Whisky of the Week

Elijah Craig 12 year old Bourbon

On 08/17/2015

Today I review an age statement bourbon, the Elijah Craig 12 year old Kentucky Straight bourbon whisky. In around 1789, Reverend Craig founded a distillery in Virginia. Not long after establishing the distillery, the Baptist minister and distiller suffered a fire, which damaged many of his barrels.

The story goes that the Reverend, being too stingy to replace them, filled the burnt barrels with whiskey regardless. Later he noticed that the whiskey from the burnt barrels tasted better than whisky from uncharred barrels. He has ever since, rightly or wrongly, been credited as the “Father of bourbon whiskey”.

Heaven Hill Distilleries Inc was founded in Bardstown, Kentucky in 1934, not long after Prohibition was abolished. Named for William HeavenHill, the company was established by a group of investors.

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Heaven Hill is the seventh-largest distributor of bourbon in the US, and their massive storage facilities hold 750,000 barrels of maturing whiskey. They not only deal in bourbon whiskey but also gin, vodka and Canadian whisky among others. The company remain independently owned.

In 1986, Heaven Hill launched a 12 year old small batch bourbon, named Elijah Craig in honour of the so-called ‘Father of bourbon’. Elijah Craig whiskey is produced in both 12 year old Small Batch and 18 year old Single Barrel bottlings.

Elijah Craig 12 year old Bourbon

COUNTRY: USA

ABV: 47%

COLOUR: Dark red polished copper

NOSE: Quite spicy with bold notes of toasted oak spice, pepper, toffee, Christmas pudding and cinnamon baked apples. After adding a bit of water, the nose has more floral notes, hints of jasmin flowers and fewer spices.

PALATE: On the palate, this Elijah Craig is a bit different from the other bourbons we have tried this year. It is spicier with touches of pepper and nutmeg. There are notes of citrus peel, candy apple and warm oak. It is a medium-bodied bourbon. Water softens the spicy notes and smooths the citrus. The Elijah Craig 12 year old becomes sweeter with a few drops of water added.

FINISH: Without water, the finish is smooth and lingering and end in spice and bits of lemon. With water, the finish is sweeter and bring hints of flowers mixed with the spice.

RATING: VERY GOOD

I was expecting quite a lot from this 12 year old bourbon. It certainly is different, with the spicy notes, to some of the other bourbons I tried this year.

Does it offer a challenge to the younger Knob Creek bourbon or Woodford Reserve at the top of my favourites list? Not quite. Not a bad bourbon whiskey for my collection, but it will not become one of my favourites. Have you tried this Elijah Craig bourbon?

I paired this bourbon with some KFC to see how it would work. See which bourbon paired best with the fried chicken. This is a great whiskey for pairing with aged cheddar cheese.

I have also done a side by side comparison between this 12 year old and the Evan Williams Single Barrel bourbon. It is incredible how different they are, coming from the same company.

Also Read: Four Roses bourbon

Islay Whisky and Lamb Pairing

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/13/2015

In Lifestyle

Lamb and Islay whisky header
Most of my whisky food pairings involve cheese. Whisky and cheese make for noteworthy combinations, and I have tried various kinds of cheese and whisky pairings. One of our favourites was the Laphroaig 10 yo Cask Strength single malt Scotch whisky and Stilton pairing. I enjoy our cheese pairings, usually as a late afternoon snack or after dinner as part of a cheese platter.

I wanted to broaden my whisky food-pairing repertoire, and when John came back from his Iceland expedition, it was the perfect time to try something else. The Scottish has been pairing whisky with lamb since whisky was first made.

Here in South Africa, this combination has not made it to the dinner table quite yet. Most of the meals, if served with alcohol, is served with wine or beer.

I had a lovely piece of lamb in the fridge, waiting for John’s return. I picked John’s favourite whisky region, Islay, for the pairing. The recipe for the rosemary and garlic leg of lamb is below.

Bunnahabhain 12 year old Whisky & Lamb Pairing

Islay whisky and lamb Jeannette's garlic rosemary lamb recipe Bunnahabhain 12 yo
My first whisky and lamb pairing was with the Bunnahabhain 12 year old whisky; a non peaty Islay whisky. My tasting notes for the Bunnahabhain 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky included notes of rich, fruity sultanas and toffee. The Bunnahabhain has a nice mouthfeel with smooth notes of sherry sweetness, herbal nuttiness and salty chewiness.

There are notes of warming oak spice, vanilla, candied fruit and little hints of smoke. The pairing was acceptable, however, the rosemary and garlic overwhelmed the Bunnahabhain 12 year old whisky a bit. The lamb was smooth and soft and brought out a few more salty and smoky notes in the Bunnahabhain. I give this Islay whisky and lamb pairing a Rating: 3/5.

Ardbeg 10 year old Whisky & Lamb

Islay whisky and lamb Jeannette's garlic rosemary lamb recipe Ardbeg 10 yo
Secondly, I tried with the Ardbeg 10 year old single malt Scotch whisky. My tasting notes for the Ardbeg 10 yo whisky included notes of peat and smoke, wonderful citrus and hints of vanilla. It continues to coffee and a bit of iodine. The Ardbeg 10 year old is a big complex whisky, but not overwhelmingly so.

It has enough peat to be typically Islay, but not so much that it would frighten a non-peat lover. Pairing the Ardbeg 10 year old with the lamb was amazing. The Ardbeg was robust enough to stand up to the garlic and rosemary and cut through the richness of the lamb.

The peat and smoke in the Ardbeg enhanced the lamb’s earthiness and made it deliciously tasty. I give this Islay whisky and lamb pairing a Rating: 5/5.

I wanted to try the Laphroaig 10 year old pairing too, but this Ardbeg pairing was so delectable, we finished all the lamb before I could try any other combinations. So, next Sunday afternoon, when you sit down with your lamb roast, leave the beer and the wine in the fridge and pour yourself an Ardbeg 10 year old whisky. You will be glad you did.
Islay whisky and lamb Jeannette's garlic rosemary lamb recipe

Rosemary & Garlic Lamb Recipe

Ingredients

5 big cloves garlic (more if you love garlic)
Handful of fresh rosemary twigs
Zest of 1 lemon
Olive Oil
Leg of lamb (bone in)
Salt
Black Pepper
Baby Potatoes
3 Onions
More Garlic
250 ml white wine

Take the lamb out of the fridge and allow it to reach room temperature. Heat the oven to 150 C. Remove about half of the rosemary leaves from the stem. In a pestle and mortar, mash 2 cloves of garlic with the rosemary leaves, some olive oil, the lemon zest, some salt and pepper. Put aside.

With a sharp knife, make small cuts in the meat and stuff it with the remaining garlic and some rosemary. Rub the lamb with the garlic and rosemary mixture from the pestle and mortar.

Cut the onions in thick rings and put in the bottom of a roasting pan. Pour in the wine and put the meat on top of the onions. Add the baby potatoes. We usually add a few (read many) more cloves of garlic to the pan as well.

Cover with foil and slow roast until nearly done. Roasting time depends on the size of the leg and on how you like your lamb. We roasted it for 25 minutes per 500g, but if you prefer your meat more well done, you can go up to 35 minutes per 500g.

Take the foil off for the last 30 minutes of roasting. Take the lamb out of the oven and carefully put the foil back on. Allow the meat to stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Sit down and enjoy with a glass of peaty Islay Whisky from Ardbeg.

Also Read: Smoked Leg of Lamb marinated in Black Grouse

The Singleton Tailfire Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/11/2015

In Single Malt whisky

A while ago, a friend mentioned that her favourite dram is a Singleton. For some unknown reason, neither John nor me have ever tried whisky from the Dufftown Distillery. So, when Singleton released their new The Singleton Tailfire single malt Scotch whisky expression, it was a great opportunity to try this brand.

The Dufftown distillery is located in the small Speyside town of the same name. The Dufftown distillery was not originally built as a malt whisky distillery. Wine merchant Peter Mackenzie and friends converted it from an old Mill to a Distillery in 1895 /6.

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Today it is owned by Diageo. The majority of the malt whisky produced at the Dufftown Distillery is used for blended whiskies – particularly Bell’s and Johnnie Walker. Singleton Tailfire is one of two NAS single malt Scotch whiskies released in 2015 as part of the Singleton of Dufftown range. The other being Singleton Sunray.

Singleton Tailfire is aged in a combination of European and American oak casks. The names draw inspiration from the brand’s logo of a leaping salmon – Sunray and Tailfire are artificial fly used in salmon fishing.

Other releases in the Singleton range include a Singleton 12 year old as well as a 15 year old single malt whisky.

The Singleton Tailfire Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: It is a dark bronze colour with hints of red glistening in the glass.

NOSE: Sweet and spicy with caramel, candied fruit, cherries and marzipan. There are notes of vanilla and fruity Christmas cake.

PALATE: Without water, the palate is spicy and has a bit of a pepper spice bite. There are hints of chocolate cherries as well. Water smooths out the Singleton Tailfire. It lessens the spicy bite and brings forth notes of vanilla oak and wood. The bold fruitiness promised by the nose has softened. Malt and fruits of the forest notes flirt around the background.

FINISH: Big and bold with lots of spice, wood, cherries and bitter lemon. This is a very drinkable dram.

RATING: VERY GOOD

The Singleton Tailfire whisky does not cause a tailspin, however, it is a good whisky for someone trying out whisky for the first time. Another good point is that it is also affordable.

The Singleton website suggests you pair this Tailfire with a panacotta with red fruits, Brie and dark cocoa chocolate. With all the spicy notes in this whisky, I am guessing it will also pair well with cheese. Something I will test in future.

