a long day, with a dram produced not far from where he is teaching.I was fortunate to share the dram with a good friend here at home.

Zee, a whisky lover, has never tried Indian whisky before. I was glad to share my tasting with her. Her daughter is a good friend of my little M, so while the 2 girls were playing dress-up, we settled down to try the Amrut Intermediate Sherry whisky.

In some of our previous posts, we wrote extensively about the start of Amrut in India. We have quite a few bottles from this distillery and have rated both the Amrut Fusion whisky and Amrut Two Continents whisky as Divine.

You can read more about the history of Amrut in our previous posts. Amrut launched the Amrut Intermediate Sherry at the Paris Whisky Live Show on 25 September 2010.

It was named ‘Intermediate’ because the whisky started its maturation in Bourbon casks. Then it is shipped to Spain and put into Sherry casks. The filled casks are sent back to India. It is done to avoid infection problems with shipping empty sherry casks. The whisky is left to mature in the Sherry for a period and then put back into bourbon casks to complete its maturation.

Related Article: Yamazaki 12 yo Whisky

Amrut Intermediate Sherry Whisky Review

COUNTRY: India

ABV: 57.1%.

COLOUR: Red copper with hints of orange.

NOSE: An abundance of sherry notes mixed with spice, raw oak and overripe plums and figs. The nose is reminiscent of sawdust and an old book being opened. Faint hints of vanilla intertwine with traces of condensed milk with faints hints of vanilla and plump raisins.

Zee described the nose as a perfect balance between sherry and wood. The addition of water released some floral notes and removed the overt woody and must notes.

PALATE: The Amrut has sweetness mixed with loads of spice. Cloves, nutmeg and pepper come to mind. It’s very woody on the palette with a whiff of mineral spirits. Without water, it has a bit of an alcohol bite.

The whole combination seems a bit raw – as though it should have been aged more to get some of the sharper edges out. The addition of water certainly adds smoothness. After water, there are more fruity and flowery notes but also more spice.

FINISH: Medium length with lots of spicy notes, bitter citrus with an overlay of wet wood.

RATING: GOOD

I love the Amrut releases, but this expression is not their finest work. It seems rushed, and the notes and flavour do not combine elegantly. It had potential, and one can only hope future expression live up to its sister expressions’ standards, some of which are indeed a delight. Other Amrut expressions I have tried include the Amrut Kadhambam and the Amrut single malt.

Also Read: Hammerhead 1989 whisky