Whisky of the Week

This week’s whisky is a blend again, and this week I chose the Johnnie Walker Platinum Label 18 year old blended Scotch whisky. I have rated various Johnnie Walker releases, and you can read my thoughts on the Johnnie Walker King George V, Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky and the Johnnie Walker Explorers Club Gold here.

The Johnnie Walker Platinum Label whisky was the first new ‘colour’ to be released in many years, and it was initially introduced only into the travel retail. This release was brought out to replace the iconic Johnnie Walker Gold Label whisky and fits in next to the Johnnie Walker Blue Label.

With a mix of malts around 18 years old, it is Diageo’s competing product in the 18 year old single malt market.

John “Johnnie” began by selling whisky from a grocery shop in Ayrshire, Scotland. John Walker’s grandsons, Alexander Walker II and George Walker, established the colour-based naming system. Johnnie Walker Red Label launched in 1909. The colour based system extended from there.

The Johnnie Walker Platinum Label combines a limited number of single malt and grain whiskies, each matured for a minimum of 18 years. According to Diageo, this release is blended in the elegant sweet Speyside style.

Related Article: Chivas Regal 12 yo whisky

Johnnie Walker Platinum Label 18 year old Whisky Review

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: A bright golden colour It forms medium length tears on the glass.

NOSE: Toffee sweetness, brandy-soaked fruits with hints of orange and smoke. There are notes of fresh-cut flowers and butterscotch. Traces of vanilla and caramel intermingle in the background. Adding water brings out more oiliness in the Platinum.

PALATE: Medium-body whisky. There are mild spice and hints of oak on the palate. Little peaty hints in the background. It is a sweet and easy-drinking whisky. The Platinum Label has bits of florals, malt, cinnamon and oranges intermingling with smoke. It is not the most complex whisky.

FINISH: Medium length and ends in notes of orange and spice.

RATING: VERY GOOD

Platinum Label is an easy-drinking whisky with notes of spice, wood and sweetness. This release does not quite have the bold character it would need to compete against some well known 18 year old single malts. But it is readily available and offers consistent quality. What did you think of the Johnnie Walker Platinum Label 18 year old whisky?

I have done a side by side comparison between the Platinum Label and the Johnnie Walker Gold Label blended. Both 18 year old releases, but how do they compare?

Also Read: Tomatin 12 yo Whisky

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/04/2015

In Bourbon whiskey

The Wild Turkey Rare Breed bourbon whiskey is a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey distilled and bottled in Kentucky. In 1869, the Ripy Brothers built a distillery in Tyrone, near Lawrenceburg.

After Prohibition, they merged with the current facility and resumed distilling. The Gould Brothers bought out the Ripys in 1952. Subsequently, Pernod Ricard bought the brand and the distillery in 1980.

The bourbon acquired its name in 1940 when a distillery executive called Thomas McCarthy grabbed a few sample bottles of 101-proof whiskey from the warehouse to take with him on a trip in South Carolina to hunt wild turkey.

The whiskey was such a hit with his friends; they repeatedly asked him to send them more of that “wild turkey bourbon.” The rest is history. The nickname became a famous brand, as Wild Turkey bourbon hit the shelves not long afterwards.

The Wild Turkey label carries a vividly printed, seemingly engraved illustration of its namesake. The Campari Group owns the Wild Turkey brand together with Glen Grant, Forty Creek Canadian whisky and Bisquit & Dubouché cognac.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed is a “barrel-proof bourbon” (54.1% ABV), meaning it has no added water to lower the proof or dilute the bourbon after it’s been distilled.

This Wild Turkey Rare Breed bourbon whiskey is a unique marriage of Wild Turkey 6 year old, 8 year old, and 12 year old stocks.

Related Article: Blanton’s Gold Edition Bourbon

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon Whiskey Review

COUNTRY: USA

ABV: 54.1%

COLOUR: Quite a dark colour, and the official description is dark caramel. The caramel theme pulls through in the rest of the bourbon as well.

NOSE: Lots of caramel notes mixed with sweet spice and woody oaks. The nose is rich and sweet and invites you to dive straight in. Hints of cinnamon and nutmeg mixed with vanilla and sweetness.

