Category: Single Malt whisky Page 19 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.

Loch Lomond Original Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/22/2019

In Single Malt whisky

I have tried many of the releases from Loch Lomond, but have not written about the entry-level release; the Loch Lomond Original single malt Scotch whisky. So today I write about the last Loch Lomond mini from my stash that I have tasted but not yet captured.

The Loch Lomond story is captured in my post on Loch Lomond Signature as well as on Loch Lomond Single Grain. It is a very versatile distillery; producing both malt and grain whisky and they have a big brand portfolio including Inchmurrin and Inchmoan.

Also Read: Loch Lomond Buitenverwachten 6 year old Whisky

From their range, I prefer the Glen Scotia releases. In the future, I hope to try some of the other brands within their portfolio.

The Loch Lomond Original whisky is a peated single malt aged in American oak and has no age statement. It retails for around R850 in SA.

Loch Lomond Original Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV: 43 %

COLOUR: Golden with green hints.

NOSE: Caramel, tropical fruit and toasted oak. There is a fresh green note to the nose like fresh-cut hay and green grass. Soft peaty hints with bits of roasted nuts and cereal.

PALATE: Green notes mixed with honey sweetness and vanilla. Green grass and fresh herbs mixed with fruity notes. Cereal and hints of bitter chocolate mixed with pepper and ginger and in the background delicate peat and smoke.

A bit of an alcohol burn. It needs some water to soften the heat and water brings more nuttiness, and lemon pepper balanced with caramel sweetness. However, the water softens the peat and smoke. Not very complex.

FINISH: Short finish ending in pepper and lemon peel.

RATING: GOOD

A bit young, with some raw sharp edges. Not very complex, and not the cheapest of single malts. The nose is the better part of the dram, but the vibrancy of the nose does not carry to the palate.

This is not my favourite of the Loch Lomond range. However, the subsequent releases does get better and more interesting and complex. Looking back at some of the releases I have tried, my favourite is still the Glen Scotia Victoriana whisky.

Also Read: Paul John Mars Orbiter Whisky

Balblair 1990 Vintage Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/06/2019

In Single Malt whisky

Today I am looking at the last of the Balblair miniature bottles that I found in a cupboard at the end of last year. This one is the Balblair 1990 Vintage single malt Scotch whisky release. John Ross founded the Balblair distillery in 1790, and he situated it close to the railway.

This made shipping the whisky easy for the Ross family. Inver House Distillers Limited purchased the Balblair distillery in 1996.

Other distilleries owned by Inver House include the Speyburn Distillery, Knockdhu Distillery, Old Pulteney Distillery and the Balmenach Distillery. Inver House Distillers also own the Hankey Bannister and Catto’s blended whisky brands.

Also Read: Balblair 17 yo whisky

Balblair whisky is bottled in beautiful bottles that stand out in my collection. The design is inspired by the nearly Pictish stone Clach Biorach. The bottles don’t carry age statements but have Vintages – the year that the spirits were distilled. The current vintage at the distillery is the Balblair 2005.

The Balblair 1990 was distilled in 1990 and bottled in 2014 making it a 23 yo. The spirit was matured in ex-bourbon casks and then finished in Oloroso Sherry butts for another 2 years. It has a natural colour and is non-chill-filtered. The price for the Balblair 1990 is around R 1 750 in South Africa.

Balblair 1990 Vintage Whisky Review

REGION: Highlands

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Golden copper

NOSE: Fruity sweetness, vanilla, hints of spice and citrus. Elegant and soft with a wonderful balance between the fruity sweetness and the spice. Bits of dried fruit, florals and soft wood.

PALATE: Plums, toffee apple, citrus fruit, oranges with hints of black pepper. Citrus fruits come through first, followed by honey-covered raisins. There are hints of spicy cloves, nutmeg and dry oak, dried fruit, honey and raisins. A bit of water releases more sweetness, but you only need a few drops.

FINISH: Medium length with hints of citrus and pepper

RATING: EXCELLENT

Every time I try this Balblair single malt release, I notice something else about it. The first time I tried it, it reminded me of a library full of old leather-bound books. Rich and dark. This weekend it reminded me of a fruit orchard in high summer. Overripe fruits, and citrus with honey bees buzzing past. Fresh and elegant. A lovely dram worth sharing with special people.

During 2019, Balblair moved away from their vintage releases into age statement releases. I captured some tasting notes for the Balblair 15 yo whisky as well as for the Balblair 18 yo whisky and a few other of their releases.

