Category: Single Malt whisky Page 9 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.

Three Ships Virgin Oak Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/04/2021

In Single Malt whisky

It is no secret that I love the whisky that comes out of the James Sedgwick distillery. The
Three Ships single cask and limited editions sell out quickly. The Master’s Collection usually disappears within hours. When Pick n Pay brought out the Three Ships Virgin Oak Cask single malt whisky, I immediately picked up a bottle.

But with alcohol bans and everything going on, I have not captured my tasting notes yet; And it is time.

After many years of asking, in June 2018, the first independent bottled Three Ships was released when Checkers bottled the Private Barrel Co. James Sedgwick Distillery 6 yo whisky. It was the first South African whisky to join the exclusive Private Barrel Co. collection of whiskies.

The James Sedgwick Distillery 6 yo whisky is a lightly peated whisky that spent its first 3 years in older American Oak, followed by 3 years in a seasoned Fino Cask. It was bottled at a very respectable 54.6% ABV, and I rated it Excellent.

Also Read: Santis Malt Alpstein Edition Whisky

That Boutique-y Whisky Company quickly followed with a Three Ships 6 yo whisky. This 6 yo was matured in American oak and finished in PX casks. Only 1 150 bottles were produced. The artwork on the label depicts Master Distiller Andy Watts filling a Three Ships whisky cask with whisky. It was bottled at 53.7% ABV, and I rated it Very Good.

WhiskyBrother and Co have also collaborated with Three Ships, and their latest release was a 9 yo single casks that were bottled in 2020. These independently bottled releases are extremely popular and sell out quickly.

Now Pick n Pay also jumped on the bandwagon and released a Virgin Oak Cask single malt botting. This specific single malt was hand-selected by Andy Watts, Master Distiller.

Three Ships Virgin Oak Whisky Review

It is non-chill-filtered, natural in colour, and matured in virgin American oak. It was exclusively bottled for Pick n Pay and limited to 2 480 bottles.

ABV: 48.6%

COUNTRY: South Africa

COLOUR: Rich amber

NOSE: Sweet oak spices, vanilla, subtle smoke and fresh pine needles. Unusual and inviting with a nearly tropical fruitiness in the background.

PALATE: Toasted oak, smoky black tea with pepper and nutmeg. It is quite oily, and there are hints of toffee. Bits of fruity sweetness with bread pudding and apricot jam. White pepper, subtle smoke and cinnamon apples. A few drops of water brings the pepper spices to the front but dampens the complexity.

FINISH: Medium length and warming with pepper vanilla and a maltiness.

RATING: VERY GOOD

As usual, the whisky coming from the James Sedwick distillery in Cape Town is world-class. The releases are unusual and complex, with bold flavours. For me personally, the Virgin Oak Cask is a bit too spicy. My palate prefers a sweeter dram and gravitates more towards the Bain’s whisky releases.

John enjoyed this release more as his palate is not quite as sweet. I think this release will work wonderfully with a robust, creamy cheese such as an aged cheddar or something similar.

Also Read: A visit to Chamarel Rum Distillery

anCnoc 12 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/01/2021

In Single Malt whisky

Today I am tasting the anCnoc 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky. The Knockdhu distillery is a whisky distillery in the scenic village of Knock in Aberdeenshire in the Scottish Highlands. Together with Old Pulteney and Balblair, anCnoc is owned by Inver House Distillers Limited.

Also part of the brand portfolio is the Hankey Bannister and Catto’s blended whiskies. Inver House, in turn, is a subsidiary of the Thai Beverage Company.

John Morrison purchased the Knock Estate in 1892. He saw that the surrounding land was ideal for barley growth and had an abundance of peat. It was also helpful that the Great North Railway line ran nearby. Shortly after he bought the estate, he uncovered a spring on Knock Hill’s southern slopes.

He discovered that the water had a wonderful flavour and sent it to a laboratory owned by Distiller’s Company Limited in Edinburgh for evaluation. The tests confirmed that the water was of outstanding quality.

Distiller’s Company Limited made John Morrison an offer for the site, which he accepted. The Knockdhu distillery was built in May of 1893. Knockdhu renamed their whiskies anCnoc to avoid confusion with the nearby Knockando distillery.

In Gaelic, the name anCnoc means “the hill”. It was one of the delicious whiskies I tried on my first visit to the beautiful Dullstroom and the Wild About Whisky bar.

Related Post: Glenlivet 12 yo whisky

anCnoc 12 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: A light yellow wheat colour.

NOSE: On opening the anCnoc, there is an immediate aroma of pears. On the nose, there are cereals and oak with sweet smelling honey and spice. The rich bouquet of mixed flowers intermingles with the spiciness of vanilla.

