Category: Single Malt whisky Page 31 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.

Highland Queen Majesty Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 11/23/2015

In Single Malt whisky

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. In South Africa, most single malts retail for slightly more. So finding an affordable single malt was very interesting. After a few Twitter conversations about this brand, I went back and grabbed a bottle.

The Highland Queen Scotch Whisky Company produces and distributes whisky and operates as a subsidiary of Picard Vins & Spiritueux S.A. Picard also owns Tullibardine. I tasted both the Tullibardine 1993 Vintage and the
Tullibardine Sauternes Cask whisky a while ago and loved it.

In 1893, Roderick Macdonald decided to set up his own business. He had previously worked as an apprentice in the Scotch whisky trade, and his dream was to become a whisky blender. The company was known as Macdonald & Muir Ltd.

Macdonald named his whisky the Highland Queen. This name originates from the connection to the port of Leith and the original production site of Macdonald & Muir. I see that Master of Malt has quite a variety of releases from this company.

It was close to the spot where Mary Stuart made a triumphal return from France. She was later to be crowned Queen of Scots, creating one of Scotland’s most famous legends. Macdonald & Muir acquired the Glenmorangie Distillery in 1918 to supply the whisky for the base of his famous Highland Queen blend. Picard’s bought the Highland Queen and Muirhead’s brands from Glenmorangie Plc in 2008.

Also Read: The Chita Suntory Whisky

Highland Queen Majesty Whisky Review

The Highland Queen Majesty single malt Scotch whisky does not have an age statement. There is also no distillery mentioned. The Highland Queen Majesty was aged in oak casks.

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Golden wheat.

NOSE: Fresh tropical fruit notes intertwined with oak and hints of spice. There are traces of vanilla and cereal.

PALATE: Notes of tropical fruit, oak and muscovado sweetness. There are faint hints of coffee, vanilla custard and toffee. The Highland Queen Majesty is not a complex dram. Adding water releases more oak and softens the sweetness. There are plenty of spicy notes, including pepper and nutmeg.

FINISH: Medium length and end in spicy notes.

RATING: VERY GOOD

It is an affordable, easy-drinking whisky. Nothing that is going to blow you away, but decent enough. The Highland Queen should work great in cocktails. Also, the spiciness of the whisky allows it to pair quite nicely with a piece of mature cheddar cheese. It is robust enough to stand up to the richness of the cheese.

Have you tried this Highland Queen release? I found the Highland Queen whisky release in the USA, as well.

Also Read: Teerenpeli Whisky

Littlemill 25 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 11/18/2015

In Single Malt whisky

Great was my excitement when I received an email from Steve (The Whisky Wire) confirming that we have been chosen to take part in the Littlemill 25 year old single malt Scotch whisky flash blog. A week or two earlier, I saw a request for bloggers who wanted to take part and responded.

Then the (long) wait began. About a week before the due date (14 Oct), I started ‘stalking’ our local Post Office. I became a regular in the queue. The man behind the counter saw me so often that he handed me the ‘Packages Received’ book as soon as I walked in.

No package arrived. The day of the Littlemill Whisky Flash Blog came and went. I read all the amazing blogs and tasting notes of the other (lucky) bloggers but left the Post Office empty-handed each time. I nearly gave up hope of ever getting our package.

And then, low and behold, a slip of paper arrived in my post box. Just before we depart for a short break away to the Drakensberg (Dragon Mountains).

It was with much excitement that I skipped into the Post Office. The man behind the counter reached for the book, but I was waving my slip of paper. I got my Littlemill 25 year old whisky sample.

Established back in 1772, this Lowland distillery fell silent in 1994 and was destroyed by a fire in 2004. The fire only left a few last barrels. Once they are consumed, there will be no more. The whisky chosen for this release was casked in 1989 and 1990, respectively.

The Littlemill 25 year old Scotch whiskywas matured in a mixture of American and European Oak and has been finished in first-fill European Oloroso Sherry casks.

Also Read: Auchentoshan American Oak Whisky

Littlemill 25 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Lowland

ABV: 50.4%

COLOUR: Golden wheat. It is quite an oily whisky.

NOSE: Notes of sherry sweetness, Christmas Pudding and candied fruit. There are hints of oak, caramel, toffee and butterscotch.

