Whisky of the Week

Top 5 Single Malts under R500

On 11/05/2014

top 5 single malts
A couple of days ago, a friend asked for some advice. She needed to buy whisky as a gift but did not know where to start. Walking into a bottle store can be a daunting experience. The sheer volume of products available makes choosing tough.

And knowing what whisky is worth buying on a small budget can be doubly difficult. And she needed to impress with something exceptional. I did some thinking and came up with my Top 5 Single Malts under R500.

I have also done a Top 5 Blends under R500 list. These whiskies are available in South Africa and will not break the bank. Additionally, they are all whiskies that I have tasted and rated over the last couple of years.

There is a glaring omission on the list. But as this amazing single malt whisky is as rare as hen’s teeth, I did not add it. However, The Three Ships 10 yo single malt needs an honorary mention. It retails (ed) below R500, and if you can still get your hands on one of the last few in the trade, grab it. It is worth it. But alas, not too many of them are left in the shops.

Here are the Top 5 Single Malts under R500 in South Africa that you can buy with confidence. As a gift for the boss or for your father in law. A special bottle for your boyfriend or your best friend.<

Or best of it all – as a gift to yourself. Don’t stress too much about Christmas presents; this list has you covered. And it will not break the bank.

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The Top 5 Single Malts under R500

anCnoc 12 yo Whisky

anCnoc 12 yo whisky with glass b
This AnCnoc 12 yo single malt Scotch whisky is a typical non-sherried Speyside style, showing polished malt and a delicious spiciness throughout. It has a warm, complex palate and lasting finish.

I tried this whisky for the first time in Dullstroom during our visit to Wild About Whisky. It was so lovely, I immediately grabbed a bottle. It is affordable and easy drinking.

Ardbeg 10 yo Whisky

Ardbeg 10 yo whisky with glass
An Islay classic that is the favourite of many lovers of peaty, smoky whisky. The Ardbeg 10 year old single malt Scotch does not flaunt the peat; instead, it allows the malt’s natural sweetness to produce a whisky of perfect balance.

Even if you are not a ‘peathead’, this whisky is just perfect. I rated it Excellent. A perfect gift for someone who wants to try something new. This peaty whisky also pairs well with lamb.

Balblair 2000 Vintage Whisky

Balblair 2000 Vintage Single Malt with glass b
At a respectable 10 years of age, the Balblair 2000 Vintage single malt Scotch whisky is one of the youngest of the current offerings from the oldest working distillery in the Highlands region of Scotland.

I bought this bottle from Whisky Brother and sampled this single malt early in 2013. With tasting notes that include vanilla pod, toffee apple, lemon cream biscuits, it certainly was delicious.

Glenfarclas 12 yo Whisky

Glenfarclas 12 yo Single Malt Whisky with glass b
Another whisky I discovered on one of my visits to Wild About Whisky in the beautiful town of Dullstroom. Glenfarclas produces expressions in the traditional Speyside style, with a heavy Sherry influence.

I rated this Glenfarclas 12 year old single malt whisky as Excellent. It pairs very nicely with Christmas Cake as well. A unique whisky for someone with a sweet palate.

Glenfiddich Rich Oak Whisky

Glenfiddich Rich Oak Single Malt whisky with glass b
This Speyside whisky was aged for 14 years before being finished in new American and Spanish oak casks. The official tasting notes for the Genfiddich Rich Oak single malt Scotch whisky include vanilla, coconut, pine, cherry, sweet spice, tobacco and leather.

I bought this for John from WhiskyBrother in 2013. It is from one of the best-known distilleries in the world and will make a wonderful gift for anyone who likes whisky.

These whiskies are available through the Whisky Brother Shop in Hydepark, Wild About Whisky and most major retailers.

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Drayman’s Solera Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 11/03/2014

In Blended whisky

Not too far from the Cradle of Mankind is the administrative capital of South Africa. Here the majestic Union Buildings towers over Pretoria. This Highveld region was known for its pot still products like “witblits” and “mampoer” in earlier times.

In the shade of the Union Buildings, a small microbrewery has been making quality, German-style beers since 1997. It is not too far away from where Capital gin distillery is situated. During 2006 the master brewer, owner and manager of Drayman’s, Moritz Kallmeyer, expanded his vision. Drayman’s, based in Silverton, now also distils, blends, and matures Scottish style malt whisky.

After ten years of brewing pure malt beer, making pure malt, pot still whisky seemed to be a natural progression. Drayman’s Brewery uses the solera process on a small scale for their Drayman’s Solera whisky.

The Solera Process

In the solera process, a succession of containers is filled with whisky over time. At the end of the interval, after the last container is filled, the oldest container in the solera is tapped for part of its content. This is then bottled.

