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.
I had to pick up a gift in Pretoria the other day, and as I was a bit early, I stopped at the closest shopping centre for a cup of coffee. While strolling around looking for the best coffee place, I walked into a Checkers Liquor store, and much to my surprise, saw a bottle of single malt that I have not noticed before. It was a Highland Queen Majesty single malt Scotch whisky, and it retailed for around R200.
Today I try the Glenbrynth Bourbon Cask single malt Scotch whisky, a whisky discovery with a bit of a story. A year or three ago, while visiting a whisky show, there was a man in a kilt. Not strange at a whisky show, there are usually quite a few men in kilts.
On my whisky journey, I seek to obtain a bottle of whisky from every whisky producing country in the world. I was fortunate to get my hands on a bottle of Belgium single malt – The Belgian Owl single malt whisky.
My never-ending quest to find affordable, drinkable whisky. Finding well priced blended whiskies is relatively easy. There are plenty of them around, and some of them are quite good. However, single malt whisky is a different story. There are not too many new single malts available at a reasonable price in South Africa.
I was having lunch at Bottega Cafe in a suburb called Parkhurst in Johannesburg. I asked Savi (the owner) to recommend a whisky to pair with my lunch, and he suggested the Glenrothes. It was my first encounter with The Glenrothes Robur Reserve single malt Scotch whisky.
I grew up with a dad who enjoyed whisky. His favourite drams were Dimple and Chivas Regal. This shaped the way I enjoyed whisky and early on, I gravitated to blended whisky too. One day, a friend poured me a Glenlivet 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky and it blew me away.