Whisky of the Week

Pikesville 110 Proof Straight Rye Whiskey

On 07/24/2023

This bottle of Pikesville 110 Proof Straight Rye whiskey has been in my cupboard for a couple of years after the hubby brought it back from a trip to the UK. I have been in the mood for something more spicy after the sweetness of the last couple of weeks, so a rye whiskey is perfect.

Pikesville Rye whiskey was initially produced in Maryland by L. Winand & Brothers Distillery, established in 1895. The brand went through several changes of ownership and survived Prohibition. The last batch of rye whiskey was produced in Maryland in 1972 by the Majestic Distilling Corporation.

In 1972 Majestic Distilling closed down. However, they left enough filled barrels, and the brand continued until 1982. In 1982, Heaven Hill bought the brand. Heaven Hill released the Pikesville Rye in 2015, and it is currently produced at the Bernheim Distillery.

Also Read: Michter’s Single Barrel Rye

Heaven Hill has an extensive whiskey and bourbon brand collection, and the Evan Williams, Rittenhouse and Henry McKenna brands fall under their banner. They are the biggest privately owned whiskey company in the USA.

The mash bill for the Pikesville Straight Rye whiskey is 51% rye, 39% corn and 10% malted barley. Compared to the other rye whiskies I have tried, this is the bare minimum rye to quality as a rye whiskey. The Jack Daniel’s Rye and the Bulleit Rye are considerably higher with 70% and 95%, respectively.

Another different aspect is the higher ABV when looking at the other rye releases. Sazerac and Bulleit Rye has a 45% ABV while the Pikesville rye is at 55% (110 proof).

Pikesville 110 Proof Straight Rye Whiskey Review

The Pikeville Rye is a 6 year old release.

REGION: USA

ABV: 55%

COLOUR: Pale copper

NOSE: The nose is subtle with hints of grassy rye, brown sugar, oak, pepper and baking spices. Hints of cherry and liquorice in the background. A whiff of alcohol on the first sniff, so let it stand a few minutes.

PALATE: The Pikesville Straight Rye whiskey starts quite spicy with notes of cloves, pepper and rye spices, but then comes red fruits and cherries with toasted oak. Maple syrup sweetness balances out the spicy notes. Not as spicy or complex as some of the other rye releases I have tried, but it is relatable and easy to drink. A few drops of water cool down the alcohol heat.

FINISH: Medium length with notes of vanilla, cinnamon spice and bits of drying oak. A faint dark chocolate-covered cherry note makes me want to go back to try this rye again.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What a drinkable bottle of rye whiskey. Not quite as spicy as I expected, which is a good thing. I have a sweeter palate, and some rye releases can quickly become too spicy. It does need a few minutes to breathe and a few drops of water to cool down the alcohol heat, but this is an impressive rye.

The Pikesville Straight Rye whiskey retail for around $58. I will pick up another bottle when I travel again.

Also Read: Pike Creek 10 year old Whisky

Jack Daniels Apple Tennessee Whiskey Liqueur

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/10/2023

In Lifestyle

Today I look at the Jack Daniels Apple Tennessee whiskey liqueur. While travelling in Canada a couple of years ago, seeing all the flavoured whiskey liqueurs readily available was interesting.

There were whisky liqueurs from Crown Royal and Jim Beam with maple syrup and apple flavours. And later, I also spotted Bacon and Peanut Butter infused whiskey.

In South Africa, flavoured whiskey liqueur is less popular, and we have only been able to get honey and cinnamon flavoured. Both Jack Daniel’s Fire and Firewater (Fireball) liqueur is/was available. I have seen (and tasted) a locally made chilli-flavoured whisky a couple of years ago, but the less said about that, the better.

I was excited when I spotted Jack Daniel’s Apple Tennessee whiskey liqueur in a supermarket in Tamarin. The hubby just frowned.

Not strictly a whiskey at a 35% ABV with green apple flavouring added, but something fun to try nevertheless.

Jack Daniel’s brought out the Tennessee Honey in 2011 and followed that with the Tennessee Fire a few years later. I like the Honey release as a sipping liqueur in summer over ice; it is excellent for cocktails.

The Tennessee Apple Tennessee whiskey was released in 2019. It’s the standard Jack Daniel’s Old No 7 with tangy green apple.

Also Read: How to make a whisky bottle lamp

Jack Daniels Apple Tennessee Whiskey Liqueur Review

TYPE: Apple-flavoured liqueur

ABV: 35%

COLOUR: Golden mahogany

NOSE: Crispy fresh Granny Smith apples with bits of vanilla and oak. Quite sweet and not very complex.

PALATE: Fruity sweetness, vanilla and oak. The green apple is subdued on the palate. Hints of Old No 7 come through with bits of cherry and caramel. Smooth and easy drinking.

