Category: Single Malt whisky Page 16 of 43

Single Malt whisky

Whisky of the Week review and tasting notes for Single Malt Whisky. A collection of all the interesting releases I have tried. Not only Scotch but from around the world.

Ledaig 10 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/29/2020

In Single Malt whisky

During 2019, at one of the whisky festivals, I tasted a Ledaig whisky for the first time. At the beginning of 2020, I tasted another Ledaig release and again loved it. I thought that both these special bottlings from Ledaig were impressive.

A friend brought me a mini of the Ledaig 10 year old single malt Scotchwhisky from London. So I am very excited to see what this distillery is all about. The Tobermory distillery, a whisky distillery situated on the Hebridean island of Mull, produces Ledaig whisky. It is the only distillery on Mull Island.

The distillery was first known as Ledaig and was founded in 1798 by John Sinclair. It is located at the foot of a steep hill, at the head of the bay. The water for the distillery comes from the Mishnish lochs.

Ledaig distillery had periods of significant expansion followed by periods of closure with various changes in ownership and name changes. Ledaig translates to a safe haven in Celtic and pronounced “lea-chick”.

Burn Stewart Distillers, a subsidiary of the Distell Group Limited currently own the distillery and brand. The main product, Tobermory single malt, is used in the Scottish Leader blended whisky as well as in Black Bottle whisky. The distillery also produces a smaller amount of heavily peated whisky, which is known under the former name, Ledaig.

The Ledaig portfolio consists of just two permanent expressions, the Ledaig 10 year old and an 18 year old. Various single cask releases are also available. I have tasted the Single And Single Ledaig 13 year old and That Boutiquey Whisky Company Ledaig 18 year old.

The Ledaig 10 year old single malt is aged in ex-bourbon casks and has a peat level of 35 ppm. It is non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Also Read: Glenfarclas 17 year old Whisky

Ledaig 10 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Scottish Islands

ABV: 46.3%

COLOUR: Bright gold

NOSE: Gentle peat with soft fruity sweetness. Hints of barley and malt with briny moss. Quite light and well-balanced.

PALATE: Light peat, ash and wet green moss. Earthy notes with spices. Something in the background that reminds me of cough lozenges. Without water, the pepper and chilli overwhelm the peat a bit. Some alcohol heat. The sweetness promised by the nose only comes out when you add a few drops of water. Medium-bodied. Water softened the ash and promoted the peat.

FINISH: Medium length with sweet peat and pepper.

RATING:VERY GOOD

I loved the other releases that I tasted from this island distillery. This release is the start of the core range and gives a fascinating insight into the distillery style. The peat is soft and mild with more island brine notes and less Islay medicinal notes.

A great dram to introduce someone to peat. The Ledaig 10 year old whisky is not the most complex of drams but with a few drops of water it is easy drinking. Sadly I don’t think this release is currently available in South Africa. I see that at Master of Malt it retails for around R700.

Also Read: King Car Conductor Whisky

Inchmurrin 11 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/22/2020

In Single Malt whisky

When South Africa went into Covid shut down in March 2020, the movement of all alcohol into the country and around the country came to a grinding halt. No alcohol sales were allowed, and all bars and restaurants closed.

The alcohol ban put a stop to the launch of an exclusive bottling for the Bottega Whiskey Club, a Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 11 year old Single Cask Scotch whisky.

The Government lifted the alcohol restrictions in June, and we all breathed a sigh of relieve. We could restock our wine and spirits again. And fortunately, the exclusive batting managed to reach its destination.

During 2019, after a long process, Savi selected an exclusive cask from Loch Lomond Inchmurrin, especially for the Bottega’s 20th birthday celebrations. And after all the wait and drama, it has safely arrived in Johannesburg. I had the fantastic opportunity to taste it live on Instagram with Muzi Mathe, the Loch Lomond Brand Ambassador.

Also Read: Kilchoman Sanaig Whisky

Loch Lomond has various brands in its portfolio. I have written about many of the Loch Lomond, and Glen Scotia releases and the Glen Scotia Victoriana is my favourite. However, I have not tasted anything from Inchmurrin yet.

The Isle of Inchmurrin is the largest of Loch Lomond’s island and was once home to chapel built by monks in the 7th century. Inchmurrin defines their house style as soft, grassy and floral notes mixed with woody influences. The Inchmurrin core range includes a 12 year old, an 18 year old whisky as well as a Madeira wood finish release.

The Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 11 yo was matured in refill American Hogshead and then finished for 9 months in new French Limousin Oak. Experts consider Limousin oak as loose grained, which allows particular characteristics of the oak to impact on the whisky. Limousin is not a wood finish you see every day and is certainly unique.

Inchmurrin 11 year old Whisky Review

The release is limited to only 371 bottles, so it is somewhat limited. It is non-chill-filtered and with natural colour.

