Whisky of the Week

Today I look at the second of the Big Peat samples that I got from Remarkable Malts to celebrate the 10^th-anniversary release of the smoky fisherman. But I decided to jump right to the end and try the Big Peat 26 year old Platinum Edition blended malt Scotch whisky.

I know, logically I should have gone for the Big Peat Original first and then the special Feis Ile release before opening the old man, but patience has never been my biggest virtue.

After tasting the Big Peat 10 yo blended malt whisky, I was curious to see what an additional 16 years would do to the peaty and smoky gentleman. Big Peat 26 year old is a blended malt comprising whisky from Islay’s most sought after malt whiskies.

Also Read: Johnnie Walker Green Label Whisky

It is the oldest Remarkable Malts Big Peat ever released. It is the second release in a three-part Vintage series. The first was the Big Peat 25 year old Gold Edition released in 2018. The goal of the Vintage series is to show the salty sailors’ more mature side.

The Big Peat 26 year old Scotch whisky is bottled at cask strength and was not chill-filtered and has a natural colour. Distillation Date: 1992.

Big Peat 26 yo Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 51.5%

COLOUR: Golden

NOSE: Very unique. It has notes of peat, smoky BBQ, burnt wood, salt and seaweed with a fruity sweetness. Big and bold.

PALATE: Peat, ash and smoke balanced with honey sweetness and salted caramel. Hints of coastal notes, lemon meringue tart and salty wind. When you add a bit of water, the more medicinal and earthy notes come forward. It reminded me of a fish braai (BBQ) on the beach. It is big and bold but wonderfully satisfying.

FINISH: Long and lingering. Hints of sea air and peat just warming you up from the inside.

RATING: DIVINE

Oh my word. I have fallen head of over heels in love with the salty gentleman this year. I have tasted quite a few of his releases during this year, and it is delicious. This is not the most complex release. However, it is perfectly balanced, there is no alcohol heat, and it just warms your soul up.

The BBQ notes make it unique and delicious. Even without water, it is easy drinking and just totally rewarding. I can easily sit next to the braai and slowly finish a bottle. That is for me always the best way to properly rate a whisky. Do I want another glass of this or not?

The Big Peat 26 year old Platinum edition is a limited release of only 3 000 bottles. A minimal number of this edition will be making their way to SA. So if you see it, grab it! It is worth it.

Sample disclosure: I received this sample from Douglas Laing. Though received as part of a promotional event, the review and tasting notes are my honest, fair and independent thoughts on the whisky.

Also Read: Amrut Kadhambam Whisky

Elijah Craig 12 yo vs Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/05/2019

In Whisky Comparison

Welcome back to another exciting whiskey comparison. This time, we’re delving into the world of bourbon to pit two stellar releases from the renowned Heaven Hill Distillery against each other: Elijah Craig 12 yo vs Evan Williams single barrel bourbon whiskey.

These two gems hail from the heart of bourbon country, Louisville, Kentucky. They stand as the flagship brands of Heaven Hill Distillery, a heavyweight in the American alcohol industry, ranking as the 7th largest alcohol supplier in the USA, boasting an impressive portfolio of bourbons and spirits.

But let’s cut to the chase – how distinct are these two bourbons when you put them head-to-head? Are there traces of a shared “family resemblance” when sipping them side by side, or are they so unique that you’d never guess they came from the same lineage?

First, let’s take a closer look at each of them individually.

Also Read: Chivas 12 vs Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky

Elijah Craig 12 year old Bourbon Whiskey

Review and tasting notes Elijah Craig 12 yo bourbon with glass Elijah Craig 12 yo vs Evan Williams Single Barrel
The origins of our first contender, Elijah Craig, can be traced back to the late 1700s when Reverend Craig founded a distillery in Virginia. Legend has it that after a fire damaged his barrels, the thrifty Reverend decided to fill the charred ones with whiskey.

Surprisingly, the whiskey from these charred barrels turned out to be superior. Thus, whether deservedly or not, Reverend Craig has been dubbed the “Father of bourbon whiskey.” Elijah Craig 12 year old bourbon is the result, featuring a mash bill composed of 78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye.

Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

Review and tasting notes Evan Williams Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon whiskey 2006 Vintage with glass Elijah Craig 12 yo vs Evan Williams Single Barrel
Meanwhile, our other contender, Evan Williams Single Barrel bourbon, reigns as the second-largest-selling Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey in the United States.

The Evan Williams Single Barrel bourbon, in particular, stands out with its vintage distinction, being a 2006 release. Each bottle proudly displays the year it was laid down in oak (in my case, 2006), the bottling date (April 16, 2015), and the unique serial number of the single barrel from which the bourbon was drawn (Barrel No. 108).

Aged for approximately 9 years, it’s hand-selected by the Master Distiller before being bottled as a Single Barrel release. Evan Williams boasts a mash bill comprising 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% barley, distinguishing it from its Elijah Craig counterpart.

Also Read: Jim Beam Doubled Oak vs Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

Elijah Craig 12 yo vs Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon

Elijah Craig 12 yo vs Evan Williams Single Barrel bourbon comparison

	The Elijah Craig 12 yo	Evan Williams Single Barrel
Type	Bourbon whiskey	Bourbon whiskey
ABV	47%	43.3%
Mash bill	78% Corn, 12% Malted Barley, and 10% Rye	75% corn, 13% rye and 12% barley
Colour	Dark red polished copper	Dark amber with hints of red
Nose	Quite spicy with bold notes of toasted oak spice, pepper, toffee, Christmas pudding and cinnamon baked apples. Floral notes, hints of jasmine flowers.	Sweetness and richness with buttery Christmas pudding. Cloves, cinnamon and oak as well as cherries and candied fruits. Faint hints of condensed milk and caramel.
Palate	Sweetness with touches of vanilla and nutmeg. There are notes of citrus peel, candy apple and warm oak. Medium bodied. Water softens the spicy notes and smooths the citrus.	Spicy pepper and cinnamon mixed with oak and bits of fruit. Medium body and not as sweet as the nose suggested. Water makes it easier drinking.
Finish	Medium length with sweetness and hints of flowers mixed with the vanilla and nutmeg.	Quite a long finish and ends in notes of spicy pepper and lemon peel.
My Rating	Very Good	Very Good
Comments	More sweetbness and nutmeg spice with vanilla	Warming pepper spices with oak
Price	$35	$33
Pairs well with	Aged Cheddar Cheese, salami and cold meat platter, KFC Chicken wings	Apple Pie, Flapjacks with maple syrup and bacon,

Now, onto the tasting notes. Elijah Craig 12 year old bourbon whiskey greets your senses with a spicy kick on the nose and a peppery bite on the palate. Hints of bold oak and nutmeg dance on the taste buds, and when you think you have it figured out, the finish surprises you with a delightful sweetness.

On the other hand, Evan Williams Single Barrel bourbon whiskey opens with sweeter notes, including vanilla and cinnamon, but takes a spicier turn toward the end, making for a longer and more fiery finish compared to Elijah Craig.

In the showdown between these two bourbons, I preferred Elijah Craig. It is sweeter with a better balance between the oak and nutmeg spices than the Evan Williams.

I’m not alone in this sentiment, as feedback from friends on Twitter and Instagram echoed a similar sentiment. Many favoured the fruitier sweetness of the Elijah Craig 12 year old bourbon.

It’s truly fascinating to witness the stark differences between these two bourbon whiskey expressions originating from the same distillery. Elijah Craig and Evan Williams Single Barrel are prime examples of the rich diversity within the world of bourbon, offering unique flavour profiles that cater to a wide range of palates.

So, whether you lean towards the sweeter complexity of Elijah Craig or the spicy allure of Evan Williams, one thing is clear – Heaven Hill Distillery knows how to craft exceptional bourbons that stand out in their own right.

Cheers to the wonderful world of whiskey!

