Tag: Brown-Forman Corporation

The Brown-Forman Corporation is one of the largest American-owned companies in the spirits and wine business. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, it manufactures several well known brands throughout the world, including:
Woodford Reserve bourbon whiskey
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey
BenRiach single malt whisky
GlenDronach single malt whisky
Glenglassaugh single malt whisky
Canadian Mist whisky

Jack Daniel's function header
The invite said Bar Ber Black Sheep… My first thought … spelling error? The song is BaBa black sheep. But Google quickly corrected me and directed me to Rosebanks’ new hip and happening spot. Park Corner, a new development on the corner of Jan Smuts Avenue and Bolton Road in Johannesburg.

A barber and a bar combined. A place to meet up with some friends and get a haircut. All in 1 afternoon. Quirky, but quite cool. The function was the American whiskey tasting and food pairing experience with Brown Forman’s American Whiskey ambassador Cam Dawson together with Jack Daniel’s whiskey and Woodford Reserve.

Cam Dawsom Jack Daniel's function
Cam is a Scottish bartender who won the Jack Daniel’s Birthday Cocktail Competition in 2009 with his serve Jasper’s Jam. Today he is the Jack Daniel’s Old No 7 Ambassador. Cam was not there to make us cocktails, he flew in to chat to a few selected whisky friends about the Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve brands.

He also brought with him 2 new and unique bottles for us to taste. More on that later. Walking in, I was thrilled to see my beautiful friend Emily from Whizzky and also a few of the guys from Wild about Whisky. They drove down from Dullstroom for the function.

Cam Dawsom Jack Daniel's fuction

First up Cam chatted about the process at the Jack Daniel’s distillery. All Jack Daniel’s whiskey is filtered through 3 meters (10 feet) sugar maple charcoal. This process, known as the Lincoln County (LC) process removes impurities. Cam had a spirit sample before and after filtering and it is incredible how big the impact of the LC process is. You could clearly smell the difference. After chatting about the distillery and the founder Jasper “Jack” Daniel, we got to taste some whiskey.

The Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Range

Jack Daniel's Range
First up was the standard Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey. Known worldwide and the mainstay of the brand. If you have not tried it, read my tasting notes here.

Next up was Gentleman Jack. Double mellowed and very smooth. This delicious whiskey pairs well with Snickers as well. You can read my tasting notes on this release here.

Then came Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel whiskey. Charcoal mellowed through the sugar maple, then matured in toasted and charred new white American oak barrels and stored in the uppermost part of the warehouse. What a delicious experience! Robust and complex with caramel, toasted oak, hints of coffee, pepper and vanilla notes and fruit. O my word! It is the first time that I taste the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel and I LOVE it. It was warm and rich and just lovely!

Last of the Jack Daniel’s range was the Sinatra Select. Named after old Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra was a long time fan of Jack Daniel’s and was often seen sipping a glass on stage. This premier release is sugar maple charcoal mellowed and then matured in new white oak barrels that have been toasted and charred. The Sinatra barrels have deep grooves on the inside of the staves to expose the whiskey to extra layers of oak. Creamy oak, with hints of smoke, sweet honey, apples and butterscotch with spicy vanilla and smooth, soft oak. Really delicious.

Jack Daniels function Whizzky Emily

Woodford Reserve Range

The Woodford Reserve is one of my favourite bourbons. It has a high percentage of rye and is triple distilled.It is crafted in small batches. Rich in dried fruits, apricots and oranges, bits of condensed milk and vanilla spice. I have paired this great bourbon with a fruity Hawaiian pizza.

Next up was the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. This expression begins life being aged in the same way as the classic Woodford Reserve, but following this, it is further matured in barrels which have been heavily toasted and lightly charred.

It has notes of malva pudding with fresh cream custard and dark cherries bursting with juice. Caramel, honey and chocolate with hints of toasted oak.

New to South Africa, this full-bodied bourbon is the perfect after-dinner drink. This will be marvellous in winter, sipping it next to a campfire. I fell in love. This is the next bottle I am buying!

Also Read: My Top 5 Whisky Food pairings

Other Jack Daniel’s Surprises

Jack Daniel's single barrel rye
Cam surprised us with 2 special bottlings that he brought along for us to taste. First up was the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye. This historic creation marries the smoothness of Jack Daniel’s with a unique 70% rye grain bill.

Complex flavours of ripe fruit combine with lightly toasted oak to create a taste rich with spice and a pleasant lingering finish. This is a big, bold rye that does not overpower. What a delicious whiskey. Sadly, not available outside of the USA.