ABV: 55.6%

COLOUR: Deep Gold

NOSE: Sweetness, fresh, green sapling with toasty malt and hints of fruit and vanilla. Rich and inviting.

PALATE: Spicier than what the nose promised. Oak spices with warming cinnamon and nutmeg balanced with roasted Brazil nuts, long grass and summer fruits. Bits of vanilla and faint wood in the background. It needs just a few drops of water to release a softer flower note. Big and bold, this release is perfect for winter.

FINISH: Oak spices, citrus with bits of fruity sweetness.

RATING: EXCELLENT

A delicious mouthful. I loved the spiciness balanced with sweetness. Neither overwhelmed each other. It works perfectly together. The wood notes in the background are like a beautiful ornate frame around the spice and sweetness.

I was surprised at how little water you needed to add to bring the flowers forward. Even though it has a huge ABV, it takes only a few drops of water to soften, and after adding the water, the change is pronounced.

The Inchmurrin 11 year old Scotch whisky excellent dram for winter to warm you up from the inside. It is one of those releases that you want to buy a bottle to drink and a bottle to keep.

I would, however, caution you not to wait too long before buying a bottle, because it is limited to only 371 bottles. It retails for R1 295, and you can find it online at Bottega whiskey.

Sample disclosure: I received this sample from Loch Lomond. Though received as part of a promotional event, the review and tasting notes are my honest, fair and independent thoughts on the whisky.

Kilchoman Sanaig Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/18/2020

In Single Malt whisky

Today I go back to Islay and a taste of something from the Kilchoman Distillery, the Kilchoman Sanaig Islay single malt Scotch whisky.

The Kilchoman Distillery (pronounced Kil-ho-man) is a Scottish distillery on the northwest of Islay. Anthony Wills founded the distillery around 2005, and it remains a ‘farm to bottle’, family-run distillery. It is one of the smallest distilleries on the island.

Kilchoman uses barley grown on-site and malted at the distillery, as well as malt from the Port Ellen maltings and releases separate bottlings depending on the source of the grain. The fermentation time is around 85 hours, which is longer than the average 60-75 hours in the industry.

Also Read: Ardbeg Uigeadail vs An Oa whisky

Kilchoman Sanaig single malt was launched worldwide in 2016 and is named after a rocky inlet northwest of the distillery. It has no age statement. The Sanaig is aged in a combination of ex-oloroso sherry and ex-bourbon barrels (70:30). It is peated to 50ppm and not chill-filtered and with not coloured.

It is part of the Kilchoman core range. Other releases in the range include Kilchoman Machir Bay and Loch Gorm. In South Africa, it retails for around R880 and is (was before Covid) readily available.

Kilchoman Sanaig Islay Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Light golden wheat

NOSE: Oak, peat and earthy notes. Fresh grass with a fruity sweetness in the background. Bits of tar poled and ash mixed with orange peel and smoke. Soft sweetness with caramel and vanilla and a hint of coffee.

PALATE: Ash and wood with honey sweetness and green, fruity notes. Bits of plums, cherries and toffee mix with peat, smoke and dark chocolate. Rich and bold with water softening the earthy peat notes and bringing more fruit to the fore.

A good balance between peat and sweet notes. Interesting to note that the peat appears to be more Highland peat style with more green notes and no seaweed and iodine medicinal notes.

FINISH: Long and warming with notes of spices, brown sugar and smoke.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Different than the more traditional Islay single malt whiskies, but nevertheless delicious. I loved the interplay between the smoke and peat and the vanilla sweetness. I had tried one other Kilchoman release before this one and did not particularly like it.

So I was not very keen to open this bottle, but John convinced me to give it a go. And I am glad I did. It is a delicious dram that is perfect for winter. It warms you up nicely.

Also read: Port Askaig 8 yo Whisky

Laphroaig Brodir Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 04/20/2020

In Single Malt whisky

A Port finish release from Islay is not something you see every day. Today I try the Laphroaig Brodir single malt Scotch whisky. Over the years, my palate has evolved. In the beginning, I was not able to appreciate the peaty whiskies.

I found the Ardbeg and Octomore releases to harsh for my sweeter palate. But as I was exposed to more and more whisky, I learned to appreciate and even enjoy the more earthy drams. Now I am quite happy with a peaty Octomore or Laphroaig.

Whisky with some sweet notes remains my favourite. However, I discovered peated whisky, aged in Port, sherry or rum casks, and I fell in love. I find the balance between the earthy notes and the sweetness perfect for my palate.

One of my favourite ‘sweeter’ peated whiskies is the Laphroaig PX Cask. The balance between the spice and sweetness combined with earthy peat is wonderful. Looking at the Laphroaig range, I saw that the Laphroaig Brodir single malt had a Port wood finish and this is something unique I have to try.

