Tag: Bacardi Limited

Bacardi Limited is one of the largest privately held, family-owned spirits companies in the world. Brands include:
Gin: Bombay.
Rum: Bacardi.
Tequila: Cazadores.
Vodka: Grey Goose, Eristoff.
Whisk(e)y: Dewar’s, William Lawson’s, Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Royal Brackla and Craigellachie

Craigellachie 13 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/05/2020

In Single Malt whisky

One of the most exciting and indeed the oldest dram I tasted during 2019 was the Craigellachie 51 yo single malt whisky. Georgie Bell, the Global Malts Ambassador for Bacardi, brought a few bottles of this very very limited release to South Africa and I was fortunate to try it.

It was my first foray into whisky from the Craigellachie distillery. So let’s look at the entry-level single malt from this distillery, the Craigellachie 13 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

The Craigellachie distillery was built in 1891 by Craigellachie Distillery Co. Limited, a group of blenders and merchants led by Alexander Edward. It is a Speyside distillery in Banffshire that overlooks the little town of Craigellachie. The Gaelic name means “Rocky Hill” and is pronounced Krai-GELLacky.

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The brand is part of the John Dewar & Sons stable. For many years, it was only used in blends like White Horse and various Dewar’s blends. It is only in 2014 that distillery releases become available. The distillery is known for its meaty, sulphurous nature.

The Craigellachie single malt range includes a 17 year old as well as a 23 year old whisky. There used to be a 19 year old release, but this has been discontinued. There are also various independent bottling available. It is part of the Bacardi stable of brands.

Craigellachie 13 year old Whisky

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Pale gold

NOSE: Apricots and dried cherries with toffee sweetness. A fruity sweet nose. The nose is like a colourful fruit salad with bits of malt and toasted nuts in the background.

PALATE: Medium body with the sweet fruit salad from the nose continuing on the palate. White pepper, oak, hints and malt with bits of smoky bacon and toasted nuts behind it all. I was hoping for a bolder meaty note on the palate. There was also a bit of alcohol heat. Water softened the alcohol heat and brought more sweetness to the front.

FINISH: Medium long, with some oak, pepper and fruity sweetness.

RATING: VERY GOOD

It is a good introduction to the Craigellachie stable and taste profile. John enjoyed the Craigellachie without the water, and I preferred it with the water. The water toned down the spices and the alcohol heat and created a smooth drinkable dram.

I want to explore more of the meaty notes from this distillery and need to find the 17 year old release somewhere. I do have a bottle of the discontinued 19 year old whisky in my collection, and perhaps I need to go and open that bottle.

Also Read: The Singleton 15 yo Whisky

Craigellachie 51 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/14/2019

In Single Malt whisky

It is not every day that I get the chance to taste a whisky that is older than me. A whisky distilled while John F Kennedy was still the President of the USA and in the heat of the Cuban missile crises. A whisky like that holds a bit of history.

In a ‘normal’ situation, there would be no way that I can afford to taste even a sip of whisky this old. Whiskies of this age class are sold in exquisite bottles at eye-watering prices, more expensive than what I can afford. However, this is all about to change.

The Craigellachie distillery decided to share their oldest whisky with fans around the globe. This whisky is the Craigellachie 51 year old whisky.

Craigellachie did not want it sold to the highest bidder and stored in a locked glass cabinet. They wanted to share it with ordinary whisky lovers. Best of all, they wanted to share it. FOR FREE. To allow whisky drinkers all over the word to enjoy it as well.

More about Craigellachie Distillery

Craigellachie Distillery is new to the blog. It is one of the single malt distilleries that form part of the Bacardi stable. Other single malts include Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Royal Brackla and The Deveron.

The Craigellachie distillery is situated in Aberlour in the Scottish Speyside region. In 1891 a group of blenders and merchants got together and decided to build a new distillery.

Ownership changed a few times over the years, and in 1998 it was sold to John Dewar & Sons. The majority of the distillery production is used for the Dewar’s blended whisky.

The Craigellachie standard range includes a 13 year old whisky, a 17 year old and 23 year old single malt whisky.

The Craigellachie 51 year old Scotch single malt was distilled during December 1962 and aged in ex-Bourbon hogsheads. It was taken out of the wood in 2014.

Me being the sceptic was wondering; are they giving this Craigellachie 51 year old away because it is not so good and more of a gimmick? I went to taste it and captured the tasting notes. Here you can see Georgie pouring this remarkable bit of history.

