Tag: Diageo Page 13 of 15

Diageo plc is a British multinational beverage alcohol company, with its headquarters in London, England. It operates in more than 180 countries and produces in more than 140 sites around the world. It is a major distributor of spirits and the world’s largest producer of Scotch whisky.
Brands include:
Scotch whisky: Johnnie Walker, Cardhu, Justerini & Brooks, Bell’s, Black & White, White Horse, Caol Ila, Vat 69, Oban, Talisker, Lagavulin, Glenkinchie, Dalwhinnie, Cragganmore, Clynelish, Singleton, Dimple, Glen Elgin, Knockando, Blair Athol, Dailuaine, Glenlossie, Mannochmore, Mortlach, Strathmill, Teaninich.
American whiskey: Bulleit, Seagram’s
Canadian whisky: Crown Royal
Vodka: Smirnoff, Cîroc, Ketel One
Rum: Captain Morgan,
Gin: Gordon’s, Tanqueray, Gilbey’s, Aviation Gin

Oban Distillers Edition Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/13/2017

In Single Malt whisky

A short distance from the sea, right in the heart of the town of Oban, sits the Oban Distillery. Oban is part of the Diageo stable, and the Oban 14 yo is part of the Diageo Classic Malt Series. It is one of Diageo’s smaller distilleries and uses water from Loch Glenn a’Bhearraidh. But today I am tasting the Oban Distillers Edition single malt Scotch whisky.

Established in 1794 by two brothers on the site of an old brewery, Oban town grew around the distillery and today, Oban is one of the last few surviving urban distilleries.

A Highland Distillery, the Oban range of official bottlings available include a 14 yo, an 18 yo and the NAS Oban Little Bay release. The Oban Distillers Edition bottling completes the foursome. This single malt Distiller’s Edition whisky is finished in a Montilla Fino sherry cask before bottling.

Montilla Fino is a sherry-like, dry fortified wine, matured near the coast of Spain. The coastal character of the wine perfectly enhances the seaside character found in the Oban whisky, at the same time, adding some complexity.

I received this Oban Distillers Edition as a gift from a friend visiting from India. I was not particularly impressed with the Oban 14 yo whisky. As much as I love the sea, the bitter lemon and old wood character of the 14 yo was underwhelming.

I have been hesitant to try the Oban Distillers Edition. But the bottle has been staring at me, begging to be tasted, so I decided that today is the day. Lets’ see if this Oban release can change my mind about the Oban distillery. The fact that it was aged in Montilla Fino might add that interesting sweeter note, that I like in a whisky.

Also Read: Glenkinchie 1986 Distillers Edition

Oban Distillers Edition Whisky Review

Distilled in 1999 and bottled in 2014.

REGION: Highlands

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Dark golden colour with hints of polished teak.

NOSE: Sherry, rich dark fruit, raisin fruit cake, hints of nutmeg, marzipan sweetness balanced with bits of vanilla and butterscotch. Bit of an alcohol smell and letting the Distiller’s Edition breath for a few minutes helped to soften the alcohol notes.

PALATE: Smoky hints with oak, cream and pepper spice. A bit of water softens the alcohol burn and makes it a bit sweeter. It is easy-drinking, clean and uncomplicated. Not as sweet as the nose suggested, but creamy and delicious. Subtle notes of vanilla and bits of salt.

FINISH: Without water, the finish is long and spicy. With some water, the alcohol is softened, but the finish becomes medium length with notes of oak.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What a surprise! This Oban Distillers Edition single malt whisky was like a breath of fresh air. That cooling sea breeze that blows down the coast on a hot day filled with salty notes. I am glad that I have a 1L bottle, as we will be pouring this dram quite often. It might even motivate me to try more from the distillery.

Another reason for choosing this dram on Friday the 10th is International Scotch Day. It is an initiative launched by Diageo, where the company opened all of its Scottish distillery visitor centres free of charge, as well as the Diageo Archive to the public for the first time.

Also Read: Jura 10 yo Origin 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

Slate Blended Bourbon Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/05/2016

In Bourbon whiskey

To kick of Bourbon Heritage month, I try a Slate blended bourbon whiskey. This one is a budget bourbon again. And after my last two budget bourbon experiments, I attempt this one with some level of trepidation.