Also Read: Singleton 12 vs Glenfiddich 12 yo Whisky

Black Bottle Old Release Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/29/2019

In Blended whisky

The first Black Bottle blended Scotch whisky I tasted was the new version that was launched in 2013. Burn Stewart went back to the original roots of the blend and updated the inside and the outside. That got me thinking about the Black Bottle old release whisky, that if you are lucky enough, you sometimes still find in the shops.

While researching the new Black Bottle, I read a lot about the Islay character of the old Black Bottle whisky, and when I spotted a few of the pre-2013 versions in the shop, I grabbed it.

For many years, Black Bottle blended Scotch whisky was known for its Islay peatiness. The bottle changed from the original Black glass that was sourced from a supplier in Germany to green glass during the early part of the 1900s.

The change was due to the outbreak of World War 1. The Islay character change is probably also from that time when Islay whiskies were more readily available and affordable.

Old Black Bottle is (according to some) a blend of at least 7 different Islay distilleries as well as some grain whisky from the mainland. The older release and the newer release can’t be more different. But what exactly does the old Black bottle taste like?

Also Read: William Lawson’s whisky

Black Bottle Old Release Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Gold

NOSE: Classic peaty Islay notes with hints of wet seaweed and honey sweetness. It does not have that heavy medicinal notes from a Lagavulin or Laphroaig, but a bit more salt, oak, and fruity sweetness. Dried cherries and honey with hints of smoke and delicious creamy bits.

PALATE: Soft peat and fruit. Bits of pepper, vanilla and salted nuts mixed with dried cherries, honey, and condensed milk creaminess. Bits of smoke and dry oak. Not an overwhelming peat monster, but a wonderfully balanced drinkable whisky.

Certainly no shrinking violet. I finished my first glass without adding some water and had to have another glass to see what water does to it. Interestingly, water releases a malty cookie dough note.

FINISH: Long and warming and perfect for winter with peat and hints of lemon pepper.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What a delicious dram. Peaty enough for a peat lover, but balanced with enough sweetness to convert someone who wants to experiment with more peat. It has some rough edges, but it is all part of the prominent character.

The new Black Bottle release (in the black bottle) is a lovely dram, and it works well in cocktails. However, this release is bold and delicious. If you like peated whisky and you see the last lonely one in a bottle shop somewhere, grab it. You will be delighted that you did.

Also Read: Ledaig 10 yo Whisky

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

Chivas 12 vs Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/15/2019

In Whisky Comparison

In the world of premium whisky, few names shine as brightly as Chivas Regal and Johnnie Walker Black Label. These 12 year old classics share a common origin, originating in grocery stores, and have garnered devoted followings worldwide. Today, I explore Chivas Regal 12 vs Johnnie Walker Black Label whiskies in the latest instalment of my comparison series.

This blog post is the next instalment of my comparison series. I have looked at quite a few comparisons this year, and it always amazes me how the differences stand out when you taste whiskies side by side. The top read comparison post this year has been the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel vs Woodford Reserve bourbon.

Today focuses on two iconic Scottish blends that have stood the test of time.

Chivas Regal 12 year old Whisky

Chivas Regal 12 yo blended whisky

Chivas Regal, a name steeped in tradition and nostalgia, traces its roots back to 1801 when a grocery store opened in Aberdeen. Catering to an affluent clientele, this establishment had a cellar that would become the birthplace of a blending tradition that would endure for centuries.

In the early 1900s, Chivas Brothers crafted a unique blend for export to the USA, ultimately named Chivas Regal. However, production faced interruptions due to prohibition and World War 2.

When the dust settled, Chivas Regal was reintroduced as the Chivas Regal 12 year old blended Scotch whisky. Over time it solidified its place in the pantheon of Scotch whiskies. The Strathilsa distillery serves as the spiritual home of Chivas, with a blend composed of various malt and grain whiskies, with a particular emphasis on Speyside releases.

Also Read: Maker’s Mark vs Woodford Reserve

Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky

Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 yo blended whisky header

Since 1909, Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky has consistently ranked among the best-selling whiskies globally. Renowned for its unwavering flavour profile and affordable pricing, this classic also traces its origins to a grocery store.