Then that container is refilled from the next oldest container and that one in succession from the second-oldest, down to the youngest container, which is refilled with new spirit. This procedure is repeated at the end of each ageing interval. The transferred spirit mixes with the older liquid in the next barrel.

No container is ever drained, so some of the earlier spirit always remains in each container. This remnant diminishes to a tiny level, but significant traces of liquid are much older than the average, depending on the transfer fraction.

In theory, traces of the very first product placed in the solera may be present even after 50 or 100 cycles. The oldest part in the Drayman’s Solera blend is 18 years, and the youngest 3 years.

The solera process at Drayman’s has a set of 8 French Oak Casks, each holding 225 litres. The first Drayman’s Solera whisky was bottled in 2009 when part of the mother cask contents was tapped.

The mother cask was then filled with the next oldest cask and that one from the second-oldest cask, down to the youngest cask, which was then refilled with new whisky. This process is repeated at the end of each six-monthly interval.

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Drayman’s Solera Whisky Review

The Drayman’s Solera is a mix of South African and Scottish whiskies.

COUNTRY: South Africa

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: This is a relatively dark whisky. It has a burnt copper colour. It is an oily whisky making long, slow fingers in the glass.

NOSE: On opening the bottle, we got hints of sherry and marshmallow. There is a bit of alcohol bite in the nose after pouring, but it quickly evaporates. The nose has hints of Christmas pudding, oak and orange.

PALATE: Without adding water, there are plenty of spicy notes when tasting the Drayman’s Solera. Water smooths out the spices and brings the fresh fruit and oranges to the fore. It is a mild whisky with hints of oak and bits of bitter chocolate.

FINISH: Shortish and ends in spice notes.

RATING: GOOD

It is a whisky with potential. Not my favourite South African whisky, but unique nevertheless. We will certainly try to get our hands on the Drayman’s single malt to compare it with this Solera whisky. Drayman’s Solera whisky is available from the Whisky Brother shop in Hydepark.

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Aberfeldy 12 year old Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/27/2014

In Single Malt whisky

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Today I chat about the Aberfeldy 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky. Aberfeldy is a distillery dating back to 1898. This Highland distillery was founded by John Dewar & Sons, nearby the town of the same name.

It was established to ensure a steady supply of quality single malt for the Dewar’s White Label blend. The distillery sits on the River Tay’s south bank and takes its water from the Pitilie Burn.

Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet, mentioned the town of Aberfeldy in one of his poems. He wrote the Birks of Aberfeldy in 1787. Burns was inspired to write it by the Falls of Moness and the birch trees of Aberfeldy during a tour of the Scottish Highlands.

The main output of the distillery is used in the Dewar’s blended whiskies. The company only launched the Aberfeldy 12 year old single malt whisky during 1999.

Today, the distillery produces two official single malt bottlings – a 12 year old and an Aberfeldy 21 year old whisky. The label features a squirrel in the background, a reference to a nearby woodland that plays host to a colony of rare red squirrels.

It seems that John Dewar & Sons, a company that has always focused heavily on blended Scotch, is starting to focus more on the single malt market through their “Last Great Malts” Collection releases.

It will allow them to showcase all the interesting malt distilleries that sit behind the famous Dewar blend. These distilleries include Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie and Royal Brackla. The company plans to launch a 16 year old sherry finish and a 30 year old in 2015.

The Aberfeldy 12 year old single malt is matured in a combination of sherry and bourbon.

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Aberfeldy 12 year old Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV: 40%.

COLOUR: Warm gold, and it is a beautiful shade in the glass. It is a thick oily whisky with slowly forming fingers on the sides of the glass.

NOSE: Sherry and oak abundantly when opening the bottle. The nose brings spiciness and vanilla sweetness. The nose is very subtle with fresh-cut florals. There are notes of oak and barley in the background with hints of toffee.

PALATE: You can feel the oiliness of the whisky coat your mouth. The palate is peppery, with wood and cereal coming through immediately. There are notes of honeyed sweetness and malt with hints of sherried fruit. It is a reasonably smooth whisky. A medium-bodied whisky.

FINISH: The finish is medium length and ends in notes of leather and spice. There are remnants of oak and cereals in the finish.

RATING: GOOD

I found the Aberfeldy 12 year old whisky rather bland. There is nothing that stands out for me to remember it by. Looking at the releases coming out of the Dewar’s “Last Great Malts” collection, perhaps I should put the 30 year old on my wish list for 2015.

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Tomintoul 16 year old Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/20/2014

In Single Malt whisky

This week I am trying a Tomintoul 16 year old single malt whisky. Tomintoul meaning “Hillock of the Barn” is a village in the Speyside region of Scotland. It is a relatively young distillery, built in 1964, close to the village of the same name. Tomintoul village itself is one of Scotland’s highest, at an altitude of 345m.

