Whisky of the Week

Chivas Regal XV Blended Whisky

On 02/01/2021

Today I look at something relatively new. Not a new brand, Chivas Regal has been one of the best selling whiskies globally, but a new release. Launched in 2018, Chivas Regal XV whisky is a 15 year old blended Scotch whisky that has been finished in casks that previously held Grande Champagne Cognac.

I have written extensively about the history of Chivas Regal. You can find more in my blog post on the Chivas Regal 12 yo whisky and Chivas Extra. These two releases, especially the Chivas Regal Extra is recognizable for the sherry influence. It will be interesting to see what some finishing in Cognac will do to this fruity house style.

Chivas Regal XV is a blend of grain and single malt whiskies with Strathisla spirits being a significant component. This distillery is known as the spiritual home of Chivas. Strathisla distillery is the oldest continuously operating distillery in the Scottish Highlands. I was curious to find out what Grande Champagne Cognac is and if it had anything to do with bubbly.

Cognac Grande Champagne is a cognac brandy made from grapes grown in the Grande Champagne region, distilled in the Grande Champagne region, and matured in the Grande Champagne region. The area is located just south of Cognac town, sandwiched between the Charente river and its tributary, the Né.

Also Read: Bisquit & Dubouché VS Cognac

Chivas Regal XV Whisky Review

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Warm amber

NOSE: Fruity sweetness and toasted oats. Bits of creamy oak, oranges, cinnamon and brown sugar, brandy-soaked sultanas. A green floral note in the background. Clean, elegant and inviting.

PALATE: Oak, pepper and dried fruit. Not quite as sweet as the nose suggests. Hints of grain and apples with cinnamon. Adding water brings the fruity sweetness to the front with buttery caramel and sultanas. There is a luxurious mouthfeel to this dram. It is silky smooth and very drinkable. Only the slightest hints of the cognac cask but enough to make it noticeable. Not the most complex dram, but approachable.

FINISH: Cinnamon, toasted oak and soft fruity notes. Medium length but warming and delicious.

RATING: EXCELLENT

A delicious blend. I opened this bottle towards the end of December, and I don’t think it will see the middle of February. The only bottle we finished faster was the Ardbeg An Oa. It is delicious and drinkable.

I missed the sherry notes from the Chivas Extra a bit, but the creamy mouth made up for the loss. This bottle will make a perfect gift for a whisky lover.

The cognac finish makes it luxurious; however, it remains easy drinking. The Chivas Regal XV is not overly complicated or intimidating, but approachable and delicious. The XV whisky cost about R520 in SA, which I don’t think is too expensive for a 15 year old dram.

Also Read: Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask Whisky

Port Charlotte 10 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 01/25/2021

In Single Malt whisky

Let’s have a peaty start to tasting notes for 2021 with the Port Charlotte 10 year old single malt Scotch whisky. After the dramatic year that was 2020, I want to start this year on a high note. Start as you mean to continue. Port Charlotte and the Bruichladdich distillery is no stranger on the blog.

The heavily peated Port Charlotte expressions, distilled at Bruichladdich, are a tribute to the old Lochindaal distillery. The Port Charlotte village and the nearby distillery were built at the same time around 1829 on the shores of Loch Indaal.

The distillery closed in 1929, precisely 100 years after it was built. Bruichladdich acquired most of the old distillery buildings and ground back in 2007.

The distillery, now owned by Remy Cointreau, also makes The Botanist Gin, Octomore and Bruichladdich.

Bruichladdich introduced The Port Charlotte 10 year old single malt whisky as the flagship Port Charlotte expression. It’s peated to 40ppm, and drawn from a combination of first-fill American whiskey casks, second-fill American whiskey casks and second-fill French wine casks.

Where Octomore is the Bruichladdich heavily peated expression, Port Charlotte is closer to the standard level of Islay peat. The Port Charlotte 10 year old whisky is non-chill-filtered and with natural colour.

