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

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

KFC and Bourbon pairings

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/15/2017

In Lifestyle

Top KFC and Bourbon Pairings to try this weekend
In my house, take away is a treat. We only eat it when I have not had any time to cook, or when the weekend was just so lazy that I could not bother. One of our preferred fast-food is KFC.

And it seems that I am not alone in loving the crispy fried chicken. Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is the most prolific brand in South Africa, with over 800 stores spread across the land. Kentucky in KFC and Kentucky in bourbon made me think… would the two work together?

You know I am always up for experimenting, so this past weekend, off I went to KFC for a bucket of chicken. John was in the mood for Zinger wings, so I grabbed a few of those as well.

In the summer of 1955, Colonel Harland Sanders was a relatively unknown entrepreneur in Corbin, Kentucky, with a roadside restaurant, a fried chicken recipe, some spices, and a dream. He probably messed up his wife’s kitchen and drove her crazy; he looked at using a pressure cooker for cooking the chicken quickly.

The Colonel identified the potential to franchised this idea to bring it into the fast-food market. As competitors could easily use the pressure cooker, he came up with exciting herbs and spice combination to make his chicken stand out.

The Colonel’s original recipe of 11 herbs and spices is one of the best-kept trade secrets in the catering industry. Many people have claimed to have discovered it. Going to the KFC down the road is so much easier than messing up my kitchen.

Also Read: Whisky Truffles Recipe

Pairing Bourbon with KFC

KFC and Bourbon pairing to try this weekend

Pairing bourbon with fried chickenis about finding balance. The bourbon’s spices and sweetness should not overpower the well-known crunchy crust of the KFC but work together to enhance the flavourful juicy meat. KFC is very much comfort food.

When you are travelling across the globe, and you need some comfort, there is bound to be a KFC not far off. Pairing this with bourbon might just create a match made in foodie heaven…Let’s try…

I first lined up the bourbons from my favourite (Makers Mark) to my least favourite (Elijah Craig). Then for ‘testing purposes’added the Jack Daniel’s at the end of the line. The results were interesting, and not what I expected. I also rated the chosen bourbon suitability with the Zinger wings as the results were quite different from the friend chicken bourbon pairing.

Makers Mark Bourbon & KFC

KFC and Bourbon Makers Mark bourbon pairing
One of my favourite bourbons! The Makers Mark is probably the bourbon I replace most often. The notes of condensed milk, cherries, brandied fruit, toasted oak and sweet vanilla and cinnamon spice are just so satisfying. It is wonderfully smooth with a fantastic balance between the vanilla sweetness and the cinnamon toasted oak spicy notes.

However, this was the worst pairing with the KFC. It just created a peppery, spicy combination that made my eyes water. I looked up at John and realized he felt the same way. I give this pairing a RATING: 2/5.

John sees himself as a bit of a Zinger Wings connoisseur. He has tried Zinger Wings on various continents, and when he paired the Zinger Wings with the Makers Mark, he had a big smile on this face. The Makers Mark worked perfectly with the spicy Zinger Wings. No surprise that I give this KFC and Bourbon pairing a RATING: 4.5 / 5.

Eagle Rare Bourbon & KFC

KFC and Bourbon eagle rare bourbon pairing
Next up was the Eagle Rare that was our first Bourbon for 2017. Not as sweet as other bourbons, the Eagle Rare had notes of vanilla, toffee sweetness, brandy pudding, fresh-cut flowers, hints of toasted oak and pepper, chilli peppers, nuts, and creamy cocoa.

This pairing offered nothing. You taste KFC, you taste Eagle Rare, but nothing special. Thus, I give this KFC and Bourbon pairing a RATING: 2.5 /5.

Pairing it with Zinger Wings was disastrous. John described it as drinking methylated spirits. Not a good pairing at all. RATING: 1/5

Jim Beam Black & KFC

KFC and Bourbon Jim Beam Black bourbon pairing
Last year the Jim Beam Black bourbon impressed me. It is super affordable and delicious. Notes of cinnamon spice, cherries, lots of vanilla notes, BBQ sauce and hints of caramel. This Jim Beam has an unusual freshness, and it is smooth and creamy.

Pairing the KFC with the Jim Beam Black bourbon brought out lots of spices in the whiskey, while the chicken became sweeter and creamier. As a result, I give this pairing a RATING: 3.5/5.

The spicy Zinger Wings brought out lots of vanilla notes in the bourbon, and the pairing was quite lovely. Again, this KFC and Bourbon pairing gets a RATING: 3.5/5.

Elijah Crag 12 yo Bourbon & KFC

KFC and Elijah craig 12 yo bourbon pairing
I tasted the Elijah Craig 12 yo bourbon sometime in 2015 and found it quite bold. My notes captured hints of toasted warm oak spice, pepper and nutmeg, citrus peel, candy apple, toffee, Christmas pudding and cinnamon baked apples with faint bits of jasmin. Not a bourbon I drink regularly.

However, the KFC transformed this whiskey. It made the whisky creamy and smoothed out the spicy notes. The chicken became rich and delicious and the pairing was excellent. I give this pairing a RATING: 4.5/5.

And with Zinger Wings? Not so much. It did not work. Do not try. It gets a RATING: 1/5.

Also Read: Suncamino Rum Cocktails

Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey & KFC

KFC and Bourbon Jack Daniel's whiskey pairing

Purely for testing purposes, I grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniel’s Old No 7 as well. Just to see if it did anything with the KFC. My notes for Jack Daniels include butterscotch sweetness with some honey, vanilla and oak with a hint of smoke, dried fruit and marzipan.

O WOW. Paired with the KFC chicken, this was great. Both elements were creamy and rich, and the vanilla and charred oak of the Jack Daniels enhanced the chicken. I give this pairing a RATING: 4.5/5.

Zinger Wings? No, the wings did nothing for the Tennessee whiskey and visa versa. I give it a RATING: 2/5.

Conclusion:KFC and Bourbon Pairings

The best whiskey to grab when you have KFC is an Elijah Craig or Jack Daniel’s Old No 7. It just creates a comfort food pairing with which you can relax.

The best whiskey to pair with Zinger Wings was the Makers Mark. It balanced out the spicy wings very nicely. In a pinch, the Jim Beam Black is probably the best all-round bourbon whiskey to pair with anything from KFC. There you go. Dinner sorted. 😉

What do you think?

Also Read: My Top 5 Whisky Food pairings

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