PALATE: Without water, the palate is smooth and rich, with spicy notes of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon coming through the sweetness slowly. There are hints of fresh fruit and citrus. Adding water to the anCnoc 12 yo whisky softens the palate, but also releases more citrus, and oak notes that start to overwhelm the sweetness. Water dilutes the whisky a bit, making it less complicated and flat.

FINISH: Without water, the anCnoc’s finish is long and builds with honey and spicy notes. After adding a bit of water, the finish changes to a medium length that ends in pepper and citrus notes.

RATING: VERY GOOD

Is the anCnoc 12 year old whisky a knockout? Not entirely, nevertheless, it is an easy-drinking and affordable dram that should be in your collection. Just add water carefully or rather not at all. There is also the anCnoc Peatheart Edition that I tasted and wrote about.

This release has made it onto my Top 5 Single Malt whiskies under R500 list.

Also Read: Glen Moray Classic whisky

Glenglassaugh Torfa Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/27/2021

In Single Malt whisky

My third blog post on the Glenglassaugh distillery from the Scottish Highlands. For some reason, I have not liked any whisky from this distillery. Both the Glenglassaugh Revival and the Evolution release I rated as Good. Today I try to finish the last of my mini bottle from this Highland distillery, and it is time for the Glenglassaugh Torfa single malt Scotch whisky.

I found the Revival release drying on the palate, and the Evolution Scotch overly spicy. Both of these had an amazing nose that was rich and complex, with a promise of fruity sweetness. But on tasting them, I was left disappointed. I have to say, I am opening this mini bottle with a bit of trepidation.

The Glenglassaugh distillery sits on a hillside, on the Moray Firth coast overlooking the North Sea. James Moir and two of his nephews established the distillery in 1875. He chose the site due to its proximity to a clean water supply, the Glassaugh Springs and easy access to the nearby barley fields.

It changed hands a few times but continued to produce whisky. However, during the economic downturn of 1986, this small remote distillery stopped production. It was mothballed and all but forgotten.

In 2008, the Dutch-based Scaent Group acquired the distillery for £5 million and reopened it. In 2013 Billy Walker and the BenRiach Whisky Company purchased it. BenRiach is a subsidiary of the Brown-Forman Corporation.

Glenglassaugh Torfa single malt Scotch was released in 2014 and refer to the Old Norse word for turf or peat. It has been matured in ex-bourbon barrels and peated to 20 ppm.

Torfa has no age statement and has a natural colour, and is non-chill-filtered. In SA, it retails for around R670.

Also Read: Mackmyra Svensk Rok Whisky

Glenglassaugh Torfa Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV: 50%

COLOUR: Yellow gold.

NOSE: Rich earthy peat, smoke and custard sweetness in equal measures. Hints of cold ocean breeze and warming pepper spices. Wood smoke and a gentle fruit note in the background; just a lovely nose.

PALATE<: Warming earthy peat, drying ash and smoke. It has quite an alcohol bite. Letting it breathe for a while allows a mellow, fruity note to appear with hints of sour cherries. Earthy moss with hints of sea salt and honey drizzled over red apples. Light pepper and ginger notes with a medium body.

However, adding a few drops of water changes the Torfa. The water brings out more pepper spice and lemon peel bitterness and mutes the complexity. After the water, it has the same overwhelming pepper notes that I found in Revival and Evolution whisky releases.

FINISH: Medium length that, before water, lingers with peat and honey and hints of liquorice. After adding some water, it is all lemon pepper and pectin.

RATING: VERY GOOD

This Glenglassaugh Torfa whisky poses a predicament. If you let it stand long enough for the worst of the alcohol to float away, it is elegant and drinkable without water. The moment you add the water, the spicy notes overwhelm everything else, and you are left with bitter pectin, which is not ideal.

This one would be my favourite of the three releases, but I would hesitate to buy more bottles from this distillery. Just like Dalmore and Highland Park, the distillery flavour profile just does not suit my tastes. If you like more spicy drams, this will be perfect.

However, I would rather spend some time with Brown Forman’s other Scottish Highland whisky, Glendronach, which has a much sweeter taste profile.

Also Read: Millstone 8 yo French Oak Whisky

Ballechin 10 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/20/2021

In Single Malt whisky

Ballechin 10 yo whisky header
Today it is time for a peaty Highland release; the Ballechin 10 year old single malt Scotch whisky. The Edradour distillery was officially established in 1825 in the Perthshire region. The name in Gaelic is Eadar Dhà Dhobhar, which translates to “between two rivers”.

It was founded by farmers who resided in the neighbourhood and grew all the barley used at the distillery. The distillery is seen as one of Scotlands smallest. Most of the spirit from the distillery went into blended whisky.