Also Read: KWV 12 yo Brandy

Port Charlotte 10 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 50%

COLOUR: Deep gold

NOSE: I was expecting a bolder nose, but it is delicate and elegant smoke and peat balanced with tropical fruit sweetness. Bits of oak and earth with fudge and sun-ripened oranges. Bits of seaweed and ash with vanilla and sea air.

PALATE: After the elegant nose, I was expecting a softer dram. But it is all bold Islay with peat and wood spices balanced with smoke and toasted nuts. Oak and honey with bits of salt and malt. Very drinkable.

Water softens the peat and brings more caramel sweetness to the front. It softens the wood spice but doesn’t diminish the peaty notes. The higher ABV is barely noticeable. I finished my first glass without adding water and had to pour a second glass.

FINISH: The finish is long and smoky with spicy pepper and fruity sweetness. Soft and delicious.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Just delicious. This Port Charlotte 10 year old Scotch might be peated and smoky, but it is drinkable and elegant. The balance between the peaty notes and the smoke, sweetness and malt is luxurious and inviting you to try more.

It is a complex dram with many layers; each building on the next layer. You barely need water, just a drop or 2. A fantastic dram to start my year with.

Also Read: Kilchoman Sanaig Whisky

Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 01/18/2021

In Whisky Comparison

Originally this post was part of my Balvenie Golden Cask tasting notes, but it is such a fun and delicious side by side comparison, I decided it warranted a post of its own; Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask whisky. Both these Balvenie releases were finished in rum casks.

The Caribbean Cask release is part of the Balvenie core range, and the Golden Cask was travel retail special. Let’s look at the Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask single malt Scotch whisky comparison.

The Golden Cask has been finished in Caribbean Rum barrels and the Caribbean Cask in barrels that previously held Malt Master David Stewart’s personal blend of select West Indian rum.

I have both these expressions in my collection, so after capturing my tasting notes for the Golden Cask, I got out the Caribbean Cask whisky to do a bit of a comparison. For me, a side-by-side comparison is a valuable learning experience that shows the different sides of each dram.

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask Whisky

Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean casks comparison
Balvenie launched the Caribbean Cask 14 yo whisky to mark the 50th anniversary of David Stewart joining the Balvenie distillery. It is part of the Balvenie core range.

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask Speyside single malt whisky has been matured in traditional oak casks for 14 years. Afterwards, they finished it in casks that previously held Malt Master David Stewart’s blend of select West Indian rum.

The Balvenie Golden Cask Whisky

The Balvenie Golden Cask 14 yo single malt whisky with glass Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean casks comparison
The Balvenie Golden Cask whisky was initially bottled for the travel retail market. The Golden Cask single malt Scotch whisky was first matured in traditional oak casks and then finished in casks that formerly held golden Caribbean rum.

It was crafted by Balvenie’s David Stewart, and it has been discontinued.

Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask Whisky

Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask comparison

	Balvenie Golden Cask	Balvenie Caribbean Cask
Age	14 yo	14 yo
ABV	47.5%	43%
Cask Finish	Caribbean rum	David Stewart’s blend of select West Indian rum
Colour	Light wheat gold	Golden wheat
Nose	Heaps of fruits, florals with butterscotch and fudge and vanilla. Fields of summer flowers with hints of cinnamon spice and hints of chocolate coated fruits and oak.	Ripe mango, pineapple and guava, toffee, Christmas cake and plump rum-soaked raisins. Hints of florals and malt intermingling with oak. Fudge and lashings of spices.
Palate	The fruity sweetness promised on the nose is not so pronounced, and there are more spicy notes on the palate. The Golden Cask is refined and luxurious. It is fresh and light with pineapple, tropical fruit.	Mango and spicy notes, creamy caramel toffee, vanilla, oak, tipsy tart and ginger. Chewy and spicy.
Finish	Big and bold with sweetness and cinnamon that lingers	Softer with notes of pectin and pepper
Rating	Excellent	Excellent
Comments	More refined and floral with an amazing finish.	Chewy and delicious, but with a few sharp pepper notes.
Pairs well with	Dark chocolate and tropical fruit	Softer cheese such as camembert

Side by side, it is amazing how different these two releases are.

