Category: Whisky of the Week Page 65 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.

Ardbeg Supernova 2009 Islay Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/16/2015

In Single Malt whisky

John’s birthday falls on a Friday and to celebrate; I scheduled one of the peatiest whiskies in our collection as our Whisky of the Week. This week we try the Ardbeg Supernova 2009 Islay single malt Scotch whisky. It was released as one of the peatiest Ardbeg’s ever at over 100ppm.

It is from one of John’s favourite distilleries. Ardbeg lies lonely, in a small bay off the south coast of Islay. It was once a place of smugglers and illegal distillation. The illicit distillers took advantage of the isolated place and incomparable conditions for whisky production.

Related Article: Octomore Scottish Barley whisky

It was not until 1815 that a legal distillery was established by John McDougall. Ardbeg sits near the ‘Kildalton’ distilleries, Laphroaig and Lagavulin.

With all the hype around this Ardbeg Supernova 2009 whisky release, it sold out very quickly. I managed to buy this bottle on one of the Whisky Auctions and had it shipped to South Africa. Subsequently, Ardbeg brought out the Ardbeg Supernova 2010 release.

The LVMH group owns the Ardbeg distillery. I have tried various Ardbeg releases. You can read my review of the Ardbeg Uigeadail here.

Ardbeg Supernova 2009 Islay Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 58.9%

COLOUR: A light golden wheat colour. It is a very oily whisky.

NOSE: Classic Ardbeg with peat, iodine and TCP. The peat is not overwhelming, but rather smooth and well balanced with some floral notes. There are hints of vanilla sweetness.

PALATE: Thick and creamy with peat, saltines and notes of spices. There are notes of bitter orange with some honeyed sweetness that is smoothed out after adding some water. Even though the ABV of the Ardbeg Supernova 2009 is 58.9%, there is no alcohol bite. Just smooth sweet peat and sweetness, perfectly balanced to create a fantastic drinking experience.

FINISH: Builds slowly to end in peaty, spicy notes. There are medicinal notes with hints of smoke and bitter orange again.

RATING: DIVINE

What more can I say? When Ardbeg gets it right, it’s spectacular. The Ardbeg Supernova 2009 Islay single malt whisky is utterly brilliant. Probably one of my favourite Ardbeg releases to date. Rich, complex and expertly balanced. It is just perfect. No more words are needed. What is your favourite Ardbeg?

Also read: Rum vs Whiskey

Longmorn 15 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/09/2015

In Single Malt whisky

One of the great joys of collecting whisky is obtaining a limited release bottle that is no longer in production. That is the case with today’s whisky, The Longmorn 15 year old single malt Scotch whisky. John Duff, Charles Shirres and George Thomson founded the Longmorn Distillery Company in 1893.

He also founded the Glenlossie distillery two decades earlier. After some time at Glenlossie, Duff moved to South Africa to start a distillery in Transvaal. Duff invested large sums of money there, but the South African president Paul Kruger wasn’t supportive of his plans.

At some point, he decided the circumstances in South Africa were not suitable. He left for the USA to open a distillery there. Soon Duff found that he was not entirely welcome either, and he failed again. He returned to Scotland, and the Longmorn distillery started production in December 1894.

A short while later, Duff built the Benriach Distillery next to Longmorn, but the Pattison Crisis affected both. Longmorn changed hands various times, and it is currently part of the Chivas Brothers empire now owned by Pernod Ricard.

Following the acquisition, Longmorn got a facelift. In 2007 Longmorn revamped the range, and the 15 year old release was replaced by a 16 year old whisky. Today Longmorn distillery no longer offer the 15 year old whisky.

The Longmorn 15 year old single malt whisky had been very highly rated, with the Whisky Bible awarding it a 93. It was thus with great anticipation that I opened the bottle.

Related Article: Glenfarclas 17 yo whisky

Longmorn 15 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV: 45%

COLOUR: A polished copper colour with hints of orange.

NOSE: Brings malty sherry sweetness, but there is a surprising amount of alcohol bite to the nose. The alcohol vapour is overwhelming some of the Longmorn nosing notes.

After standing for a while, some of the vanilla and florals come through, but the nose is very subtle and individual notes are hard to pick up. There are some hints of apricot in the background.