A bit about yesterday, when I got to taste the Craigellachie 51 year old whisky. Such a special experience. 🥰🥰#craigellachie51 #Craigellachie51SA pic.twitter.com/MtK9C5CtvW

— WhiskyoftheWeek (@WhiskyoftheWeek) October 12, 2019

Craigellachie 51 year old Whisky Review

I had a pour from bottle 29 of 51.

ABV: 40.3%

COLOUR: Dark golden copper

NOSE: Fruity sweetness, faint hints of wood, bits of orange. Elegant and intriguing.

PALATE: Soft spiciness balanced with sun ripe fruit, hints of sweet oranges, vanilla and dry oak. Creamy notes with hints of meaty goodness.

FINISH: Drying and soft with fruity sweetness.

RATING: EXCELLENT

I was expecting a very woody dram, after spending that amount of time in the oak. However, there are only soft woody notes. The oak lends a drying finish to the dram. The Craigellachie has many layers. It is almost like an old manuscript wrapped in many layers of tissue paper. The manuscript is so old and fused that you can’t separate the different layers anymore.

All the Craigellachie 51 year old whisky elements have blended into one to make something new that is unique and delicious. It is moreish and a once in a lifetime experience.

The Craigellachie Bar 51 Experience

The best part is that a few more people in South Africa can also get to taste this unique whisky during November. Craigellachie is hosting a special pop up bar, Bar 51, where you can get to taste the Craigellachie 13 year old, the 17 year old and the Craigellachie 51 year old whisky.

At WhiskyBrother Bar on the 20th and 21 st of November and at the Athletic Club in Cape Town on the 25th and the 26th of November. All you have to do is enter your details HERE to go into the draw. What are you waiting for? Go quickly. Entries close on the 10th of November.

Sample disclosure: I received a sample of the Craigellachie 51 year old from Craigellachie as part of their promotional event. The review and tasting notes are my own honest, fair and independent thoughts about the whisky.

William Lawson’s Blended Scotch Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/29/2019

In Blended whisky

At the end of last year, a few articles on the top-selling whisky brands caught my eye. The one that I was most intrigued with was theTop 10 Blended Whisky’ brands. I mainly collect single malts but have diversified my collection to include quite a few interesting blends and blended malts.

On the -Top 10′ list were a few names that I have noticed in our local bottle store, but never gave a thought. One of these was William Lawson’s blended Scotch whisky.

The bottle is not very premium looking, the branding is stark black and white, and it is in the VERY affordable class.

But it is one of the biggest selling blends in Russia and with over 3,1 million cases sold across the world, I was wondering: am I missing something? William Lawson’s is a blended Scotch whisky owned by the Bicardi Group. I love the Dewar’s whisky, so how bad can this be?

Detail about this whisky is a bit sketchy. William Lawson was born in 1853 or thereabouts. He was an Exports Manager at a spirits company in Dublin. While there, he convinced his employers to name their blended Scotch whisky after him.

He moved between Ireland, Scotland and England. William Lawson’s blended Scotch whisky is produced with a high malt content, similar to the blend was first produced by William Lawson in 1849.

The blend named after him. The bottle mentions that the blend’s heart is the Macduff and Glen Deveron single malt blended with some Highland malts and grains.

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William Lawson’s Blended Scotch Whisky Review

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Very light golden wheat

NOSE: Initial sweetness of grape jelly and preserved grapes. It is followed by toffee and burnt caramel. There is almost a slight cognac note in the background. It’s a not very complex nose. The addition of water seems to bring out some floral notes.

PALATE: After the sweet nose, the spiciness of the palate comes as a surprise. The initial spice is followed up with layers of wood and oak before drifting away into pectin and dried citrus peel. William Lawson’s whisky is a bit rough and unfinished. It is as if the flavour notes haven’t come together properly.

The addition of water transforms the whisky, making it smoother and a bit easier drinking. Gone are most of the spice, but it does bring forward some of the oak and a little bit of a leather flavour.

FINISH: Long and lingering, but not in a good way. It retains an element of raw almost turpentine floating about.

RATING: GOOD

In South Africa, the retail price for the William Lawson blended Scotch is around R180. For R30 more, you can get better drams. If you are looking for a decent whisky – this is a bargain bin drop out.

Instead try something else. However, if you are looking for a bang for your buck, that will not interfere with your mixer’s taste, this will be your whisky.

