Category: Whisky of the Week Page 9 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.

Dewar’s White Label Blended Scotch Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/27/2023

In Blended whisky

During my latest shopping expedition, I looked for something wallet-friendly and novel. This led me to seize a bottle of Dewar’s White Label blended Scotch whisky. Given my adoration for Dewar’s 12 year old and 15 year old expressions, adding the White Label to my collection was as instinctive as it was irresistible.

Dewar’s, a respected Scottish whisky brand, takes pride in its membership within the Bacardi lineage. It is also one of the top Scottish whiskies sold in the USA.

Bacardi owns five whisky distilleries nestled in the heart of Scotland’s landscape:

Aberfeldy
Aultmore
Macduff
Royal Brackla
Craigellachie

But let’s zero in on the star of this blog post – Dewar’s White Label whisky. The brand was created back in 1899 by the visionary hands of A.J. Cameron, the first Master Blender of John Dewar & Son’s legacy.

Dewar’s White Label whisky is a harmonious blend, uniting around 40 distinct malt and grain whiskies, Aberfeldy at its core. After blending, the whisky returns to oak casks for a further period. This additional maturation serves to create a smooth and seamlessly integrated flavour profile.

White Label Scotch is a NAS release and is available worldwide. I picked this bottle up in Mauritius for around Rs1300.

Dewar’s White Label Blended Scotch Whisky Review

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: Light gold

NOSE: Honey with orchard fruit and cereal. Bits of sun-ripened lemon and peach.

PALATE: Honey and mild chili. Cereal with oak, vanilla, and floral notes. In the background, there are fresh orchard fruits with grass and floral notes. Medium body and not the most complex. Water increases the chili heat a bit and brings forward more lemon rind. Sooth and uncomplicated.

FINISH: Short with honey sweetness and lemon drops.

RATING: VERY GOOD

The Dewar’s White Label is an entryway into Dewar’s world of blended Scotch whisky. A canvas adorned with the fruity and honeyed brushstrokes that hallmark Dewar’s creations.

As one traverses the Dewar’s spectrum, the voyage from the White Label to the 12 year old or the 15 year old expressions sees these familiar flavours transform into a more intricate tapestry.

John found the White Label a tad one-dimensional. However, I liked it and found it unpretentious and perfect for a leisurely afternoon Highball cocktail.

An accessible starting point for a deeper exploration of Dewar’s artistry. To further understand the nuances of this dram, I have done a side by side comparison between the Dewar’s White Label and the Famous Grouse whisky to see how they compare.

Also Read: Dunville’s PX Cask 12 yo Whiskey

Ballantine’s 7 yo Bourbon Finish Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/13/2023

In Blended whisky

Wandering around the supermarket in Tamarin Mauritius I spotted a Ballantine’s whisky I have not tried before; the Ballantine’s 7 yo Bourbon Finish blended Scotch whisky. I love Ballantine’s whisky. I have many bottles in my collection and have written about them extensively. So this bottle landed in my trolley pretty quickly.

Ballantine’s blended whisky is one of the largest Scotch whisky brands and is available in over 160 countries. Ballantine’s is currently owned by Chivas Brothers, part of the larger Pernod Ricard group.

Also Read: New Zealand Whisky Company Whisky

The Ballantine’s Bourbon Finish is a permanent addition to the core range and was released in September 2020. It is a blend of single malts and single grain whiskies for a traditional Ballantine’s expression that was aged for a minimum age of seven years, before being finished in ex-bourbon casks, sourced from Kentucky.

The new whisky is inspired by founder George Ballantine, who started selling his own 7 years old aged whisky in the 1870s. It was also a time when Ballantine’s was one of the first companies to be importing ex-bourbon casks from America.

Ballantine’s 7 yo Bourbon Finish Whisky Review

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: Deep Gold

NOSE: Elegant and soft with oak and tropical coconut notes. Caramel sweetness and light vanilla with fruity notes. The nose is quite sweet and not very complex.

PALATE: Creamy oak with hints of black pepper and fresh apples. On the palate, the 7 yo whisky is bolder and less sweet as suggested by the nose. Hints of fruity sweetness, caramel, and vanilla with something biscuity in the background.

The Bourbon Finish has a medium body and is easy to drink. It is not the most complex dram and quite sweet on the palate.

FINISH: Medium length with oak and hints of sweetness that moves to black pepper.

RATING: VERY GOOD

Probably the least favourite of the Ballantine’s that I have tried. It is far more delicate than even the standard Ballantine’s Finest whisky. It lacks a bit of the Ballantine’s complexity that I enjoy. Having said that, my bottle is nearly finished, so it is not a bad whisky at all. Just not as complex and sassy as some of the other releases.