The 4th Duke of Gordon established the village in 1776 already. It’s one of Scotland’s driest areas, as the Cairngorm Mountains intercept much of the rain. Drawing its water from the Ballantruan Spring, the Tomintoul distillery sits in rugged mountain terrain.

The Cairngorm National Park 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 around Tomintoul. These include the golden eagle, mountain hare, wild cat, black grouse, red squirrel and otter.

Many pheasants live around the distillery, and they will come to visit for a free dinner when the grain trucks arrive. According to the Tomintoul Distillery, there is one particular pheasant, whom they have named Vincent, that has become a bit of a distillery mascot and can be fed by hand.

The distillery is owned by the independent company Angus Dundee Distillers, which bought it from the Whyte & Mackay group in 2000. The Tomintoul 16 year old Scotch whisky is known as ‘The Gentle Dram’. It has won various awards at the World Spirits Competitions.

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Tomintoul 16 year old Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Dark amber, copper colour in the glass. It is a heavy, oily whisky that leaves slow fingers down the insides of the glass.

NOSE: A rich and heavy nose emerges from the glass. The first impression is sherry and brandied fruit. There are notes of candied apples and oak with hints of fresh-cut grass. Without the addition of water, this Tomintoul is very smooth. Adding a bit of water releases notes of oak and sweetness.

PALATE: The palate has notes of fruit and spice with hints of bitter chocolate. There are bits of cream in the background with an nutty oiliness.

FINISH: This 16 year old has a long finish. It builds slowly and ends in notes of sweet nuts and spices. It is a very oily whisky that leaves a rich oily feel to the palate. This whisky puts a smile on your face. It is delightfully smooth and gentle.

RATING: EXCELLENT.

The Whisky Bible rates this Tomintoul Distillery release 94.5 out of 100, and I can understand why. It is delicious. A special dram to have in my collection. I am going to be sad when this bottle is empty. It is a subtle and smooth whisky and very drinkable. The 16 year old single malt certainly lives up to the moniker of a “Gentle Dram”.

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New Zealand Whisky Company 1990 Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/06/2014

In Single Malt whisky

My whisky goal is to collect a single malt whisky from every country that produces single malt whiskies. When an opportunity comes along to add a New Zealand whisky to my collection, I grab it with both hands. I have some whisky from Australia as well.

Last year, my mom went to the UK. I managed to find a The New Zealand Whisky Company single malt whisky at the Whiskey Exchange, and mom brought it back.

The Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, call their home ‘Aotearoa’ – ‘The Land of the Long White Cloud’. New Zealand is well-known for its magnificent beauty of snow-capped mountains, tranquil forest and sweeping green vistas.

New Zealand is a country renowned for its clean air and pure water. Whiskies from the famous Willowbank Distillery are often said to have similar characteristics to single malt whisky produced in the Lowland or Speyside regions of Scotland – such as delicate aromas, a lighter body, hints of sweetness and a smooth finish.

The Baker family established the Willowbank Distillery. Production commenced in December 1969. In 1974 the first whisky went on sale and the company was renamed Wilson Distillers Ltd. Located in Dunedin on the South Island, Willowbank was the most southerly whisky distillery in the world.

Seagram Company Ltd acquired the distillery in 1981. Sadly, the distillery ceased production in 1997 as Seagram’s rationalised their business portfolio and sold the business to the Foster’s Group. The distillery was mothballed in 2000.

The hundreds of barrels of Cask Strength whisky was auctioned off or mothballed. In 2010, The New Zealand Whisky Company bought the last 80,000 litres in 443 barrels from what had previously been stored in an old aeroplane hangar. The whisky now resides in the towering seaside bonds store in Oamaru.

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New Zealand Whisky Company 1990 Vintage Review

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This particular whisky was distilled at the Willowbank distillery on New Zealand’s South Island in 1990. The date, 1990, is boldly displayed on the bottle. I have bottle #26 from barrel #90. It has a bottling date of September 2012.

REGION: New Zealand

ABV: 61.7%

COLOUR: The appearance of the whisky in the bottle is quite dark. In the glass, it is a light copper-gold colour. It is medium oily whisky.

NOSE: Quite subtle and soft. Notes of Christmas pudding and flowers with hints of toffee and cereals. In the background, there are bits of fresh summer fruit.

PALATE: Christmas cake and minced fruit. There are notes of oak and cereals mixed with florals and sherry sweetness. We added quite a bit of water before the high alcohol content softened a bit.

FINISH: Long and lingering. It is warming and ends in notes of spice and leather.

RATING: VERY GOOD

A great bottle added to my collection, and I will try to find more releases from this New Zealand distillery and hopefully more from this beautiful country.

This New Zealand whisky is fairly subtle and uncomplicated; the thing that makes this whisky uniquq is the finish. It is the last warming spice and leather notes that makes you want to have another glass.

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