FINISH: Short and sweet with hints of white pepper.

RATING: VERY GOOD

Not the most complex drink, but it was not meant to be. The Tennessee Apple is a fun, light, delicious play on Jack Daniels and apples. If you love all things Jack, it is a great bottle to have on your drinks trolley and is perfect for a summer BBQ and cocktails.

I hope that it makes its way to South Africa at some stage. It retails for around Rs 2 500 in Mauritius, and I see it online for about $27 in the USA. Now to try the Jack Fire as well.

Also Read: Shackleton Whisky

Ardbeg 10 vs An Oa Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/03/2023

In Whisky Comparison

From the peat capital of the world, another peated side-by-side comparison; the Ardbeg 10 vs An Oa single malt Scotch whisky.

Both are from the Islay-based distillery, part of the LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) stable. Both these releases are part of the Ardbeg core range, together with the Uigedail and the Corryvrecken single malt whisky.

The Ardbeg distillery is situated on the south coast of the isle of Islay, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, in the Inner Hebrides group of islands. The distillery uses malted barley sourced from the maltings in Port Ellen. The distillery has been producing whisky commercials since 1815.

Every year, the distillery celebrates Ardbeg Day; this year, it fell on the 3rd of June. The distillery releases an annual Ardbeg Day bottling, and I have tasted many of these releases.

For the 2023 Ardbeg Day, the release was distilled without a purifier. A purifier is responsible for Ardbeg’s balance between extreme peat and floral fruitiness. The Ardbeg Day release was called “Heavy Vapours”, and the release was available worldwide in limited quantities.

But today, I look at the two entry-level drams side by side.

Also Read: Ardbeg 10 vs Talisker 10 yo Whisky

Ardbeg 10 year old Whisky

The Ardbeg 10 year old is a heavily peated single malt Scotch, aged for ten years in American oak barrels with no chill filtration. It is peated to between 55 to 65 ppm. Enthusiasts see the Ardbeg 10 year old as one of the peatiest, smokiest drams.

Ardbeg An Oa Whisky

The Ardbeg An Oa single malt whisky was the first addition to the core range since 2009, and Ardbeg named this release after the Mull of Oa in the southwest of Islay. The Mull forms the most southerly point of Islay.

The Ardbeg An Oa single malt was aged in a combination of PX casks, charred virgin oak and ex-bourbon casks. These casks were then married in a French oak marrying vat before being bottled. It has no age statement.

Ardbeg 10 vs An Oa Whisky

	Ardbeg 10 yo whisky	Ardbeg An Oa whisky
ABV	46%	46.6%
Region	Islay Whisky	Islay Whisky
Peat Level	55 to 65 ppm	50 - 60 ppm
Colour	Pale Straw with green hints	Light gold
Nose	Peat and smoke with hints of vanilla, sea salt and citrus sweetness. It is not overwhelming but inviting and intriguing.	Peat, creamy honey, salted liquorice with hints of cough syrup. In the middle sweet vanilla floats about mingling with bits of toasted nuts and pine needles. It’s complex, subtle and different all at once. Faint smoke lurks around.
Palate	After the initial peat, some warming citrus and hints of vanilla. It continues to bring you hints of coffee and a bit of iodine. This Ardbeg 10 yo is a big whisky but not overwhelming at all.	Ash, peat, soft honey, sweet vanilla and cinnamon sugar, hints of chocolate and toasted oak. Faint hints of lemon pepper. It’s smooth and velvety. Water softens the few rough edges and adds more sweetness.
Finish	What an epic finish! You will remember the Ardbeg 10 yo long after you have emptied the glass.	Smoothly with a long and lingering finish that hug and comfort you like a favourite jersey. Filled with sweetness and bits of nut.
My Rating	Excellent	Divine
Comments	Complex and well balanced	Rich and comforting. Just perfection.
Price	$65	$65
Pairs well with	Garlic leg of Lamb or a charcuterie platter	Strong Cheese, salmon sashimi and pulled pork

This side-by-side tasting is so tricky. We did the tasting blind to see if we could guess which one was which. You can work it out if you sit down and think about it. The An Oa has more vanilla, chocolate and nutty notes than the 10 year old. Both are big, bold drams and just delicious.

The citrus notes in the Ardbeg 10 year old whisky are more pronounced and have a smoother mouth feel. The peat, coffee and iodine wrap around you like a warming blanket. It has a bold finish that stays with you long after the glass is empty.

The Ardbeg An Oa whisky has a creamier mouthfeel, reminding me of burnt butter. It is sweeter on the palate with more pronounced green pine notes. The peat is softer and more elegant when next to the 10 yo. The finish is also smoother and slightly richer.

My sweeter palate enjoyed the An Oa more, but hubby preferred the Ardbeg 10 year old whisky. Regardless, both are a worthy addition to my collection.