PALATE: Without any water, the palate has loads of malt, spice and wood. There is a bit of Demerara sugar in the background, but it is not as sweet as we expected. After adding some water to the Longmorn, the spice is still overwhelming.

here are notes of black pepper and ginger mixed with a citrus bitterness. It is quite an oily whisky with a medium mouthfeel. Unfortunately, the whole mouth experience is very spicy.

FINISH: Surprisingly short and end in notes of spice and bitter orange peel.

RATING: GOOD

After reading all the reviews, I was a bit disappointed. I was expecting a bold, flavourful dram. Based on some internet feedback, this 15 year old Longmorn whisky is better than the new 16 yo release.

It is safe to say that I would not be rushing out to add the Longmorn 16 year old to my collection in a hurry. With all the spiciness, it might be a good whisky to pair with cheese. Any thoughts on this older Longmorn release?

Also Read: Glen Scotia 15 yo whisky

Santis Malt Whisky Alpstein Edition no 7

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/02/2015

In Single Malt whisky

This whisky I want to look at this week is the Santis Malt whisky Alpstein Edition no 7. When I think back to my travels around Switzerland, I think of mountains and lakes next to quaint towns and lots of delicious chocolate. Certainly not whisky.

When I got the chance to add a Swiss whisky to my collection, I jumped at the opportunity. In 1999 some changes in the Swiss laws around distilling legalized the distilling of grain alcohols and allowed for the production of whisky.

The Locher brewery has been owned and run by the Locher family for five generations. Situated in Appenzell, close to Liechtenstein and Germany, they have produced beer and spirits for more than 100 years.

Related Article: Teerenpeli whisky

Locher Brewery began to produce Santis Malt after the Swiss ban on manufacturing spirits from grain was lifted. It is made with spring water from the Alpstein mountains.

The grain used is also from the Swiss mountains. According to the Locher Brewery, the altitude and extreme weather make the grain grow more robust and vigorously.

There are various Santis Malt whisky Editions. Each edition is named after a different rock formation. There is a Dreifaltigkeit, Himmelbert, Alpstein Edition among others. The Santis Malt Alpstein Edition no 7 is first matured in some old Oak beer casks and was finished for two years in Sherry casks. The Swiss Whisky Guide voted Locher Brewery “Whisky Distillery 2011”.

Santis Malt Whisky Alpstein Edition No. 7 Review

The Alpstein no. 7 has been aged for 6 years. I have bottle no 553 of 1400.

COUNTRY: Switzerland

ABV: 48%.

COLOUR: Dark red, nearly burnt copper in colour. It is not a very oily whisky.

NOSE: Straight from the bottle promises sherry, more sherry and some more sherry. There are notes of malt, fresh fruits and vanilla. In the background linger hints of Christmas pudding, butterscotch and toasted caramel. The Santis Malt nose is rich and rewarding and encourages you to dive right in. Adding a bit of water releases more fruit and sweetness on the nose.

PALATE: Without water, the palate is interesting. It has a good balance between sweetness and spice, with some vanilla pod mixed in between. There is some very unusual crème brûlée notes that soften when you add water.

After the water, more spice comes through, and some oak and malt appear. It is a yummy whisky you just can’t put down. You want a second glass. Surprising, it is not as sweet as the nose suggests.

FINISH: The finish is the only shortcoming of this Swiss whisky. It is relatively short and ends in notes of wild spice and caramel.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Another (minor) problem with this Santis Malt bottle is that it is only a 50cl size. Consequently, this will be treasured and very carefully consumed until I can get our hands on another expression from this Swiss Distillery.

I paired this Swiss whisky with some Swiss Appenzeller cheese, and it made for a perfect combination. Following the link will take you to the article to show you the results.

Also Read: The Singleton 15 yo Whisky

Jim Beam Devil’s Cut Bourbon

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/16/2015

In Bourbon whiskey

Time for a bourbon again; well, some kind of bourbon anyway. This week I try the Devil’s Cut Kentucky Straight bourbon whiskey from Jim Beam. Jim Beam is a brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Clermont, Kentucky, by Beam Suntory.

The name “Jim Beam” is in honour of James B. Beam, who rebuilt the business after Prohibition ended. Launched in 2011, Devil’s Cut bourbon comes with a long story. According to the Jim Beam website: “As bourbon ages, a portion of the liquid is lost from the barrel due to evaporation—that’s the “Angel’s Share.”