Jack Daniel's Single barrel barrel proof

Last but not least was the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof. Bottled at 130.9 proof, this is whiskey as nature intended it. Bottled straight from the barrel at its full strength. Intense, smooth, and remarkably varied, Barrel Proof is bottled at anywhere from 125 to 140-proof, taking Jack’s trademark vanilla and toasted oak flavours to bold new levels.

I have done a more in-depth comparison between the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel vs the Woodford Reserve to look at which are their key strengths.
This will put hair on your chest if you are not careful. Even though it has a very high ABV and a bit of an alcohol bite, it does not overwhelm your taste buds and it is surprisingly smooth.
This afternoon was a fantastic experience. It was interesting to hear about some of the small things that go into making this golden liquid. Also to hear about the philosophies that started this great company.

Now I need to get to the shop to get the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked.

Also Read: Woodford Reserve Rye vs Jack Daniel’s Rye Whiskey

Photos courtesy of Jack Daniel’s. Please enjoy responsibly. Not for sale to persons under 18.

BenRiach Curiositas 10 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/20/2017

In Single Malt whisky

Today I am looking at something peaty from Speyside: The BenRiach Curiositas 10 year old single malt Scotch whisky. Whiskies from Speyside are among Scotland’s lightest, sweetest single malts.

Situated around the river Spey, Speyside is one of the most densely populated whisky areas in the world. Over 30 distilleries are located in the region.

The lack of peat or coastal air has allowed the Speyside region to create a broad style of whiskies that are lighter, honeyed and refined. Some have heavy sherries influences, but there is an undercurrent of rich malts with toffee and honeyed flavours, paired with nuts and fruity notes.

Apple, pear, honey, vanilla and spice all have a part to play in Speyside drams. Now and again, an expression comes along that veers off the designated path, like this BenRiach Curiositas 10 yo peated single malt whisky.

Also Read: Glenlivet 15 yo whisky

BenRiach distillery is a single malt distillery near Elgin in Speyside and as of June 2016 owned by Brown-Forman. BenRiach Distillery was established by John Duff in 1898.

There were various changes in ownership until in 2004 when the distillery along with several thousand casks was acquired by an independent consortium, the BenRiach Distillery Company Limited.

Other distilleries within this grouping include the Glendronach and Glenglassaugh Distilleries.

The new owners wasted no time, and they resumed production and soon released a 12 year old, 16 year old and 20 year old expression.

They also redesigned the logo and the packaging of the bottles. Since these releases, there has been a steady stream of standard and exotic finishes released. Some of the casks that the BenRiach Company got as part of the 2004 sale included batches of more peated malt whisky. The BenRiach Curiositas contains some of this peated whisky.

BenRiach Curiositas 10 year old Whisky Review

Curiositas is a 10 year old, heavily peated release, peated to an estimated 55 ppm based on some research. More peated than the heavily peated Port Charlotte release from Bruichladdich that I tasted a few weeks ago.

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Light straw nearly a light golden yellow with hints of green.

NOSE: Earthy peat, heady smoke, plump fruit, honey sweetness, caramelized toffee mixed with vanilla. Faint hints of oak and malt.

PALATE: Peat, ash, honey sweetness mixed with vanilla, peppery spice and oak. The Curiositas is big and bold. Rich and satisfying, the peat does not have the same medicinal, seaside notes that some of the Islay drams have.

It is earthy and rich, nicely balanced with honey and fruity sweetness. Water brings more of the well known Speyside character and softens the peat. More fruity sweetness appears.

FINISH: Long with notes of pepper, nutmeg, oak and sweetness.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What an unexpectedly intriguing dram! All that earthy peat balanced very nicely with the fruity sweetness. I preferred it without water, to preserve the more peaty side of the dram. The Benriach Curiositas is not the most complex whisky but delicious and warming.

Heavy peat from Speyside? I was wondering if I should compare to similar-aged Islay drams? The Ardbeg 10 year old perhaps full of maritime flavours? Then I realized, no, I should judge it all on its own merits, just for what it is – a peaty Speyside whisky.

The fundamental question should always remain: Do I want another glass? Yes, please!

Also Read: Balvenie Doublewood 17 yo whisky

Glendronach 13 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/24/2016

In Single Malt whisky

A small little whisky shop in Hydepark, Johannesburg, has become the Johannesburg whisky community’s central point. Since they opened their doors in 2012, WhiskyBrother has brought an incredible whisky variety to Johannesburg. Their whisky tastings are also legendary!