PALATE: Without water, the Littlemill 25 year old is creamy and rich with fruity sweetness, crème brûlée and spice. There are hints of nutmeg, black peppercorns and cloves. With water, the Littlemill palate releases notes of grape jam, vanilla and sultanas.

FINISH: Long and lingering and end in notes of sweet spiciness, citrus and toasted oak.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The Littlemill 25 year old single malt is a complex and robust whisky. With the beautiful golden Drakensberg in front of us and the sun setting, this dram glowed golden bright. A wonderful dram in an amazing setting. Dinner was a slow-cooked lamb potjie (lamb stew), and the 25 year old was the dessert.

Only 1500 individually numbered bottles were released. The remaining Littlemill casks are owned by the Loch Lomond Group. The Littlemill 25 year old retails for GBP 1690. (R36 500)

Also Read: The Balvenie Roasted Malt whisky

The Singleton 12 year old Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/19/2015

In Single Malt whisky

I tried the Singleton Tailfire a while ago after a friend mentioned how much she loved it. It did not blow me away. However, I got quite a bit of feedback, with most people recommending the Singleton 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

While the Tailfire is still fresh in my mind, I decided to try the 12yo. Singleton is produced by the Dufftown distillery, which is located in the small Speyside town of Dufftown. The Dufftown distillery was not originally built as a malt whisky distillery.

Related Article: Loch Lomond Original Whisky

Wine merchant Peter Mackenzie and friends converted it from an old Mill to a Distillery in 1895 /6. The Dufftown distillery first drew water from John’s Well in 1896 and still do. Today, the brand is owned by Diageo.

The majority of the malt whisky produced at the Dufftown distillery is used for blended whiskies – particularly Bell’s and Johnnie Walker whisky.

The Singleton 12 year old single malt Scotch is matured in a combination of American and European oak casks. A traditional hip flask inspires the unique bottle shape of The Singleton of Dufftown, while the glass’s colour reflects the blue flint glass used at the turn of the previous century.

Singleton 12 year old Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: A deep polished copper.

NOSE: Sweet with caramel, toffee and vanilla coming through. There are notes of rich fruit and sweet spice. After adding water, some of the sweetness disappears.

PALATE: Tasting the Singleton 12 year old whisky brings notes of spice, creamy oak and toasted malt. It is a rich and buttery whisky with a rich mouthfeel. There are lots of sweet vanilla, and hints of fruit dipped in dark chocolate. It is a well-balanced whisky, with the spicy and sweet in perfect harmony.

FINISH: Medium length and ends in notes of sweet cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. There is an underlying layer of butter toffee sweetness, which is delicious.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The Singleton 12 year old Scotch whisky is surprisingly good! I was not expecting fireworks after tasting the Singleton Tailfire, but I was pleasantly surprised. I can now understand why my friend loves this dram. And at a price below R400 in South Africa, this is good value for money.

I have also tasted the Singleton 15 year old, and you can read all my thoughts on this slightly older Dufftown release. I have also done a side by side comparison of this Singleton release against the Glenfiddich 12 year old whisky.

Also Read: Ballechin 10 yo Whisky

Tullibardine 225 Sauternes Finish Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/12/2015

In Single Malt whisky

I love innovative cask finishes, and today I try the Tullibardine 225 Sauternes cask finish single malt Scotch whisky. The history of Tullibardine has been linked to brewing and distilling for hundreds of years.

The distillery is in Blackford, the gateway to the Scottish Highlands. Rumour has it that in 1488, the young King James 4th of Scotland stopped here on his way to his coronation.

The story goes that he purchased some beer from the brewery. Some years later, the King granted the brewery a royal decree. During the 1940s, the architect William Delmé-Evans noticed the brewery and converted it into a distillery.

They reopened the modern Tullibardine whisky distillery in 1947 and spirit ran from the stills two years later. The distillery changed owners a few times and was mothballed again in 1995.

Also Read: Amrut whisky

In 2003, the owners sold it to Tullibardine Distillery Ltd for £1.1 million, and production resumed during December 2003. In 2011, they sold the distillery to the French firm Picard Vins & Spiritueux. Other brands in their portfolio include Muirhead and Highland Queen whisky.

The Tullibardine 225 Sauternes cask finish whisky was finished in Chateau Suduiraut Casks which previously held Sauternes dessert wine. The Sauternes cask is 225 litres in size, and that is where the name originates.