I have also done a side by side comparison between the Ardbeg Corryvreckan and Uigeadail whisky to see where they differ.

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Also Read: Ardbeg 10 vs Lagavulin 16 yo whisky

How to make a Pina Colada

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/26/2023

In Cocktails

Here on the island, fruit and veggies grow in abundance. Due to the fertile volcanic soil, there is always fresh produce available on the market. Depending on the season, lychee, mango, dragonfruit, papaya, coconut, or pineapple frequently make it home with us. Add in delicious local rum and you have endless cocktail opportunities just waiting to happen.

Just like a mojito, the pina colada is one of the cocktails that shout tropical island. The recipe include a mix of pineapple juice, coconut cream, and rum. It is served either blended or shaken with ice, garnished with a pineapple wedge. It is the perfect cocktail to make at home with the current abundance of pineapples and coconuts available.

The pina colada comes from Puerto Rico and enthusiasts can’t quite agree who created the first one. According to some research, the cocktail was created in 1954 by Ramon “Monchito” Marrero, the head barman at the Caribe Hilton in old San Juan. Other sources claim that the pina colada dates back to the 1800s when Puerto Rican pirate Roberto Cofresí served the drink to his crew to boost morale.

Also Read: Negroni Cocktail

Regardless of who created it, the pina colada is delicious and has become popular globally. It has even become Puerto Rico’s National drink.

The name translated means “strained pineapple”, a reference to the freshly pressed and strained pineapple juice used in the cocktail.

Variations on the theme

There are many variations on the theme and some interesting combinations include:

Angostura colada – with angostura bitters, and lime juice, topped with whipped cream.
Virgin pina colada – without the rum, the non-alcoholic version.
Scotsman colada – substitute whisky for rum.
Blue Hawaiian – adding blue Curaçao for a distinctive colour.

The original recipe included heavy cream that I have chosen to exclude. There are also various rum-to-juice ratios and I again have chosen the one that works best for me. You can play around with the rum-to-juice ratio to find something that suits your taste. But now, lets look at how to make a pina colada.

Pina Colada Recipe

Ingredients

120ml pineapple juice
60ml white rum
60ml coconut cream
wedge of pineapple, to garnish (optional)
Ice

Method

Pulse all the ingredients with a handful of ice in a blender until smooth.
Pour into a tall glass and garnish with a wedge of pineapple.

Also Read: Whiskey Sour Cocktail

Dunville’s Three Crowns Sherry Finish Irish Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/19/2023

In Irish Whiskey

Today I try the last of the Dunville samples and it seems that I left the best for last. The remaining sample was the Dunville’s Three Crowns Sherry Finish blended Irish whiskey. The original Three Crowns brand was introduced in the 1830s and it was around for about 100 years before being discontinued.

I wrote about the history of the Three Crowns brand and the Echlinville distillery when I captured my tasting notes for the 12 yo PX Cask and the Three Crowns Peated whiskey and you can read all about it on those blog posts.

Also Read: Bisquit & Dubouché VS Cognac

This distillery is also not a stranger to winning awards. During March 23, Dunville’s won two major awards at the World Whiskies Awards in London. The Dunville’s 21 yo Palo Cortado Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt was named Ireland’s Best Single Malt and the PX 20 yo Cask Strength, Cask 1644 won Ireland’s Best Single Cask Whiskey award.

The Dunville’s Three Crowns Sherry Finish is a blended whiskey made up of a 4 yo single grain, 10 yo single malt and a 15 yo single malt finished in Oloroso casks.

Dunville’s Three Crowns Sherry Finish Irish Whiskey Review

COUNTRY: Ireland

ABV: 43,5%

COLOUR: Gold

NOSE: Yummy. Red orchard fruit sweetness with bits of malt, raisins, and brown sugar. A gentle floral note in the background with bits of vanilla and nutmeg.

PALATE: Creamy oak, sherry, orchid fruits, nutmeg, and hints of green pepper. A walnut note mixed with some malt and dried orange. Smooth, rich, and bold. Water softens the boldness and complexity. You don’t need to add any water.

FINISH: The finish has notes of drying oak, sherries fruits, vanilla, and pepper. Warming you from the inside out. Long and lingering.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The Dunville’s Three Crowns Sherry Finish is a lovely release! Rich with a chewy mouthfeel that will be ideal for winter. Perfect for the sherry-finish whisky enthusiast. I enjoyed it more than the Peated and the 12 yo PX cask whiskey.

It is the bottle I will buy for myself and would encourage you to try. Serve it in a cognac glass on a winter’s evening next to a camel throne fire. A lovely sipping dram.

It is available in South Africa. I saw it at WhiskyShop and it retails for around R1100 as well as at Cutler Drinks.

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