Ownership changed in the years that followed until 1982 when it was bought by Campbell distilleries, which is part of the Pernod Ricard Group. They opened a visitors centre and released the first single malt under the Edradour label.

In 2002, Andrew Symington from the Signatory Vintage Scotch Whisky company took over the distillery, and he expanded production to include a peated variety.

Also Read: Teerenpeli Whisky

He called the peated release Ballechin. The name Ballechin (pronounced “Bell-eck-in”) pays homage to the history of the surrounding area and was the name of a closed farm distillery. Ballechin whisky, which was first distilled in 2003, is peated to a minimum level of 50 ppm. Signatory launched the Ballechin 10 year old whisky in 2014.

The Ballechin 10 year old whisky is matured in a combination of ex-Oloroso sherry and ex-bourbon casks. It is non-chill-filtered and naturally coloured.

Ballechin 10 year old Whisky Review

Ballechin 10 yo whisky with glass
REGION: Highlands

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Amber

NOSE: A lovely rich nose with peat, oranges and barley. Bits of smoke and wood mixed with vanilla and grainy sweetness. Not overwhelming, but elegant and delicious.

PALATE: Ash, peat with a floral sweetness. More of the orange notes but not as bold as I was expecting after the rich nose. A bit flat with oak and malt and faint vanilla. After the lovely nose, I was hoping for a more complex taste.

It is not bad; it is just a bit one dimensional. I was expecting the sherry and bourbon ageing to show up somewhere. Adding water softens the peat considerably, so add water carefully.

FINISH: Short to medium with drying ash, smoke and bits of citrus peel.

RATING: VERY GOOD

During the week, I tasted an Edradour whisky, and it was a big and bold sherry bomb. The Ballechin 10 year old single malt was finished in sherry, and I was perhaps hoping for a little bit of the sherry richness and complexity to come through.

A pleasant enough dram, but at ten years old, I was hoping for a bit more weight. The peat takes a step back when you add water, so it might be a good whisky for peat novices.

I don’t think the 10 year old is available in SA currently, but I saw a bottle of Ballechin 9 year old 2010 Vintage whisky at Navigate World Whisky.

Also Read: Drayman’s Solera Whisky

Glenkinchie 12 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/17/2021

In Single Malt whisky

Time to move back down to the Scottish Lowlands this week. The Lowlands has three well-known malt distilleries, namely Auchentoshan, Bladnoch and Glenkinchie. Today I investigate Glenkinchie and especially the Glenkinchie 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

Lowland whiskies traditionally were softer and more floral compared to the more Northern releases. The name Glenkinchie Distillery was registered in 1837 and lay a stone through from Edinburgh near the charming village of Pencaitland. It draws it water from the Lammermuir Hills. Together with Oban (West Highlands), Dalwhinnie (Highland), Talisker (Islands), Cragganmore (Speyside) and Lagavulin (Islay), Glenkinchie represents the Lowlands in the Diageo Classic Malts Range.

Also Read: Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX whisky

The Glenkinchie 12 year old single malt is the entry-level single malt bottling from the distillery that replaces the previous 10 year old. Glenkinchie also releases a Distillers Edition. The year 2017 is an important year for Glenkinchie. They will be celebrating the 180th anniversary of the distillery.

So in honour of this outstanding achievement, let’s try this Lowland whisky. I have paired this Glenkinchie 12 year old with some Wensleydale cheese with mango and ginger, and it made for a delicious pairing.

Glenkinchie 12 year old Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: Lowlands

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Golden wheat

NOSE: Fresh cut flowers and grass with hints of mint leaves. The nose is delicate and sweet with notes of liquorice, orange cake, vanilla, toffee and toasted oak.

PALATE: Oak with vanilla and hints of butterscotch. Lots of citrus and pepper spice and very little of the subtle flowery notes promised by the nose. Orange marmalade and lemon rind with bits of toffee sweetness and fresh fruit. Water releases a bit more fruity notes but also makes the lemon rind more pronounced.

FINISH: Medium length with notes of pepper and lemon drops. Drying.

RATING: VERY GOOD

I was hoping that the floral notes of this Lowland whisky would translate from the nose to the palate. Not a bad dram, but a bit too peppery for my liking. I prefer something a bit sweeter. Still not bad for the price point.

In South Africa the Glenkinchie 12 year old whisky retails for around R 850 which, for an aged single malt Scotch whisky, is not bad. In India the price is around ₹ 6,780. Worth adding to your collection.

Recently I got to taste the Glenkinchie 1986 Distillers Edition, and it was terrific. What did you think of the Glenkinchie 12 year old whisky?

Also Read: Glenfiddich IPA Cask whisky