I have captured tasting notes for the Laphroaig Quarter Cask and the Laphroaig 10 yo and also covered some of the Laphroaig history. The distinctive Laphroaig’s flavour comes in part from its closeness to the coast and the high moss content of the peat, which is processed in the distillery’s own floor maltings.

The Laphroaig Brodir Batch 001 single malt whisky was originally released in 2012 as an exclusive bottling for a Scandinavian ferry. Laphroaig launched Batch 002 in 2014. Brodir is the ancient Norse translation for the word “brother”, which is a nod to the ancient connections between Islay and Norway.

Laphroaig Brodir Whisky Review

Laphroaig Brodir is a NAS release. The whisky was first matured in ex-bourbon barrels, followed by a second maturation in European oak casks seasoned with Ruby Port.

REGION: Islay

ABV: 48%

COLOUR: Dark copper

NOSE: Seaweed, soft iodine and heavy, rich port notes. Hints of tropical fruit, red berries, salty sea winds and smoke. Cinnamon and nutmeg mixed with bits of peat and a light chocolate note.

PALATE: Tobacco and ash mixed with fruity sweetness and dry oak. Peat and cream with some wood spice, toffee, marmalade, plums and salt. Quite sweet, but in a sticky sweetness kind of way. Medium-bodied. It comes over disjointed and unbalanced. Water makes it slightly more drinkable.

FINISH: Peaty smoke with pepper and cinnamon and a port sweetness.

RATING: GOOD

An interesting experiment, however, I battled to finish the glass. It is heavy drinking and somewhat sweet. Not something I would rush to try again.

Brodir is not even close to as refined and smooth as the Laphroaig PX Cask. The sweet notes overwhelm the peat and leave some raw edges. Probably my least favourite Laphroaig I have tasted so far. Not to far ahead of the Brodir is the Laphroaig Four Oak whisky. I found this release similarly uninspiring.

Also Read: Kilchoman Sanaig Whisky

Glenmorangie 18 year old Extremely Rare Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 04/13/2020

In Single Malt whisky

I have had this bottle of Glenmorangie 18 year old Extremely Rare single malt Scotch whisky in my collection for so many years; I can’t even remember where I got it. It has stood in the back of the cupboard for at least seven years. I have not touched it in many a moon.

Glenmorangie is a Highland distillery in Tain, Ross-shire, Scotland. The brothers William and John Mathesen established the Glenmorangie distillery in 1843, on the Durnoch Firth. The site previously held a brewery and made use of the Tarlogie Spring. Glenmorangie boasts the tallest stills in Scotland.

Also Read: Glenfiddich 18 yo Whisky

World events significantly impacted on the Glenmorangie history. The distillery was mothballed between 1931 and 1936 due to prohibition in America and the Great Depression. The distillery was affected by the Second World War, and it was mothballed until 1944.

Glenmorangie plc took over the Ardbeg distillery in 1997 and revived it. The French drinks company Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton bought Glenmorangie in 2004, for around £300 million.

Glenmorangie matures all spirits in white oak casks. The white oak is manufactured from trees grown in Glenmorangie’s own forest in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri, USA. These new casks are left to air for two years before being leased to distillers Jack Daniel’s and Heaven Hill for them to mature their bourbon in.

Glenmorangie then uses these barrels to mature their whisky. The total Glenmorangie production is reserved for bottling as single malt whisky. The Glenmorangie 18 year old single malt whisky spent 15 years maturing in white oak casks.

After this time, about 30% is transferred into Spanish Oloroso casks to spend a further three years maturing. Then, when both elements have reached 18 years, they are blended back together.

Also Read: Aultmore 18 yo Whisky

Glenmorangie 18 year old Extremely Rare Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV:43%

COLOUR: Light golden amber

NOSE: Toffee sweet, rich and creamy. There are notes of crème brûlée, honey with hints of spice and oak. An abundance of fresh fruit, dried pear and fruits of the forest fills your senses. Water seems to soften the nose a bit.

PALATE: A big and bold mouthful. It is thick and syrupy with lots of spice and oak. There are notes of fresh fruit, pears and rich heather honey. Adding a bit of water smooths out the sweetness, and citrus notes come through. It is rich and complex with a big fruit and spice kick.

FINISH: Long and lingering with hints of butter, chocolate and citrus peel. The Glenmorangie 18 year old is a well-balanced and smooth dram.

RATING: EXCELLENT

After this tasting, the Glenmorangie 18 year old Extremely Rare Scotch whisky will certainly not be at the back of the cupboard anymore. I am moving the Glenmorangie bottle right to the front of the line. This Cinderella is going to the ball! A lovely well put together release.

I have also tried the Glenmorangie Spios, a whisky aged in casks that previously held American rye whiskey as well as the Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX.

I have done a comparison with the Glenfiddich 18 year old whisky to see how these two iconic 18 year old’s stack up against each other.

Also Read: Springbank 18 yo whisky