Also Read: Tullibardine 1993 Vintage Whisky

Paul John Mars Orbiter Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 04/29/2019

In Single Malt whisky

An extraordinary tasting this week: The Paul John Mars Orbiter Indian single malt whisky! During this last year or two, this whisky brand from India has taken SA by storm. From being an unknown distillery to being stocked in all the good liquor stores, the Paul John whisky is the one people want to try.

The Paul John Classic Select Cask was one of the best drams I tasted during 2018. I have tasted most of the expressions available in SA and love them all. Michael D’Souza, the Master Distiller, has impeccable taste.

Now and again, the John Distillery also brings out limited releases such as their annual Christmas releases and limited cask finish releases. Thanks to WhiskyShop, a few of these bottles make it to SA for enthusiasts, and I can stock up.

During March, there was a Paul John whisky dinner that I was invited to, but due to family commitments could not attend. I was unfortunate to miss out on tasting more, but Brett from Valotone saved me the last bit of the Paul John Mars Orbiter single malt whisky, and I got a wonderful surprise when the sample arrived at my office.

The Paul John Mars Orbiter Peated is a limited edition single malt whisky which celebrates the successful launch of India’s first interplanetary mission. An Indian space probe to Mars that has also provided observations on Phobos, the Martian moon.

The Mars Orbiter has been orbiting Mars since September 2014 and has sent back incredible pictures of never before seen areas of Mars. It designed mission life was only 6 months, but Orbiter has been circling Mars for 4 years and is still in good health. What a remarkable achievement.

The John Distillery produced only 330 bottles of the Paul John Mars Orbiter Whisky in celebration. So it is a very limited edition. This single malt was drawn in the same month that Orbiter was launched. I have a sample from bottle no: 278.

Also Read: Glenfarclas 12 yo Whisky

Paul John Mars Orbiter Whisky Review

COUNTRY: India

ABV: 57.8%

COLOUR: Aged Red copper

NOSE: Bit of alcohol heat. It needs to breathe a bit. Then comes soft peat, fruity sweetness, maple syrup, bits of burnt wood and vanilla. The second sniff brings floral notes. The nose is delicate and elegant.

PALATE: Peat and ash mixed with fruity sweetness, pepper and nutmeg spice. Woody notes balanced with bits of dark chocolate-covered oranges and hints of salt. The peat perfectly balanced with the sweeter fruit notes. But it is not a fishy type of peat such as Lagavulin or Laphroaig. It is a more woody type of peat.

A bit of alcohol heat but add water carefully. Despite the high ABV, just a few drops of water is needed to bring down the heat and bring more sweetness to the front.

FINISH: The finish is like a smoky campfire next door. You can smell the wood burning in the air, but it not overwhelming. Ends on notes of sweetness and peat with bits of pepper.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What a special bottling. A fitting release for a special achievement. From the luxurious red box with the gold lettering to the stylish bottle, it is obvious that attention to detail went into every step. Even the bottle top; it feels like it is solid gold, it is heavy and grand.

The whisky and the drinking experience is unique and a celebration. If you are looking for a release with a special story, this is a collector’s item worth having. From what I have heard, the few bottles that did make it to SA got snatched up rather quickly. As I am writing this, only 2 bottles of the Paul John Orbiter remain in retail.

If you are lucky enough to travel via Bangalore, you might also spot a bottle or 2.

Sample disclosure: I received this whisky sample from WhiskyShop. The review and tasting notes are my own honest, fair and independent thoughts about the whisky

Also Read: Paul John Nirvana whisky

Glen Moray Port Cask Finish Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/25/2019

In Single Malt whisky

Now and again there are twitter tastings hosted by Steve from Whisky Wire. Most of them are for releases that are not available in South Africa. However, it is a wonderful opportunity to see what interesting whisky is available and what I need to look out for when we travel.

One of the twitter tastings was for Glen Moray. Graham Coull, the Master Distiller, has been releasing different casks editions, and some of them sounded so innovative and remarkable.

I had to get my hands on releases from this distillery. When we were in France last year, I managed to get hold of the Glen Moray Port cask finish single malt Scotch whisky.

Then I saw that Liquor City was bringing in some of the Glen Moray Cask releases and I rushed out and managed to get my hands on a few. I grabbed the Peated cask and the Chardonnay cask as well as the South African release Port cask. The Port cask from France was bottled at 40% and the SA Port cask at 43% ABV.

With winter starting soon, what better dram to open first than the Glen Moray Port cask. It is part of the Glen Moray Classic collection. A balance between innovation and heritage, challenging the boundaries of flavour by employing traditional techniques at the core of the brand.