The Balvenie Golden Cask has a higher ABV and is slightly lighter than the Caribbean Cask release. Both releases have tropical rum notes, but they are more pronounced on the Golden Cask.

The Balvenie Golden Cask single malt has a floral note mixed with pineapples and oak. It also has notes of cinnamon and tropical fruit. The Balvenie Caribbean Cask has more mango, raisins, vanilla, and fudge. It has a spicier finish with more pepper and ginger notes.

Both are excellent and delicious, a testament to Balvenie’s Master Distillers’ skill and quality. If I have to choose a favourite, it will be the Balvenie Golden Cask whisky. The Golden Cask is more refined and less spicy than the Caribbean Cask. It is my favourite of these two bottles.

Both my bottles are nearly finished. I will be sad to see the Golden Cask empty; it was a delicious and unique dram. The Caribbean Cask is readily available, and when the bottle is empty, I will replace it.

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I have also done a side by side comparison between the Caribbean Cask and the Balvenie Doublewood.

Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 01/11/2021

In Single Malt whisky

Amrut is a brand of Indian single malt whisky manufactured by the Amrut Distilleries in Bangalore. It is the first single malt whisky to be made in India. The brand became famous after whisky connoisseur Jim Murray declared Amrut Fusion single malt whisky as one of the world’s best whiskies in the 2010 edition of his annual Whisky Bible.

Amrut Distilleries Ltd was founded in Bangalore, Karnataka, in 1948 by JN Radhakrishna Rao Jagdale. The company initially manufactured Indian Made Foreign Liquor.

They built the distillery in 1987, and it is located on Mysore Road, roughly 20 km from Bangalore. Most distillers in India were manufacturing whisky by converting molasses to alcohol. In 1982, Jagdale decided to create a premium whisky from barley blended with malt.

Amrut Distilleries began procuring barley from farmers in Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan. The company had a surplus stock of their malt whisky by 1995, and Jagdale allowed some barrels to age longer to see how they would turn out. Amrut, according to the company, translates as “Elixir of Life”.

The Angel’s Share

The whiskies had been ageing for almost four to five years by the year 2000. Amrut discovered that the hot weather in India makes whisky mature faster than it does in Europe or the United States. The fraction lost to the angels’ share is also higher, at 11–12% per year.

In Scotland, the annual evaporation loss is about 2%. Surinder Kumar, the master blender at Amrut Distilleries, estimates that one year of barrel ageing in India is equal to three years of ageing in Scotland. Launched in 2009, Amrut Fusion is produced using 25% Scottish peated barley and 75% unpeated Indian barley.

The two barleys are matured separately in oak casks in Bangalore for around four years. Subsequently, the two matured malts are blended in measured proportions and married for three months in ex-bourbon casks.

Also Read: Paul John Bold Whisky

Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky Review

COUNTRY: India

ABV:46%

COLOUR: A golden yellow. It is quite an oily whisky and makes long fingers on the sides of the glass.

NOSE: Quite subtle. There are notes of oak, cereals and barley. There is a hint of bourbon in the background and very mild peat. After the addition of a bit of water, fresh-cut flowers appear on the nose.

PALATE: Without the addition of water, the palate brings oak and is very spicy. Adding some water allows the Amrut Fusion to open up, and it delivers a nice mouthful that hits you with lots of spice, very mild peat and sweetness.

There are notes of oak and bourbon with hints of toffee. This full-bodied Amrut Fusion has a wonderfully complex palate. It is a warming whisky with amazing character.