Every year around this time, WhiskyBrother brings out an exclusive release, which is no different this year. Some of the WhiskyBrother’s earlier releases include the Arran WB Private Cask and the 15 yo Glenlivet. All exceptionally delicious!

This year, they had the opportunity to select a Glendronach cask, and after much tasting and choosing, Marc and Neil chose the Glendronach 13 year old single cask Scotch whisky.

Glendronach has consistently been one of the WhiskyBrother shop’s top-selling whiskies, so it made for a natural fit. The GlenDronach 13 yo single cask whisky is matured in a second fill Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon.

The Glendronach distillery is a Highland whisky distillery located near Forgue in Scotland, owned by the BenRiach Distillery Company Ltd.

James Allardes founded the distillery in 1826 and it was only the second distillery to apply for a license to legally produce whisky under the Excise Act of 1823.

The distillery was bought and sold a few times, and the sherry characteristics changed. Subsequent owners each brought their own cask and wood philosophy. In 2008, when the BenRiach Distillery Company Ltd bought the distillery, they returned to the original GlenDronach character. The new owners relaunched the old core range of 12 year old, 15 year old and 18 year old, along with several single cask bottlings.<

So once again, the Glendonach is proudly known as the Sherry Cask Connoisseurs. Back to their original roots of heavily sherried drams. All new Glendronach releases are unpeated.

Also Read: Glenglassaugh Evolution Whisky

Glendronach 13 year old Whisky Review

This bottle was distilled in March 2003, and bottled in April 2016; the cask yielded 519 bottles. Each bottle is individually numbered and bottled at cask strength.

REGION: Highlands

ABV: 54.1%

COLOUR: A light amber-gold colour with hints of yellow sunshine.

NOSE: Rich and complex, heavy with brandy-soaked raisins, rich Christmas pudding, toffee, cherries and candied fruits. After a bit of time, some spice and woody notes come through.

PALATE: A very surprising palate! The toffee and Christmas pudding sweetness I was expecting was not there. Instead, the warming spices came through. Cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg intertwined with oak and cherries.

I expected a typical sherry PX Cask taste, but this Glendronach is anything but regular. Adding water softens the cask strength and makes the whisky smoother.

FINISH: An unusual finish that ends in notes of pepper, cinnamon and citrus fruit. Long and lingering.

RATING: EXCELLENT

It is an unusual release. I can understand why the WhiskyBrother team chose this particular cask. If you are expecting the more traditional Glendronach sherry taste, this whisky is not it. This Glendronach 13 year old is big and bold.

Warming spices with cherries. If you are looking for something out of the ordinary, something interesting for someone interesting, this is the bottle you want.

Best of all, you don’t have to be in Johannesburg to get your hands on this release. You can order it online from WhiskyBrother right here. This Glendronach 13 yowhisky is going to be perfect for winter. The spicy character will probably also pair well with food.

I poured a bit of the Glendronach 12 year old straight after, to compare. Interesting how one more year in a cask can make such a difference. From the fruity sweet 12 year old whisky to the spicy, rich 13 year old. All in the space of an extra 12 months.

Well Done WhiskyBrother Team! I have also captured the tasting notes for the Glendronach 16 yo release and the Glendronach 12 yo .

Also Read: Craigellachie 13 yo Whisky

Pairing Snickers and Bourbon

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/21/2016

In Lifestyle

Snickers & Bourbon whisky pairing Jim Beam Black pairing snickers with bourbon
Continuing with the Bourbon Heritage month theme, I looked around for a few interesting bourbon food pairing ideas when I came across an article that recommends pairing Snickers and bourbon.

Wait… What? A super sweet Snicker bar paired with sweet bourbon. Would this not be an overly sweet affair? I was unsure if this pairing would make a blue Monday better or worse.Snickers hold the top spot for the bestselling chocolate bar in the world.

Made by Mars, Incorporated, Snickers has annual global sales of $2 billion. It consists of nougat topped with caramel and peanuts covered in milk chocolate. It was named after the Mars family’s favourite horse. Snickers have been a crowd pleaser since the 1930s.

Snickers & Bourbon whisky pairing Bulleit bourbon pairing snickers with bourbon
As if I needed an excuse to experiment. I have a sweet tooth and just had to try this combination. I paired the Snicker bar with a few different bourbons, and the results were consistently the same.

The Results

Snickers & Bourbon whisky pairing Wild Turkey 101
Bourbon pairs wonderfully with the Snickers! The bourbon balanced out the sugary sweetness of the chocolate and enhanced the peanuts and caramel notes. The caramel enhanced the bourbon vanilla and softened the alcohol notes. A wonderful balance, with each bringing out the best in the other.