I tried both the Heaven Hill Old Style and the Evan Williams Kentucky Bourbon and needless to say, they will be part of our collection for a long time to come. Finishing the bottles will be difficult unless I start making bourbon-based cocktails in bulk.

I found the Slate bourbon in one of the smaller bottle stores that I visit. The amount of information on this brand, distillery, age and origin is so limited that I needed to scroll to the 4^th page on Google before finding anything worthwhile; let’s just say, I have a few antacid ready next to my tasting glass, just for in case.

But before I get to the tasting, here is a bit of the info that I found on Slate blended bourbon. According to the marketing spiel:

“… Slate is known as one of the smoothest bourbons on the market. Silky, smoky and sweet it is great neat over ice or if you would rather, mixed with cola.”

My research indicated that Slate blended bourbon is a Diageo new style product launched in Australia (and South Africa) to test the market before launching globally.

Slate Blended bourbon is blended in Chicago from various bourbons to create a smoother mouthfeel. There is also a Slate ’20 version, which is a ‘ready to drink’ alcopop blend of Slate bourbon, lime and ginger. (Only available in the UK as far as I can see)

Slate ‘20 takes its name from the blended bourbon used in the recipe, which is sourced from the Four Roses distillery in the US. The ’20 refers to 1920 when bourbon was first distilled in Chicago.

In SA, the Slate blended bourbon retails for around R200 ($14). After all of that, let’s try this blended bourbon and see.

Also Read: Bourbon Coffee

Slate Blended Bourbon Whiskey Review

COUNTRY: USA

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: A dark golden colour.

NOSE: Subtle with cereal and caramel, oak and vanilla notes.

PALATE: Smooth, spicy vanilla, honey sweetness and oak. Medium body bourbon that is not very complex. Easy drinking. Adding water enhances the sweetness and it becomes almost too sweet.

FINISH: Medium length finish which ends in sweet caramel notes.

RATING: VERY GOOD

It does not give me heartburn, and it is undoubtedly better than the Heaven Hill Old Style and the Evan Williams bourbon. Having said that, it will not win any major prizes.

It is supposed to taste like “real old Chicago bourbon”… I am not sure if there is anyone who still knows what “Real Old Chicago bourbon” tasted like, so I take their word for it.

Has anyone tried this bourbon before?

Also Read: Koval Bourbon Single Barrel

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/11/2016

In Rye Whiskey

During November the annual Whisky Bible ratings come out. For some, it is an event that is highly anticipated. For others, not so much. Over the last couple of years, the top awards have been somewhat controversial, and Jim Murray even depicts himself a bit of a devil (playing a bit of Devil’s advocate) on the front page of the 2015 bible.

November 2015 was no different. The Whisky Bible crowned the Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye whisky as the highest-scoring whisky. An affordable whisky from Canada? Can it be possible? Not from Scotland?

Some critics jumped up to complain. Bitterly in some instances. Supporters of the Crown Royal and Whisky Bible cheered. The Scottish whisky industry barely showed a ripple.

I have looked at Jim Murray’s comments over the years, especially when I want to buy a new whisky. Some of his top-rated whiskies I loved. Examples such as the Ballantine’s Finest, Johnnie Walker Black, Ardbeg Supernova has gotten high ratings and are some of my favourites. But other suggestions, I did not particularly enjoy.

Also Read: Rittenhouse Rye whiskey

Examples include the Old Pulteney 21 yo and Kornog whisky. For me, I have started to take his reviews with a pinch of salt. Then a family member came to visit. From Canada! And he brought me a bottle of the Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye. I did not mind. You don’t find many Crown Royal releases in SA, and rye whisky is also limited. So regardless of Jim Murry’s rating, I was happy.

But what is a Canadian Rye whisky?

Not the easiest questions to answer, it seems. It seems like the term “Canadian whisky” and “rye whisky” are used interchangeably in Canada and refer to the same thing. Whisky which generally is made with some percentage of rye grain. According to a Canadian whisky website, rye whisky began as a “whisky style” two centuries ago when the Canadian Flour miller began making whisky from their excess wheat.

There are a few distinct differences between the USA version of a straight rye and the Canadian rye. In the USA, the mash bill needs to have at least 51% rye where in Canada this percentage is not defined.