FINISH: The Amrut Fusion single malt has a stunning finish. It builds to a crescendo transitioning from spicy to sweetness at the end. Most whiskies finish the other way around. The fantastic thing about the Amrut Fusion whisky is that it ends on a deliciously sweet note after starting quite spicy. There are notes of condensed milk with soft spices at the end. A thoroughly brilliant whisky for a cold evening.

RATING: DIVINE

This is a delicious single malt whisky from an amazing country. I could not find Amrut in Bangalore on our last trip in 2011 as Amrut only launched in India this past year. I will hopefully be going back to India in 2015 to spend some time with our friend Professor Sundar in Bangalore and then hope to visit this amazing distillery.

The Amrut Fusion retail for around £50 in the UK and ₹ 3,286 in India.

Other Amrut Expressions I have tried include the Amrut Kadhambam as well as the Amrut Intermediate Sherry whisky.

Also Read: Reisetbauer 12 yo Whisky

Maker’s Mark 46 Bourbon Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 01/04/2021

In Bourbon whiskey

If you’re a bourbon whiskey enthusiast, you’ve undoubtedly come across the iconic Maker’s Mark bottles, sealed with their striking blood-red wax tops. The golden liquid inside is as exceptional as the recognizable red wax seal.

My husband, John, and I are no strangers to the pleasures of Maker’s Mark. It graces our shelves quite often, but recently, our eyes have been on the highly anticipated Maker’s Mark 46 bourbon whiskey.

During one of John’s frequent travels, he managed to secure a bottle of this whiskey. And, to our delight, we’ve learned that Maker’s Mark 46 will soon be available in South Africa, making it easier to replace our beloved bottle when the time comes.

Now, the burning question is, what sets the “standard” Maker’s Mark bourbon apart from the Maker’s 46 bourbon? According to the website, Maker’s 46 is the first new addition to their lineup since the 1950s, designed to introduce a spicier dimension to their classic release.

The process behind Maker’s 46 whiskey starts with their standard Maker’s Mark bourbon. They insert heavily seared French oak staves into freshly emptied Maker’s Mark barrels, which are then refilled and returned to the ageing warehouses.

The “46” designation represents the culmination of countless experiments, with experiment No. 46 ultimately achieving the desired flavour profile.

Maker’s Mark is unique because it doesn’t include rye in its mash bill. Instead, it relies on red winter wheat (16%), corn (70%), and malted barley (14%) in the mash bill.

Also Read: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon

Maker’s Mark 46 Bourbon Whiskey Review

The Maker’s Mark 46 bourbon whiskey is aged longer than the standard Maker’s Mark, so the wood has a longer time to impact on the bourbon.

COUNTRY: USA

ABV: 47%

COLOUR: Dark polished copper with red notes.

NOSE: The nose boasts a rich and sweet bouquet with notes of plump maraschino cherries, oak, vanilla, caramel, hints of honey, and buttery cinnamon toast.

PALATE: Rich and creamy. There are notes of oak, vanilla cinnamon, all perfectly balanced. The Maker’s Mark 46 has a big mouthfeel. It is smooth like creamed honey. After the second sip butter toffee, toast and hints of pepper show up. While water can mellow the heat, sipped neat’s just as delightful.

FINISH: The finish is long and lingering, concluding with notes of caramel, pepper, and vanilla.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Maker’s Mark 46 is a bolder and spicier alternative to the traditional Maker’s Mark bourbon whiskey, featuring an oilier mouthfeel and a delightful complexity. It’s an easy-drinking and delicious bourbon.

Our bottle is rapidly depleting and is unlikely to last through September, making it a fitting tribute to Bourbon Heritage Month. We eagerly await October to restock this bottle.

For those looking to experiment, the Maker’s Mark website offers an array of amazing recipes, such as the Mint Julep Lamb Chops.

In another blog post, I conducted a side-by-side comparison between Maker’s 46 and standard Maker’s Mark, revealing which one I preferred.

With its distinct character and unique production process, this bourbon is a must-try for any bourbon connoisseur.

Also Read: Maker’s Mark vs Buffalo Trace Bourbon