In South Africa, the standard ABV is 43%, so it takes a bit to get used to the lower ABV. I need to concentrate on not adding water too quickly. I have not seen it in SA yet, but online it retails for around € 23. The Ballantine’s 7 blended whisky is available in Mauritius for around RS1700 and I have seen it around the bigger supermarkets.

Also Read:Ardbeg Supernova Whisky

Crown Royal Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/06/2023

In Blended whisky

Blended whisky time again, and today I write about the Crown Royal whisky from Canada. The year was 1939. Adolf Hitler has been Führer of Germany for five years. The signs of impending war were visible everywhere in Europe.

During this troubling time, the British Monarch King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (Queen Mother) visited Canada and the USA.It was the first visit of a reigning monarch to Canada, and a British monarch set foot in the United States.

This tour marked the first time that the sovereign’s official Canadian birthday was marked with the country’s ruler. The royals arrived in Quebec and travelled west by rail through the country.

They visited most of the major cities and finally arrived in Vancouver. The King and Queen made a brief visit to the United States, visiting Washington, New York, and Poughkeepsie.

In both Canada and the United States, the presence of the King and Queen was calculated to shore up support for Britain in anticipation of hostilities with Nazi Germany.

Created as a tribute to this Royal grand tour to Canada, the Crown Royal is a blended whisky made with over 50 different whiskies. Crown Royal whisky is a blend of various grains (including corn, rye, wheat and barley).

The whisky is aged in a variety of casks. Crown Royal comes in a purple velvet-like bag, which symbolizes royalty. Owned by Diageo, Crown Royal Deluxe is one of the top-selling Canadian Whiskies in the United States.

Related Article: The Top 5 Blends under R500

Crown Royal Whisky Review

COUNTRY: Canada

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Rich golden amber.

NOSE: Toffee and vanilla sweetness with hints of grains. There are traces of fruit and bits of lemon coming through. When you add water, stone fruit like peaches appears.

PALATE: Creamy caramel fudge and a bit of smoke with oak. There are hints of fruit in the background and pieces of citrus, and more vanilla linger on the palate. This Delux release is not a very spicy whisky. This Crown Royal Deluxe is smooth and well-balanced.

FINISH: The whisky ends in notes of spice and burnt oak with a bit of chocolate. The finish is long and lingering.

RATING: VERY GOOD

The Crown Royal whisky is a medium-bodied whisky with a balanced mouthfeel. It is the perfect whisky to serve at the end of a meal. The Crown Royal Deluxe should pair well with some vanilla flavoured deserts.

I also tasted the award-winning Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye and captured my tasting notes on this dram.

Related Article: Firstwatch Whisky

Jack Daniel’s Old No 7 Tennessee Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/03/2023

In Bourbon whiskey

Today’s exploration takes us into the world of an iconic spirit – none other than the revered Jack Daniel’s Old No 7 Tennessee whiskey. Whether you’re an ardent fan or on the opposing side of the spectrum, one thing’s sure – this Old No. 7 Tennessee whiskey has left an indelible mark across the globe.

Born of a blend of Welsh and Scottish heritage, Jasper Newton ‘Jack’ Daniel’s exact birth date remains mysterious. Around 1866, he embarked on a journey that would etch his name in the annals of whiskey history – the establishment of Jack Daniel’s distillery. This endeavour marked the birth of one of the oldest registered distilleries in the United States.

Jack’s brand flourished as the years rolled by, propelling Tennessee to the forefront of the American distilling landscape. An enigmatic bachelor, Jack entrusted his distillery to his nephew Lem Motlow. The turbulent era of Prohibition brought production to an abrupt halt.

Lem, however, emerged as a beacon of change, assuming the role of a Tennessee State Senator and playing a pivotal role in dismantling the state’s prohibition laws.

Also Read: Jack Daniel’s Rye vs Old No 7 Whiskey

World War 2 led to a production break until 1947 when quality corn became available again. From this point, Jack Daniel’s whiskey embarked on an upward trajectory, achieving nothing short of a cult-like status. Though the distillery remained in Jack’s family until 1956, it eventually found a new home with Brown-Forman.

Nestled within Moore County, a Tennessee dry county, the distillery thrives, crafting its renowned product within its borders yet rendering its purchase a legal impossibility. A sole exception exists – the distillery’s right to sell a single commemorative product. The global stage witnessed the ascendancy of the Jack Daniel’s brand, crowning it the highest-selling American whiskey worldwide.