Sauternes is a French sweet wine from the Bordeaux district. It is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by noble rot. The noble rot causes the grapes to become partially raisin-ed, resulting in a distinctively flavoured wine.

Sauternes wine flavours are characterized by the balance of sweetness with the zest of acidity. Some typical flavour notes include apricots, honey, peaches but with a nutty note. It will be interesting to see how all of this translated into the whisky.

Tullibardine 225 Sauternes Cask Finish Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV : 43%.

COLOUR: Light golden-yellow.

NOSE: Notes of fruity sweetness, sultana jam and condensed milk. There are hints of vanilla with spicy sweetness. The nose is light and fresh.

PALATE: On the palate, the Tullibardine 225 Sauternes Finish is surprisingly spicy with hints of citrus and oak. The peppery sweetness mixes with winter spice such as nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. Notes of condensed milk float around. Adding a bit of water smooths out the spices and releases more of the sweeter fruity notes.

FINISH: Medium length and end in notes of spicy sweetness and orange peel.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Looking at the flavour notes of a Sauternes wine, I was expecting a sweeter dram. But the spicy fruitiness of the Tullibardine 225 was a refreshing surprise. The Tullibardine 225 Sauternes cask finish single malt also received a 90.5 rating in the Whisky Bible.

Best of all, this affordable whisky is available in South Africa. It retails for around R650. I need to explore more from this distillery. Perhaps I can try the Tullibardine 228 Burgundy Finish next.

Also Read: Glen Scotia Dunnage whisky

Schoonspruit 2010 Single Barrel Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/05/2015

In Single Malt whisky

WordPress has a feature where it shows you what search terms lead people to your blog. The one thing that astounds me is that the most search term is Wild Reeds whiskey and Schoonspruit whiskey. These are not well-known whisky in South Africa. The Wild Reeds bourbon cask is also my most read article on the blog.

It might have a lot to do with the bottle shape. Looking at the blog stats, I noticed that we have not tasted the Schoonspruit 2010 single barrel whiskey release yet. And what better time to taste this South African whisky, while on holiday in the beautiful Karoo.

And to see if this ‘premium’ release can compete with South Africa’s award-winning Three Ships whisky made down in Wellington. Ernst Henning established the Schoonspruit whiskey distillery in Ventersdorp, South Africa in 1992.

Distilling with water from the original Schoonspruit gives the whiskey its distinct character. They also own the Totpak Company and is known in the USA as Portashot.

They not only make whiskey but distil, pack and store a variety of other alcoholic beverages. According to the website, “…the Schoonspruit 2010 Single Barrel whiskey is a premium class whiskey in which each bottle comes from an individual ageing barrel. The finest whiskey in the world comes from a single barrel.” Totpak and Schoonspruit Distillers are an independent family business and proudly Africa.”

Related Article: English Whisky Co Chapter 6 Whisky

Schoonspruit 2010 Single Barrel Whiskey Review

The Schoonspruit 2010 is pot stilled and aged for 3 years.

COUNTRY: South Africa

ABV: 43%.

COLOUR: A light wheat colour.

NOSE: Notes of methylated spirits, hints of oak and refined white sugar sweetness mixed with paint stripper. Best nosed very carefully. The strong raw alcohol smell can easily overwhelm you. Or better yet, let it stand for a good 35 minutes for the worst of the rawness and turpentine to evaporate.

PALATE: Surprisingly, the Schoonspruit 2010 whiskey tastes (a bit) better than it smells. On the palate, it still has many raw and un-aged notes. It has hints of oak and sweetness. I would, however, hesitate to light a cigar while drinking this. Adding water makes this Schoonspruit flat and dull. Rather like cheap petrol.

FINISH: Long and lingering – unfortunately. Long lingering methylated spirit notes are not fun. Lingering notes of Yuck also comes to mind.

RATING: ORDINARY

If you want to spite your father in law, this is the dram to buy. It also works as a firelighter or fuel for a lawnmower.

Is it competition for any of the Three Ships whiskies? O hell no! It is not even in the same competition. The Three Ships 10 yo single malt is an excellent whisky! Fortunately, I also packed some of my Three Ship 10 yo whisky for our Karoo visit and could wash away the raw spirit taste with some real whisky.

Related Article: Three Ships PX cask finish whisky