Also Read: Bell’s Special Reserve whisky

Whisky and Appenzeller Cheese

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/11/2018

In Whisky & Cheese

Appenzeller Cheese and whisky pairings that work
For World Whisky day, I planned a whole whisky inspired menu. From a cocktail made with Tomintoul 10 yo whisky, whisky infused chicken to a whisky cheese pairing. I wanted to celebrate whisky from around the world. The chicken was infused with a Bain’s whisky marinade, and for the whisky cheese pairing, I chose the Paul John Classic Cask Select whisky and Appenzeller cheese.

When I do a whisky cheese pairing, I usually start with the cheese first and then look at what whisky will work with the cheese. This time, I chose the whisky first and then went to find a cheese that works.

The cheese I chose was an Appenzeller full fat semi-hard cheese from Switzerland. Appenzeller has a documented history of at least 700 years. Today, about 75 dairies produce it, each with a different recipe for their brine wash.

I chose this cheese because of the smooth texture and fruity, nutty flavours. The Appenzeller was only aged for around 3-4 months, so it is quite young with mild spicy notes. Made from cow’s milk this hard cheese is produced in the Appenzell region of Switzerland.

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A herbal brine, sometimes incorporating wine or cider, is applied to the wheels of cheese while they cure, which flavours and preserves the cheese while promoting the formation of a rind.

After the weekend, there was still some cheese left. The pairing with the Paul John whisky was delicious, but I wanted to try a few more whisky and Appenzeller cheese pairings. So I grabbed a few more bottles of whisky and started experimenting. This is one of the loveliest cheeses to pair with whisky. Any of the medium-bodied, sweeter style whiskies should pair well with this cheese.

Whisky and Appenzeller Cheese Pairings

Santis Malt Alpstein Edition No 7 Whisky

Appenzeller Cheese and Santis malt whisky pairing
What grows together, goes together. The first whisky I wanted to pair with this cheese was something from the same region in Switzerland. The Locher brewery has been owned and run by the Locher family for five generations. Situated in Appenzell, close to Liechtenstein, they have produced beer and spirits for more than 100 years.

The Alpstein Edition no 7 whisky matured first in some Old Oak Beer Casks and was finished for two years in Sherry Casks. My tasting notes for this world whisky release included notes of sherry, fresh fruits and vanilla. There are some very unusual crème brûlée notes that soften when you add water.

What a great pairing. The combination is creamy and soft and brings more fruit out in the whisky. The Santis Malts works perfectly with this cheese, and I gave it a RATING: 4.5 /5

Paul John Classic Cask Select Whisky

Appenzeller Cheese and Paul John Classic Cask Whisky pairing
My tasting notes for this Indian release include hints of freshly baked apple pie sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, barley, faint hints of vanilla and candied fruits. The Paul John Classic Cask Select whisky has the perfect balance between spice and sweetness.

Another great pairing. The cheese brought more wood out of the whisky and enriched the spiciness. It created a rich, delicious experience. I give this pairing a RATING: 4/5

Dewar’s 15 yo Blended Whisky

Appenzeller Cheese and Dewar's 15 year old whisky pairing
A great affordable blend, this Dewar’s 15 yo Monarch whisky has notes of fresh fruit salad with apples, melons and pears, honey nicely balanced with oak spices, orange peel, wood, and vanilla.

Easy drinking and rewarding this is a great whisky to pair with cheese. And it worked so well with the Appenzeller. The whisky cut through the butteriness of the cheese and created an enjoyable experience. RATING: 4/5

Cardhu 12 yo Whisky

Appenzeller Cheese and Cardhu 12 yo pairing
This Speyside classic is full of honey sweetness, malt, fruits with hints of vanilla. Toasted dry oak, ripe pears, honey, toffee apples and pepper with faint hints of vanilla. Pairing the Cardhu 12 yo whisky with the cheese created a more fruity whisky drinking experience.

The Appenzeller also brought more wood out of the whisky and the whisky enhanced the buttery creaminess of the cheese. Another great pairing. RATING: 4/5

A very successful pairing experiment. This cheese will probably not stand up to a smoky, peaty Islay or Highland dram, but for Speyside (and softer world whisky) drams, this is perfect. Have you paired this great cheese with any whisky? What did you think?

Also Read: Nectarine Bourbon Smash

Aberfeldy 12 year old Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/27/2014

In Single Malt whisky

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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