It’s worth noting that while Jack Daniel’s whiskey shares many characteristics with bourbon in terms of production methods, it deviates in one crucial aspect: the Lincoln County process: filtration through sugar maple charcoal before maturation. This hallmark procedure shapes the whiskey’s character, resulting in the celebrated Tennessee whiskey bottled as Jack Daniel’s.

Jack Daniel’s Old No 7 Tennessee Whiskey Review

ABV: 43%

COUNTRY: USA

COLOUR: Light amber

NOSE: An exquisite symphony of sweetness, where honey, vanilla, and toasted oak harmonize with a subtle smokiness. Hints of dried fruit and marzipan add to the intrigue.

PALATE: Smoky undertones, oak’s embrace, and the embrace of butterscotch sweetness take centre stage. Amidst these flavours, a suggestion of sour cherries and cereal lends a unique dimension, supported by fruit notes and abundant vanilla. It is quite an oily whiskey and has a full body. Mellow and smooth.

FINISH: Medium length with toasty oak, butterscotch richness, and a whisper of spice.

RATING: VERY GOOD

The Old No 7, while not overly intricate, offers a reassuringly easy-drinking and comforting profile. A purchase of this bottle guarantees a consistently high-quality and flavourful choice at an appealing price point. In South Africa it retails for around R 430 and in the UK for £ 21 (I see it regularly on Amazon on special). In India it is a bit more expensive and the price is around ₹ 4,590.

Its ubiquity is undeniable – regardless of your location on the global map, Jack Daniel’s stands as a reliable presence, its cult status well-deserved.

Embracing its versatility, the Jack Daniel’s Old No 7 Tennessee whiskey enhances culinary creations with its robust flavour, adding depth to cooking and baking endeavours.

While not a whiskey destined for celebratory occasions, it’s the perfect companion when the options are limited, say, on a plane with only Jack Daniel’s at the bar – a scenario that wouldn’t warrant too much complaint.

I paired this bourbon with some KFC to see how it would work. If you’re seeking a deeper understanding, I’ve compared Old No. 7 and Gentleman Jack side-by-side, peeling back the layers of their distinctions.

Dive into my blog post for an engaging exploration of Jack Daniel’s versus Jim Beam bourbon, discovering my personal favourite in the showdown.

I have also tasted the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple. Not strictly a whiskey, but a fun drink nevertheless.

Also Read: Jim Beam Black Bourbon

Auchentoshan American Oak Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 01/30/2023

In Single Malt whisky

I have not tried an Auchentoshan whisky in years. I loved the Heartwood release, and our bottle did not last very long. A couple of years ago, I bought the Auchentoshan American Oak single malt Scotch whisky but left it standing in the cupboard until last week when I was looking for something new to try.

Auchentoshan distillery is a single malt whisky distillery located at the foot of the Kilpatrick Hills on the outskirts of Clydebank in West Dunbartonshire, just northwest of the city of Glasgow.

The name is from Gaelic, ‘Achadh an Oisein’ and translates as “corner of the field”. It is one of six malt whisky distilleries in the Scottish Lowlands, along with Glenkinchie, Bladnoch and Ailsa Bay.

Also Read: Dunville’s PX Cask 12 yo Whiskey

The distillery has changed hands many times since it opened in 1823. It is now part of the Beam Suntory portfolio. Unusually, all of its production is used for single malt, and they still triple distil all the whisky.

The standard range of Auchentoshan whisky is quite extensive and includes an Auchentoshan 12 yo, Three Wood and even a Blood Oak release (aged in bourbon and red wine casks). The Auchentoshan distillery character is described as smooth and calm.

The Auchentoshan American Oak whisky is their entry-level bottling and aged entirely in first fill ex-bourbon casks. It was first released in 2014 as a replacement for the Classic expression.

Auchentoshan American Oak Whisky Review

REGION: Lowland

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Pale gold

NOSE: Gentle creamy sweetness with wood and vanilla. Bits of orange flowers and tropical fruit mixed with malt. Sweet and gentle.

PALATE: Creamy cereal, warming oak and honey with bits of vanilla and soft oak spices. Quite sweet with faint lemon notes. Medium body, nice and smooth. Water softens the palate, making it less complex and dampening the oak and spicy notes. It is better without water.

FINISH: Shortish with notes of oak, lemon peel and honey.

RATING: VERY GOOD

The Auchentoshan American Oak whisky is a very affordable single malt at a retail price of R410 in South Africa. It is sweet with lovely warming oak notes and makes a beautiful pre-dinner dram.

You don’t need to add water; the triple distilling ensures a smooth, light experience. Not the most complex dram.

It is a NAS release and the whisky retails for around R410 in South Africa and around £30 in the UK.But at the price point, it is good value for money.

Also Read: Dewars White Label Whisky