It created a match made in chocolate heaven. I tried it with the Jim Beam Black Bourbon, the Wild Turkey 101, the Bulleit Frontier Bourbon and some Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight BourbonIt all worked amazingly well.

Also Read: Bourbon Coffee

Snickers & Bourbon whisky pairing Buffalo Trace pairing snickers with bourbon

I paired the Snickers bar with a Gentleman Jack, which is a Tennessee whisky, to see if the results would be the same. I am happy to report that even a Tennessee whisky pair wonderfully with some Snickers.

Snickers & Bourbon whisky pairing Jim Beam Black
Blue Monday; your boss was on your case the whole day, Microsoft gobbled up the report you needed to work on, your car is running on fumes, and all you want to do is crawl into bed and watch Netflix.

Stop at the filling station on the way home. While they fill up your car, grab a Snicker Bar at the Convenience store. Grab that bottle of bourbon from the weekend and pour yourself a glass. Open the Snickers and enjoy.

No day can stay blue with this pairing.

Also Read: Whisky of the Year 2018

Glendronach 16 year old Platinum Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/06/2014

In Single Malt whisky

Today I look at the Glendronach 16 year old single malt Scotch whisky. James Allardes founded the distillery in 1826. Rumour has it that this was only the second distillery licensed to legally produce whisky under the Excise Act of 182.

This Act was passed three years earlier and allowed for the distilling of whisky in Scotland. Glendonach created richly sherried single malts often used in blended whisky. Since 1826 it has changed ownership many times.

Some of the best-known whisky companies in the world has owned the Glendronach Distillery at some stage or another. However, Glendronach always seems to stay true to its sherried roots through all the changes and moves.

During the 1830’s Teaninich owned it. Charles Grand of Glenfiddich bought it in 1920, and during 1960 William Teacher & Son bought it.

Also Read: Glenfiddich IPA Cask whisky

They expanded the number of stills from two to six. Allied Distilleries mothballed it in 1996. During 2005 it moved to Chivas Brothers, and it closed for a few months to allow for conversion from coal to steam to fire the stills.

In 2004 three families, two being South African, purchased BenRiach. The BenRiach Distillery Company bought the Glendronach distillery in 2008 and brought a South African connection. GlenDronach could focus again on their original strength, crafting richly sherried single malt whisky in the style that Glendronach became famous for.

I found this Glendronach Platinum 16 year old expression at Makro during December 2013 as part of their Christmas catalogue.

Glendronach 16 year old Platinum Whisky Review

The Glendronach 16 year old single malt was matured for a minimum of 16 years in Oloroso sherry casks. Glendronach is not chill-filtered with no added colour.

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 48%

COLOUR: This is one of the darker whiskies in my collection. The texture is oily and thick and leaves long fingers on the glass.

NOSE: It has a big, bold nose, full of sherry notes. There are dates, raisins, sweetness and Christmas cake on the nose. After adding a little water, fresh fruit comes through as well.

PALATE: Glendronach 16 year old Platinum Scotch is quite a mouthful. It has a nice body and a smooth, robust mouthfeel. The palate brings dried fruit, fruitcake and nuts. Hints of spice and cinnamon with some wood and smoke in the background.

FINISH: There is quite a lot of spice in the finish with bits of caramel. It has a slow build and a lingering finish. Not an overly complicated whisky but quite bold and spicy. Adding a bit of water softens the higher alcohol bite a bit, and unlocks more flavours.

RATING: EXCELLENT

If there are still some in stock, it is worth grabbing. And especially with our South African winter fast approaching, it will add a soothing warm touch to the heart on a cold night. Combine it with a creamy Irish seafood bisque to warm up a cold winters’ evening.

Other Glendronach releases I have tried include the Glendronach 13 year old whisky WhiskyBrother release as well as the Glendronach 12 year old whisky.

The GlenDronach 16 year old Platinum sells for around R 2 700 in South Africa and is not that easy to get anymore.

Update: During 2016 GlenDronach and BenRiach was sold to Brown-Forman.

Related Article: Glenlivet 12 yo whisky

Meandering the world, one whisky at a time

Tag: Brown-Forman Corporation

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey & Woodford Reserve Bourbon

The Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Range

Woodford Reserve Range

Other Jack Daniel’s Surprises

BenRiach Curiositas 10 year old Whisky

BenRiach Curiositas 10 year old Whisky Review

Glendronach 13 year old Whisky

Glendronach 13 year old Whisky Review

Pairing Snickers and Bourbon

The Results

Glendronach 16 year old Platinum Whisky

Glendronach 16 year old Platinum Whisky Review