Glen Moray has been making whisky in the heart of Speyside since 1897. Their water source is the River Lossie and the brand is owned by La Martiniquaise from France. Cutty Sark and Label 5 whisky is also part of their portfolio.

Also Read: New Zealand Whisky Company whisky

Glen Moray Port Cask Finish Whisky Review

The Glen Moray Port Cask Finish is a NAS release was finished for 8 months in port pipes from Porto Cruz. It retails for around R280 at Liquor City.

ABV: 43%

REGION: Speyside

COLOUR: Gold with mahogany tints

NOSE: Red fruits, cherries, condensed milk with light oak. Plums and sweetness.

PALATE: Oak, plum and ripe red cherry sweetness with hints of cinnamon sugar, dark chocolate shavings and raisins. It has a medium body and a bit of alcohol heat. A few drops of water soothes the heat and releases more sweetness.

FINISH: Warming with port, toasty oak and pepper notes.

RATING: EXCELLENT

I am guessing that this is a relatively young release. It has a few rough edges, but nothing that a few drops of water don’t sort out. Not the most complex of drams, but easy drinking and, at the price point, I can’t fault it. The finish is the best bit, it warms your body up from the inside. Delicious!

This is a BIG bang for your buck whisky. It retails for less than R300 at Liquor City. For a cask finish single malt, the Glen Moray Port Cask Finish is worth it. If you have been wondering about needing this in your life? Yes, you do.

A glass of this single malt whisky is going to make cold winter nights bare-able. It is affordable (for all the many electricity load shedding evenings), and you don’t need a fridge, just a few drops of water and it will warm you up nicely. Now to decide which bottle I need to open next.

Also Read: Benromach 10 yo whisky

Private Barrel Co Glenlossie 15 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/18/2019

In Single Malt whisky

I am still working through the mini bottles of whisky I had in the cupboard. Today I am looking at the Checkers Private Barrel Co Glenlossie 15 year old Scotch whisky.

Diageo owns this beautiful Speyside distillery and near to quite a few distilleries, including BenRiach, Glen Moray, Linkwood and Longmorn. It is known for its splendid roof and beautiful onion-shaped stills.

John Duff, the former manager at Glendronach, built the distillery in 1876. The distillery changed hands a few times during the years and ended up with Diageo through mergers. It takes its name from the valley of the River Lossie, which is less than a mile away.

The Glenlossie distillery is unique as it shares the building with another distillery, Mannochmore Distillery which was built in 1971. The water used in Glenlossie is drawn from the local Bardon Burn.

Also Read: Glenfarclas 12 yo Whisky

The primary volume of spirit from Glenlossie ends up in Diageo blends, including the Haig blended whisky. The Glenlossie warehouses also serve as the storage vault for more than 200,000 casks of whisky originating from many different Diageo distilleries.

You will rarely see a single malt bottling from Glenlossie. That is the reason why Checkers chose this distillery. It is an unknown distillery in SA and not something you find everywhere.

One of the few releases is the Diageo’s Flora and Fauna series where it was bottled as a 10 yo. Independent bottlings are sometimes released, and Glenlossie has featured in Signature Vintage, and Douglas Laing releases.

Checkers Private Barrel Co Glenlossie 15 year old Whisky Review

The Private Barrel Co Glenlossie 15 year old single malt whisky has been aged in bourbon casks.

REGION: Speyside

COLOUR: Rich gold

NOSE: Green notes with tropical fruit sweetness. Hints of grass and freshly baked bread. Soft spices in the background.

PALATE: Pineapple sweetness and honey balanced with vanilla and soft pink pepper. Hints of smoke and green grass mixed with bits of oak. Water releases more fruity notes and pear comes forward but softens the other notes. Soft and sophisticated.

FINISH: Medium length with hints of pepper, vanilla and fruit.

RATING: VERY GOOD

An interesting dram that brings a new dimension to the table. It is not overly complex or bold, but memorably different. Easy drinking for a late Sunday afternoon pre-dinner drink. Just add a few drops of water to release more fruitiness. This is one of those distilleries that you don’t get to try on a regular day.

I love that Checkers finds these out of the way releases. They allow us to explore new distilleries this way, which is exciting!

I have written a lot more on the Private Barrel Co releases both their “odd bin” releases where they only give the bottling a number such as the Private Barrel Co No 41 and their named releases such as the Glen Grant 17 year old or the James Sedgwick 6 year old whisky.

Also Read: McCarthy’s whiskey