American straight rye whisky is aged in new charred oak barrels, where in Canada the whisky is aged in a mixture of used and new barrels.

Rye whisky is not very well-known in South Africa. I have tasted over 300 different drams over the last five years, but never tasted a rye.

Due to the hype around this dram and the limited availability of rye whisky in SA, I invited a few South African whisky friends to join me for a Twitter tasting of this Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye whisky. My tasting notes include their comments as well.

Also Read: JP Wiser’s Deluxe Rye Whisky

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Whisky Review

The Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye is a blended whisky and has a 90% rye mash bill. I have a bottle from batch number L6021 N3.

COUNTRY: Canada

ABV: 45%

COLOUR: A golden wheat colour with hints of sunshine.

NOSE: Sweet cereal, woody oak and butterscotch with some chocolate. Light flowers with hints of spice, specifically cinnamon and nutmeg float about. There are a grape syrup note and fruity sweetness on the nose mixed with crème brûlée.

PALATE: Without water has notes of sweet winter spice, aniseed, fresh-baked rusks and is creamy. Notes of grape sweetness mixed with more of the wood spice. Water adds a chewy note and allows the balance between spicy, woods and cereal to come out. Adding water creates an interesting mix of winter and wood spices with a bit of hotness tingle.

FINISH: Medium length and ends in notes of spiciness, condensed milk and malted biscuits.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Individual ratings were very broad. John gave this a Divine, I gave it an Excellent, Bernard rated it as ‘Good to Very Good, and Edward from Smoky Dram said ‘Very Good, just shy of Excellent’.

Is the Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye the best whisky in the world? Probably not. I have tried various drams this year, that I enjoyed just as much or more.

John loved it. He thinks that the Northern Harvest Rye is one of the best drams this year. And that is the beauty of whisky. It lies in the eyes (taste buds) of the beholder. What do you think?

On a whim, I paired the Crown Royal with some Royal Ashton cheese, and the results were delicious!

Also Read: Sazerac Rye Whiskey

The Singleton 12 year old Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/19/2015

In Single Malt whisky

I tried the Singleton Tailfire a while ago after a friend mentioned how much she loved it. It did not blow me away. However, I got quite a bit of feedback, with most people recommending the Singleton 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

While the Tailfire is still fresh in my mind, I decided to try the 12yo. Singleton is produced by the Dufftown distillery, which is located in the small Speyside town of Dufftown. The Dufftown distillery was not originally built as a malt whisky distillery.

Related Article: Loch Lomond Original Whisky

Wine merchant Peter Mackenzie and friends converted it from an old Mill to a Distillery in 1895 /6. The Dufftown distillery first drew water from John’s Well in 1896 and still do. Today, the brand is owned by Diageo.

The majority of the malt whisky produced at the Dufftown distillery is used for blended whiskies – particularly Bell’s and Johnnie Walker whisky.

The Singleton 12 year old single malt Scotch is matured in a combination of American and European oak casks. A traditional hip flask inspires the unique bottle shape of The Singleton of Dufftown, while the glass’s colour reflects the blue flint glass used at the turn of the previous century.

Singleton 12 year old Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: A deep polished copper.

NOSE: Sweet with caramel, toffee and vanilla coming through. There are notes of rich fruit and sweet spice. After adding water, some of the sweetness disappears.

PALATE: Tasting the Singleton 12 year old whisky brings notes of spice, creamy oak and toasted malt. It is a rich and buttery whisky with a rich mouthfeel. There are lots of sweet vanilla, and hints of fruit dipped in dark chocolate. It is a well-balanced whisky, with the spicy and sweet in perfect harmony.

FINISH: Medium length and ends in notes of sweet cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. There is an underlying layer of butter toffee sweetness, which is delicious.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The Singleton 12 year old Scotch whisky is surprisingly good! I was not expecting fireworks after tasting the Singleton Tailfire, but I was pleasantly surprised. I can now understand why my friend loves this dram. And at a price below R400 in South Africa, this is good value for money.

I have also tasted the Singleton 15 year old, and you can read all my thoughts on this slightly older Dufftown release. I have also done a side by side comparison of this Singleton release against the Glenfiddich 12 year old whisky.

Also Read: Ballechin 10 yo Whisky