PALATE: Without water, this Wild Turkey is big and spicy. A bit of alcohol burn that softens and mellows after adding water. There is a distinctive sweetness to this bourbon that I have not tasted before. Notes of burnt caramel, oak, cinnamon and pepper.

Water transforms this bourbon into a smooth, creamy, big mouthful glass of yumminess. Getting the whisky to water ratio right made all the difference. We had a 1:1 ratio (1 tot Wild Turkey Rare Breed: 1 tot water).

FINISH: Builds for a long time and end in pepper, nutmeg, oak and caramel sweetness.

RATING: EXCELLENT

It is a bold bourbon that satisfies. Delicious and creamy with a wonderful mouthfeel. We could not resist a second glass. This Wild Turkey Rare Breed bourbon whiskey is sure to become one of my favourite bourbons. I can’t wait to try more from this American distillery.

Also Read: Four Roses Single Barrel bourbon

Tomintoul 10 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 04/27/2015

In Single Malt whisky

I am trying a Tomintoul 10 year old single malt Scotch whisky today. Tomintoul, meaning “Hillock of the Barn” is a village in the Speyside area of Scotland. At the height of 350m (1165 feet), it is one of Scotland’s highest villages. The village was laid out on a grid pattern by the 4th Duke of Gordon in 1775.

Whisky has always been a part of village life and culture. The hills that surround Tomintoul are so secluded; they were the perfect place for illicit distilling.

In 1797 already, the local minister wrote.

“Tomintoul is inhabited by 37 families, without any industry. All of them sell whisky, and all of them drink it. When disengaged from this business, the women spin yarn, kiss their inamoratos or dance to the discordant sounds of an old fiddle”.

The area surrounding Tomintoul is of astounding natural beauty. There is an array of flora and fauna specific to the region. Many of Scotland’s most endangered species are protected in the wilderness there.

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The distillery itself is a relatively recent addition to the region. Hay & Macleod and W & S Strong built Tomintoul in 1964. Currently, under Angus Dundee ownership, Tomintoul whisky distillery was acquired from Whyte and Mackay in 2000. It draws is water from the Ballantruan Spring.

The purity of the spring, and the clean air at such an altitude contribute to the smooth, easy-drinking single malt of Tomintoul; indeed, they market their Scotch as ‘the gentle dram’. The Distillery Manager, Robert Fleming, is a fourth-generation distiller, born and bred on the Glenlivet Estate.

The Tomintoul 10 year old whisky is aged in ex-bourbon casks.

Tomintoul 10 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: A reddish copper colour in the bottle. In the glass, it is a deep gold with slowly forming tears.

NOSE: Sweet with condensed milk and oranges. There are hints of Christmas pudding and oak. After adding some water, the oak is enhanced, and some barley notes appear. The nose hints at a gentle dram.

PALATE: Without water, the palate is spicy with notes of pepper, nutmeg and oak. A few sweet notes are floating in the background. After adding water to the Tomintoul, the orange, ‘citrusy’ notes overwhelm everything. It drowns out all the gentle oak, condensed milk and spice notes.

FINISH: Not as long as I had hoped for. It ends in, not surprisingly, notes of marmalade and a bit of spice.

RATING: GOOD

It has a medium body and has no alcohol bite. I loved the Tomintoul 16 year old whisky that I tasted during October 2014. Sadly this Tomintoul 10 year old did not deliver taste and flavour as I have hoped. After tasting the 16 year old, I was expecting a bit more from this Speyside dram.

Also Read: Benromach 10 yo whisky

Balvenie Portwood Edition Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 04/20/2015

In Single Malt whisky

One of the first bottles that started my whisky collection all those years ago was the Balvenie Portwood 1993 Vintage single malt Scotch whisky. It started not only my collection but also my love affair with the Balvenie distillery.

In the past, I often blogged about one of my favourite distilleries and have 12 different Balvenie releases.I have captured my tasting notes on the Balvenie Single Barrel whisky here.

The Balvenie Portwood is one of our favourite releases of this distillery. The Balvenie distillery is located in Speyside, Scotland and has been around since 1892.