After ageing, when the bourbon is poured out of the barrel, a certain amount of whiskey is left trapped within the wood of every barrel.” Jim Beam calls that the “Devil’s Cut.” According to Jim Beam, to create Devil’s Cut bourbon, they developed a proprietary process that extracts the whiskey trapped inside the wood after emptying.

Jim Beam claims they can extract some of this “lost” liquid by filling the emptied casks with water and spinning them at high-speed. The water containing a large amount of this ‘devil’s cut’ is then used to cut down the traditional 6 yo Jim Beam bourbon.

I am not so sure if the theory behind it all adds up, but it is certainly a clever way of selling more of their 6 yo whiskey. For me, however, the only important thing that matters is how does it taste.

Related Article: WL Weller Wheated bourbon

Jim Beam Devil’s Cut Bourbon Whiskey Review

COUNTRY: USA

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Dark copper in colour. It is quite an oily whiskey.

NOSE: It has a typical bourbon sweet nose. The sweetness intermingles with hints of oak, warm spice, caramel and condensed milk. There are notes of toffee and fresh doughnuts hiding in the background.

PALATE: Not as sweet as we expected it to be. Notes of wood and spice are enhanced when you add a dash of water. The Jim Beam Devil’s Cut has a medium body and is very smooth. There are hints of vanilla sweetness in the background. Not a very complex bourbon.

FINISH: Builds slowly. There are notes of spice and wood, and it ends in caramel and burnt nuts.

RATING: VERY GOOD

It should make a good addition to bourbon-based cocktails. Not sure if I will rebuy this Jim Beam release though, I find it a bit gimmicky.

I have also tried the Jim Beam Double Oak Bourbon, and you can see what I thought about it if you follow the link.

Also Read: Top 5 Single Malt under R750

Wemyss Brandy Casket Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/09/2015

In Single Malt whisky

On this blog, Wemyss Malts needs no introduction. Although they are not available in SA, I have managed to get my hands on a few of their releases. I have tried both the Wemyss Sweet Mint Infusion and the Wemyss Gooseberry Marmalade and just loved them.

This week I try the Wemyss Brandy Casket – the last of the three bottles I bought.Wemyss Malts is an independent bottler. They name their whiskies after one of the prominent flavours the cask reminds them of. The Wemyss Brandy Casket whisky is a 1989 Glen Garioch single malt Scotch whisky release.

Related Article: Longmorn 15 yo whisky

Only 322 bottles were released. Glen Garioch (pronounced ‘Glen Geery’) lies at Old Meldrum’s village in the Aberdeenshire portion of the Scottish Highlands. The distillery buildings sit huddled on a little outcrop flecked with heather gorse and grasses and surrounded by barley pastures.

The Japanese Suntory company owns Glen Garioch. Records show that Glen Garioch was established in 1797 and seen as one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries. I see that there is a wide range of Wemyss releases available via Master of Malt.

Wemyss Brandy Casket Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Rich copper. It is a very oily whisky with long slow fingers forming in the glass.

NOSE: is sweet with brandy and brandied raisins coming straight from the bottle. There are hints of cognac floating around with bits of sweet spice. Adding water releases more florals and some fruit appear on the Wemyss Brandy Casket nose.

PALATE: On the palate, without adding water, it is very complex and interestingly spicy. There are notes of cinnamon and nutmeg intertwined with the brandied sweetness. Adding water releases more of the sweeter spices and brings forward butterscotch and caramel.

After adding a bit of water to the Brandy Casket, the oak is also more pronounced. It has an oily mouthfeel and is a medium-bodied whisky. It is rich, smooth and complex and reminiscent of cognac. There are hints of sweet sandalwood and vanilla.

FINISH: The Wemyss Brandy Casket finish is long, lingering and warming. It ends in notes of spice and oak.

RATING: DIVINE

A fantastic whisky that leaves me with a smile on my face and reaching for a second (and third) glass. The Wemyss Brandy Casket single malt whisky reminds me a bit of cognac. If you love cognac, you will love this whisky.

I see that this limited edition is sold out at Master of Malt, so this bottle will be treated with very special care and only taken out for very special occasions.

Update: Wemyss Malts is slowly becoming more accessible in SA, and I have written about Wemyss The Hive whisky over here.

Also Read: GlenDronach 13 yo whisky