I have also tried the Singleton 15 year old whisky. See my thoughts on this interesting Dufftown release.

Also Read: Ardbeg Wee Beastie Whisky

Bunnahabhain 12 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/03/2015

In Single Malt whisky

This release is one of my favourites, the Bunnahabhain 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky. The Bunnahabhain distillery on Islay sits on the North-East of the island, with the Caol Ila distillery as its only neighbour.

The name Bunnahabhain is Gaelic for ‘Mouth of the River’ and refers to the Margadale river, which supplies the distillery’s water.

The brothers Greenless and William Robertson founded Bunnahabhain in 1881. The distillery closed and reopened a few times during the twentieth century, and eventually, production was limited to only a few weeks annually under the Edrington Group.

During 2003 the Edrington Group sold Bunnahabhain (both distillery & brand) to Burn Stewart Distillers for £10 million. Black Bottle blended whisky was included in the deal. Bunnahabhain has the largest production capacity of all distilleries on Islay. Launched in the summer of 2010, the new Bunnahabhain 12 year old whisky has an increase in ABV to 46.3%.

The Bunnahabhain is no chill-filtration and has no added colouring. It is presented in a new darker smoked glass bottle that replaced the traditional emerald-green of the older 12 year old bottling.

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Bunnahabhain 12 year old Whisky Review

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REGION: Islay

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Light golden amber glow in the glass. It is a medium oily whisky.

NOSE: Sweet with notes of rich, fruity sultanas and toffee. There are notes of oak and malt with hints of spice. This Bunnahabhain 12 year old has a big bold nose, promising much. When adding a bit of water, the nose changes to more grain and wooden notes.

PALATE: Rich and full-bodied. The Bunnahabhain has a nice mouthfeel with smooth notes of sherry sweetness, herbal nuttiness and salty chewiness. There are notes of warming oak spice, vanilla, candied fruit and little hints of smoke. The taste delivers what the nose promised. A wonderful dram!

FINISH: Comforting and rounded with a long tail. It ends in notes of sweetness and malt.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Delicious, satisfying and perfectly balanced. It is one of my personal favourites, which I always go back to. The occasion does not matter; a glass of Bunnahabhain always puts a smile on my face. Don’t you want a glass too?

For my New Years Eve celebration, I paired the Bunnahabhain 12 year old Scotch with a bar of espresso chocolate. With its notes of Sherry, malt and a bit of smoke, The Bunnahabhain paired perfectly with this coffee chocolate. It was probably one of our favourite pairings of the evening.

I also love the Bunnahabhain 18 year old whisky. It is a bottle that does not last long in my house.

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Reisetbauer 12 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/27/2015

In Single Malt whisky

I am always on the lookout for whisky from interesting countries to compliment my collection. When I got the opportunity to add a Reisetbauer 12 year old single malt whisky from Austria, I grabbed it. The Reisetbauer family farm, Kirchdorfergut, is in the Hausruckviertel district of Upper Austria.

The Reisetbauer distillery produces not only brandy and whisky but also Eaux de Vie and gin. Because of its favourable soils and a climate with wide fluctuations in temperature, it is one of the best Austrian regions for growing fruit. Hans Reisetbauer makes very good use of this soil and produces most of his own fruits.

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He also planted four hectares of summer brewing barley. Harvested for the first time in July 1995, the barley was taken to a nearby malting floor to be carefully malted. The fermented mash is twice distilled in copper pot stills. It is aged in casks that were previously used for ageing Chardonnay and Trockenbeerenauslese.

It certainly makes an interesting change from the more traditional sherry, port or bourbon casks being used. According to the experts, the residual sweetness of the wines enhances the taste of whisky malt aroma, enriching the dram’s unique chocolate notes.

Reisetbauer 12 year old Whisky Review

COUNTRY: Austria

ABV: 48%.

COLOUR: It has a rich red mahogany colour that is described by some as a “golden orange”.

NOSE: Brings oak and spice. There are hints of fermented grapes and boiled sweets with a slight chemical trace. It took us a while to identify the chemical notes, but in the end, we agreed that it was most reminiscent of mothballs. There are a few citrus notes on the nose.

PALATE: Before water, the Reisetbauer 12 year old is quite harsh. There are some sharp notes on the palate that fight over who will deliver the first onset of flavour. Adding some (lots) water softens the palate and brings a few more floral note to the forefront.

Also a bit of pickled ginger. Unfortunately, these are not the sweet floral notes we expected but reminded us more about the decaying flowers you find at the end of summer.

FINISH: Quite short (thank goodness) and ended in some spicy notes.

RATING: ORDINARY

From the research I did, I was expecting quite a lot from this limited release. It made me think of the South African Wild Reeds whisky, but without the methylated spirits smell. Lucky for me, there are quite a few other distilleries in Austria, so I will keep on looking out for another Austrian distillery.

Have you tried an Austrian whisky that you can recommend?

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