Related Article: The Balvenie Peated Cask whisky

The distillery was founded by William Grant, who learnt his trade at Mortlach distillery. The Balvenie lies just below the Glenfiddich distillery, sharing its water source, the Robbie Dhu springs. Despite sharing the water, the Balvenie character is very different from Glenfiddich‘s more nutty, fruitier taste.

The 1993 Balvenie Portwood single malt expression has sadly been retired, and Balvenie only releases the Balvenie Portwood 21 yo as part of their core range. To create this single malt, the whisky was matured in traditional oak casks and then transferred for a last period of maturation to port pipes.

Balvenie Portwood 1993 Edition Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: A light amber. It is a medium oily spirit in the glass.

NOSE: Soft juicy raisins, honey, vanilla and spice. In the background, there is oak and butterscotch. Wafts of nuts float around, intermingling with the sweetness.

PALATE: Superb. The Balvenie Portwood has a changing dynamic palate. It is initially sweet and spicy but builds with oak, warming the soul. This is the perfect whisky to enjoy in winter. It is smooth with a pepper and cinnamon bite. All of this without water.

The addition of water took away some of the sweetness and enhanced the wood. Bits of creamy honey and winter fruit floated in the background. The Portwood is a medium-bodied whisky. It is nice and complex.

FINISH: The finish warms the soul for a long time. The finish ends in notes of leather and nuts.

RATING: EXCELLENT

If you can get your hands on a bottle, grab it! You will not be disappointed. I also tried this Balvenie Portwood whisky with a white rock cheese pairing, and it made a great pairing. The Portwood brings out the fruitiness of the cheese. The White Rock cheese enriches the port in the whisky and almost makes the whisky sweeter. One of my favourite distilleries.

Also read: The Balvenie Roasted Malt whisky

Ardbeg Supernova 2009 Islay Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/16/2015

In Single Malt whisky

John’s birthday falls on a Friday and to celebrate; I scheduled one of the peatiest whiskies in our collection as our Whisky of the Week. This week we try the Ardbeg Supernova 2009 Islay single malt Scotch whisky. It was released as one of the peatiest Ardbeg’s ever at over 100ppm.

It is from one of John’s favourite distilleries. Ardbeg lies lonely, in a small bay off the south coast of Islay. It was once a place of smugglers and illegal distillation. The illicit distillers took advantage of the isolated place and incomparable conditions for whisky production.

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It was not until 1815 that a legal distillery was established by John McDougall. Ardbeg sits near the ‘Kildalton’ distilleries, Laphroaig and Lagavulin.

With all the hype around this Ardbeg Supernova 2009 whisky release, it sold out very quickly. I managed to buy this bottle on one of the Whisky Auctions and had it shipped to South Africa. Subsequently, Ardbeg brought out the Ardbeg Supernova 2010 release.

The LVMH group owns the Ardbeg distillery. I have tried various Ardbeg releases. You can read my review of the Ardbeg Uigeadail here.

Ardbeg Supernova 2009 Islay Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 58.9%

COLOUR: A light golden wheat colour. It is a very oily whisky.

NOSE: Classic Ardbeg with peat, iodine and TCP. The peat is not overwhelming, but rather smooth and well balanced with some floral notes. There are hints of vanilla sweetness.

PALATE: Thick and creamy with peat, saltines and notes of spices. There are notes of bitter orange with some honeyed sweetness that is smoothed out after adding some water. Even though the ABV of the Ardbeg Supernova 2009 is 58.9%, there is no alcohol bite. Just smooth sweet peat and sweetness, perfectly balanced to create a fantastic drinking experience.

FINISH: Builds slowly to end in peaty, spicy notes. There are medicinal notes with hints of smoke and bitter orange again.

RATING: DIVINE

What more can I say? When Ardbeg gets it right, it’s spectacular. The Ardbeg Supernova 2009 Islay single malt whisky is utterly brilliant. Probably one of my favourite Ardbeg releases to date. Rich, complex and expertly balanced. It is just perfect. No more words are needed. What is your favourite Ardbeg?

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