Now celebrating its 110th year, Johnnie Walker is one of the most widely distributed Scotch whisky brands globally. John Walker’s journey began in a grocery store, where he managed the wine and spirits segment. As whisky regulations relaxed, he embarked on blending and selling a variety of whiskies, ultimately labelling them with his own name.

However, his son and grandson truly transformed the brand into the iconic name we recognize today. Johnnie Walker Black Label is a blend of whiskies hailing from all corners of Scotland, from the smoky Islands to the sweeter Speyside, and featuring some Highland malts, all aged for at least 12 years.

Also Read: Chivas Regal 12 vs Chivas Extra whisky

Chivas 12 vs Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky

Chivas 12 vs Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky Comparison

	Chivas Regal 12 yo whisky	Johnnie Walker Black Label
Type	Blended Whisky	Blended Whisky
ABV	43%	43%
Colour	Golden wheat with hints of mahogany	Deep polished amber
Nose	Sweet with notes of fresh fruity and cherries, custard, fresh cut flowers and faint hint of dry wood. There is a green freshness on the nose that blend with hints of cinnamon and vanilla.	Faint smoke, red berries and tropical fruit, Christmas pudding with heaps of vanilla toffee and winter spice.
Palate	Toasted oak, spice, malt and heaps of berry sweetness balanced with green notes. Water softens the spicy notes and brings out more creamy toffee and malt.	Smooth and rich with smoke and peat perfectly balanced with fruit, citrus flowers, oak and malt. A creamy toffee sweetness with hints of spice and cereal. You don't even need to add water, but water releases a bit more sweetness.
Finish	Medium length that ends in notes of pepper spice and lemon rind with hints of sweetness.	Awesome. Long and rewarding balanced between fruity sweetness, smoke, citrus peel, vanilla and warming pepper spice.
My Rating	Very Good	Divine
Comments	It is a smooth, easy drinking medium bodied dram.	Rich and rewarding. Full bodied.
Price	$37	$40
Pairs well with	Hazelnut chocolates, fresh tropical fruit, coconut, tuna and chicken satay.	A cheese platter or roasted pork.

In the face-off between these two whisky titans, Chivas Regal 12 and Johnnie Walker Black Label prove their mettle as enduring classics. While personal preference may sway towards one or the other, there’s no denying the distinct character of each.

The Chivas Regal 12 year old whisky stands tall, boasting bold flavours and a rich history that harks back to its grocery store origins. It is known for its fruity sweetness balanced with toasted oak, malt and toffee notes. Spices, red berries and hints of green mingles with black pepper and lemon. Smooth and easy drinking, this blend offers consistent flavour.

On the other hand, the Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky offers a harmonious blend with a touch of peaty smokiness, making it a perennial favourite. Creamy toffee, oak, cereal and spices stand next to the peat in a perfect balance. Hints of vanilla and Christmas pudding mixed with pepper. Big and bold with a long finish.

The Black Label offers a bolder experience. The peat, toffee sweetness and spices complement each other perfectly. It is well-balanced and inviting. The Chivas Regal is softer with a more fruity sweetness and warming toasted oak notes that offer a smooth, more gentle experience. Perfect for someone who prefers a more fruit-forward drink.

There is a spot in my drinks cabinet for both these drams. In tribute to tradition and sentiment, a bottle of Chivas Regal 12 year old whisky will always have a place on my shelves, alongside the ever-enticing Johnnie Walker Black Label. Cheers to these two great classics!

Also Read:Chivas Regal 12 vs Glenfiddich 12 year old Whisky

Whisky of the Week

Meandering the world, one whisky at a time

Big Peat 26 year old Platinum Edition Whisky

Big Peat 26 yo Whisky Review

Elijah Craig 12 yo vs Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon

Elijah Craig 12 year old Bourbon Whiskey

Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

Elijah Craig 12 yo vs Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon

Black Bottle Old Release Whisky

Black Bottle Old Release Whisky Review

Loch Lomond Original Whisky

Loch Lomond Original Whisky Review

Chivas 12 vs Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky

Chivas Regal 12 year old Whisky

Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky

Chivas 12 vs Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky