Category: Single Malt whisky Page 6 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.

Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/26/2022

In Single Malt whisky

Time for a whisky from somewhere different. In celebration of World Whisky Day, let’s try a whisky from Taiwan. The Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique cask strength single malt whisky. On the 21^st of May, it was World Whisky Day. Dreamt up by Blair Bowman while studying at the University of Aberdeen, participants are encouraged to drink whisky on this day.

As if we need an excuse! It is a day to invite friends and neighbours over to try a few drams and celebrate the glorious ‘water of life’. It is about making whisky fun and enjoyable. Spreading the whisky word to people who have not tried it before. You should drink what you enjoy. Be it Scottish or bourbon, Irish or world whiskey – enjoy it and share it.

I have saved our last small bottle of Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique whisky for this special day. What better whisky to celebrate World Whisky Day with than a world whisky.

The King Car Group distils Kavalan. The whisky was named after the indigenous people who initially inhabited the area – the Kavalan people. Kavalan is the only dedicated single malt distillery in Taiwan. The distillery uses a similar production process as well as the same rules as Scottish whisky.

Kavalan had their stills made in Scotland, and they even have an Edinburgh-educated (Taiwanese) master blender – Ian Chang. Mr Lee, the distillery founder, is a big fan of classical music. There is a full-size concert hall at the Kavalan distillery. The Kavalan whiskies all have a musical connection like the Kavalan Concertmaster release.

The Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique cask strength single malt whisky was matured in used American oak wine barrels that have been toasted and charred again.

Related Article: Slyrs Whisky

Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Whisky Review

COUNTRY: Taiwan

ABV: 57%

COLOUR: Ruby red amber colour.

NOSE: It almost looks like burnt caramel. Initially, the nose is sweet with hints of berries, cherries, fermented grapes and slight floral notes. Some vanilla and caramel are floating around. After a while, faint hints of oak and bitter chocolate emerge.

PALATE: It an almost sweet jam-like quality, followed by an unusual spiciness which lingers around for a long time, slowly dissipating away. There are notes of oak and fruit. It’s a rich mouth-filling dram that feels luxurious on the palate. The addition of water smooths the dram and takes away some of the alcohol heat. It makes the whisky easier on the palate.

FINISH: One of the highlights of this whisky.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The Solist Vinho Barrique Cask is a rich complex bold, full-bodied whisky. It has complexity and flavour notes that complimented each other. Very well balanced. Now to find myself a proper full-sized bottle! It is a bit on the expensive side, but so worth it.

In South Africa, this release retails for around R 2 300. The Vinho Barrique whisky is big and bold; it lingers forever. What a beautiful dram. A bit expensive, but a dram I don’t mind paying extra for.

Also read: Macallan 10 yo Whisky

Benriach The Smoky Twelve Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/05/2022

In Single Malt whisky

My previous post featuring Benriach was looking at the Benraich The Twelve whisky. Today I explore further and look at the Benriach The Smoky Twelve single malt Scotch whisky. I got to taste both these drams as part of a Benriach tasting in June.

One of the things I enjoy about Benriach whisky is the links with South Africa. John Duff travelled through South Africa before he opened Benriach in Scotland.

During June, my whisky friend Paul S tweeted about some more Benriach South Africa connections. He posted about the Benriach Cape of Storms 12 year old and 16 year old whisky released exclusively for the South African market at Whisky Live in 2007.

Benriach Cape of Storms was a limited release special bottling created to celebrate the launch of BenRiach into South Africa.

Going to be doing a series next…12 days of BenRiach, presenting some of my favourite whiskies from one of my favourite distilleries…1️⃣
First up are the Cape of Storms 12yo & 16yo. These were released exclusively for the South African market at Whisky Live in 2007… pic.twitter.com/d8VJ9CSFoS

— P.S.Whisky (@pswhisky) June 8, 2022

The casks were shipped to South Africa, where they were left to mature for another three years before bottling. SWA rules stipulate that Scotch whisky must be matured in Scotland, which meant that the extra three years of maturation in South Africa did not count towards the age statement.

There were 225 bottles of the Benriach 12 year old and 195 bottles of the Benriach 16 year old released. Both bottles were packaged in wooden crates. The crates for the Benriach 16 year old were made from staves of old BenRiach oak casks.

But back to the current dram in my glass: The Smoky Twelve single malt whisky. It is part of the core range together with The Twelve, Benriach The Ten and The Smoky Ten. All four of these core expressions are made up of different cask types.

BenRiach The Smoky Twelve Whisky Review

The Smoky Twelve single malt Scotch is created from a combination of unpeated and peated spirit, and matured for at least twelve years in bourbon barrels, sherry casks, and Marsala wine casks. The whisky from each cask was then married together.

According to Rowan, it is peated to about 35 ppm, which is similar to the Lagavulin 16 year old whisky. The peat used is from Caledonia.

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Burnished gold

NOSE: Heaps of oranges, smoky peaches and roasted almonds. A smattering of peat, vanilla and cloves is mixed with raisins and red fruit. Banana bread baking in the oven.

PALATE: Sweet red berries dipped in dark chocolate, peaty goodness, orange peel, brown sugar and toasted oak. Oranges and vanilla with BBQ smoky notes. A simply satisfying mix between the fruity sweetness and smoke. Hints of nuts and warming oak spice and the peaty notes are green and heathery. I finished my glass without water. Just a few drops allow more sweetness through.

FINISH: Long and lingering with nuts, black pepper and soft smoke.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What a lovely dram. Rich, smoky with sweet fruity notes balanced with green earthy peaty notes. The Benriach Smoky Twelve is perfect for autumn days next to the BBQ. The spice, sweetness and peat balance is perfect, and the peat is inviting but not overwhelming. Adding water takes away a bit of the complexity.

I can drink this without water every day in winter. Another point in its favour is the price range. It is readily available and retails for around R700 in South Africa.

This dram also made it onto my favourite peated whisky list. You can read this article all the other peated drams that also made it onto the list.

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

Also Read: KWV 12 yo Brandy

Glen Moray Elgin Classic Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/29/2022

In Single Malt whisky

My bottle of Glen Moray Elgin Classic single malt Scotch whisky was a gift from my brother-in-law. I have seen this whisky around, but have never tried it. After receiving it, I left it on the shelf.

It stood there at the back on the shelf until I needed a whisky for a cheese tasting and the Glen Moray popped up when I was doing research.I tried it with a creamy Lancashire cheese and loved not only the pairing but also the whisky.

The Glen Moray Distillery is a Speyside distillery situated on the banks of the River Lossie in Elgin. Glen Moray started life as West Brewery and converted into a distillery in 1897.

Also read: Glenfiddich 12 year old Whisky

It closed in 1910 and was bought by the owners of the Glenmorangie Distillery around 1920. The Glenmorangie Company sold Glen Moray to La Martiniquaise in 2008. La Martiniquaise uses part of the whisky from Glen Moray in the Label 5 blended whisky.

The Glen Moray Elgin Classic whisky is aged for an estimated 8 years and aged in oak casks.

Glen Moray Elgin Classic Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: It has the colour of light straw.

NOSE: Delicate with hints of malty sweetness, vanilla and oak floating about. Fresh cut flowers, grass and green apples seem to pop about. Whispers of condensed milk and cinnamon biscuits come in the second wave.

PALATE: Matches the nose as it is soft and delicate initially. The second sipping brings notes of spice balanced with fruity sweetness. There are notes of oak and mild hints of citrus also. The Glen Moray Elgin Classic whisky has the perfect balance between sweet and spicy.

It is a very easy drinking dram. The sense of lightness remains the whole way through, which is quite impressive. As my bottle is 40%, ABV, it does not need too much water. A few drops release more of the malty goodness.

FINISH: Medium length and delicate.

RATING: EXCELLENT

It is smooth, drinkable and probably the perfect summer sipping dram. It seems like my brother-in-law has good taste in whisky. This single malt will probably not last long, and I can find some stock in South Africa and Liquor City. And at R310 a bottle, it is a bargain!

Liquor City imported some Cask finish releases from Glen Moray, and I have taste the Port Cask Finish. It is delicious!

Also Read: Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX whisky

Belgian Owl Evolution Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/01/2022

In Single Malt whisky

A couple of months ago, I was invited to try some Belgian whisky that will hopefully become available in South Africa over the next year or 2. I have tasted the Belgian Owl Identité whisky before. This 3 yo whisky has won various international prizes and is just lovely. Today I look at the Belgian Owl Evolution single malt whisky.

Whisky (or whiskey) is produced all over the world, and in my collection, I have whisky from about 21 countries. Alcohol bans and shipping shortages have slowed my world whisky collecting, so I will be thrilled when these Belgian drams eventually arrive in the country.

The Belgian Owl distillery was founded in 1997 in the town of Grâce Hollogne, near the city of Liège. Etienne Bouillon, founder and Master Distiller, brought two authentic Scottish stills to Belgium to keep close to the ancient whisky-making tradition. These stills were from the former legendary Caperdonich distillery in Speyside.

The whisky in the package included some new make spirit, the Belgian Owl Evolution, Passion and Belgian Owl Intense whisky.

The Belgian Owl Evolution single malt whisky is unpeated malt, aged in ex-bourbon barrels for at least 4 years. The Belgian Owl whisky is colouring free and non-chill-filtered.

Belgian Owl Evolution Whisky Review

COUNTRY: Belgium

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Bright copper

NOSE: Subtle fruit sweetness, dark chocolate, apples and grapes with cinnamon and oak. Bits of green herbs, vanilla, with dried pear.

PALATE: Fruity sweetness, summer spice with brown sugar, Dutch breakfast cake, wood and pepper bites. The Belgium Owl Evolutions has a medium body that doesn’t need a lot of water to open up. Hints of vanilla and green notes in the background.

FINISH: Medium length with pear sweetness, oak and black pepper.

RATING: EXCELLENT

You can easily pick out the distinctive Belgian Owl fruity notes balanced with lovely spices and hints of vanilla. Of all 5 Belgian Owl drams we tasted, John enjoyed the Evolution the most. My favourite was the Passion, and I will capture its tasting notes soon. A lovely single malt. Worth adding to your whisky collection.

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

Also Read: Penderyn Whisky

The GlenDronach 12 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/25/2022

In Single Malt whisky

One of my favourite, affordable sherry bombs and I have never written about it; the GlenDronach 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky. Today I rectify this oversight. It is one of those classic drams that can so easily be overlooked.

The GlenDronach is a Highlands distillery. Whisky from this distillery has been used in various blends including Teacher’s and Ballantine’s whisky.

The Glendronach Core range consists of an Allardice 18 year old and the Parliament 21 year old whisky release. There is even a Glendronach Peated whisky release. GlenDronach distillery also has various limited edition releases as well as single cask releases.

However, today I it is the turn of the GlenDronach 12 year old whisky. Re-launched in 2009, it is entirely aged in PX and Oloroso casks. The 12 year old is not chill-filtered with no added colouring. There is also a 15 year old release as part of the core collection.

Since I last wrote about GlenDronach, various things happened. I wrote about the GlenDronach 16 year old and covered the history of this distillery. I have also tasted the GlenDronach 13 year old single cask release bottled especially for Whisky Brother. When I wrote both these to posts, the distillery was still part of the BenRiach Group.

During April 2016 GlenDronach Distillery was purchased by the Brown-Forman Corporation. The deal included the BenRiach and Glenglassaugh distilleries as well.

Also Read: The Glenrothes Robur Reserve whisky

The GlenDronach 12 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Highlands

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Rich golden amber

NOSE: Rich notes of sherry, toasted nuts, ripe red berries and fruit including raisins and ripe plums, toffee with creamy vanilla.

PALATE: Ripe cherries and berries, raisins balanced with butterscotch, wood spices and ginger with hints of malt. It is rich and full-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel. It is perfectly smooth and easy drinking with just a little bit of a peppery bite. Add water carefully; it only needs a few drops to release additional smoothness.

FINISH: Woody notes with a dry full cream sherry finish and hints of nuts.

RATING: EXCELLENT

It is a fantastic, underrated whisky. It retails for under R700 in South Africa and is readily available. So easy drinking and delicious. The GlenDronach 12 year old whisky is a fruity sweet dram with just the slightest hints of spice and pepper. The sweetness is not overwhelming; it is creamy, soft and inviting.

This 12 year old Scotch is the perfect dram for autumn; sitting on the patio, on a late autumn afternoon, just before sunset. When the colour of the trees around me has turned all the shades of red, orange and golden yellow, this golden amber GlenDronach is the perfect end to a busy day. In South Africa, the Glendronach 12 year old retails for around R 900.

Also Read: Kornog Whisky