Tag: Diageo Page 7 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

Bell’s Blended Scotch Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 04/12/2021

In Blended whisky

Today I look at an affordable brand with a memorable catchphrase. It was also my dad’s every day drinking whisky. So it has been around for quite a while; the Bell’s blended Scotch whisky.

An advert aired in SA round 2014 showed an elderly gentleman in his ambition to learn to read. Throughout the commercial, viewers watch the lead character attend reading classes, spell messages of devotion to his wife using fridge magnets, and play scrabble with his friends.

Ultimately, his motivation is to read the book his son has written. As he gives his son the news he has, at last, read his book, his jubilant son remarks, “Give that man a Bell’s”.

This catchphrase has become part of SA social culture. If someone achieves something extraordinary, people will comment, “Give that man a Bell’s”.

In 1851, Perth based Arthur Bell began to blend various single malts to create a more consistent blended whisky. His two sons, Robert and Arthur, joined the business in partnership in 1895.

By the 1880s, the company was focused on blended whisky. At the end of Prohibition in America, there was a sudden surge in demand, and Arthur Bell & Sons acquired Blair Athol and Dufftown distilleries in 1933.

In 1936 they added the Inchgower distillery to the portfolio. By 1970, Bell’s was the highest-selling whisky in Scotland. Today the brand still has significant market shares in the UK, South Africa, the Nordic countries, Spain and Brazil.

In 1994, an 8 year old age statement was added. It was at a time when there was a surplus of mature Scotch whisky. But in 2008, the supply of mature whisky became a problem, and the age statement was removed.

The Well Known Bell’s Decanter

Bell’s is also known for the ceramic bell-shaped decanters that it released for special occasions such as Charles & Diana’s wedding and Christmas.
There is a Bell’s Special Reserve that is (was) available in SA. Bell’s is a blend of about 40 grain and malt whiskies. It includes whisky from all around Scotland, including Dufftown, Inchgower, Glenkinchie and Caol Ila.

These are all blended with Blair Athol’s malt. Bell’s is a brand of blended whisky initially produced by Arthur Bell & Sons Ltd and now owned by Diageo.

Bell’s Blended Scotch Whisky Review

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Amber gold

NOSE: A few alcohol notes that need a few minutes to dissipate. After the alcohol evaporates, there is a fruity sweetness, gentle spice with cereal bits. Hints of shortbread and grain.

PALATE: Not as sweet as the nose. Notes of malt, oak, pepper and apricots. The Bell’s blended whisky has a medium body. Some alcohol heat. A few drops of water soften the pepper and alcohol notes and bring more fruity sweetness to the front. I managed to finish the glass with no trouble. The Bell’s whisky is not the most complex dram, but never the less drinkable.

FINISH: Medium long finish. End in notes of pepper and citrus.

RATING: VERY GOOD

The moment I opened the bottle, it brought back so many memories. There was always a bottle of Bell’s in the house growing up, and it was my dad’s regular drinking whisky. His special occasion whisky was the Chivas or the Dimple. The nose immediately reminded me of his glass of whisky.

Also, when we were sick, my mother would make us a remedy of hot milk with sugar and a shot of whisky. The whisky she used was always the Bell’s, and the moment I tasted it, I had clear memories of drinking it with the hot milk in bed.

It was not as sticky sweet, or harsh as the Black & White whisky I had a few weeks ago; quite drinkable, actually. For the price point, it is not a bad buy. What makes this whisky unique, for me, is all the cherished childhood memories that it brings back.

For that alone, it deserves a place in my whisky collection. In South Africa, this blend retails for around R210 and is widely available.

Also Read: Johnnie Walker Black Label Sherry Finish whisky

Ardbeg 10 vs Lagavulin 16 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/15/2021

In Whisky Comparison

Ardbeg 10 yo whisky vs Lagavulin 16 year old Whisky side by side comparison
Today I look at another battle of big Islay malts; Ardbeg 10 vs Lagavulin 16 year old whisky. Both these single malt Scotch drams achieved cult status with peat heads. When you mention Islay whisky, one of the first drams that come to mind is the Lagavulin 16 year old whisky.

Another Islay legend is the Ardbeg Scotch whisky and the passion for Ardbeg reaches fever pitch all over the world on Ardbeg Day. But when you put these drams in a blind tasting next to each other, how do they stack up?

Ardbeg 10 year old Whisky

Ardbeg 10 yo whisky with glass
Ardbeg Distillery is situated on the south coast of the isle of Islay. Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy owns the distillery and produces a heavily peated Islay whisky. Ardbeg single malt Scotch whisky is peated to 55 ppm. The Ardbeg 10 year old whisky is aged for at least 10 years in ex-bourbon barrels.

Lagavulin 16 year old Whisky

review and tasting notes Lagavulin 16 yo whisky with glass
Lagavulin’s name is the English translation of the Gaelic ‘Lag a’a’ Mhuilinn’, which means the mill’s hollow. Lagavulin was one of the six whiskies marketed as part of the Diageo’ Classic Malts of Scotland’ range.

Lagavulin distillery is known for its use of a slow distillation speed and pear-shaped pot stills. The Lagavulin 16 year old single malt Scotch whisky is peated to 35 ppm.

Also Read: GlenDronach 18 vs 21 yo Whisky

Ardbeg 10 vs Lagavulin 16 year old Whisky

Ardbeg 10 vs Lagavulin 16 yo whisky comparison

	Ardbeg 10 yo whisky	Lagavulin 16 yo whisky
ABV	46%	43%
Region	Islay Whisky	Islay Whisky
Peat Level	55 to 65 ppm	35 ppm
Colour	Pale Straw with green hints	Dark Gold
Nose	Peat and smoke with hints of vanilla, sea salt and citrus sweetness. It is not overwhelming but inviting and intriguing.	Liquorice, smoke, hints of peat with a fruity sweetness. Bits of oak, iodine, and vanilla. Delicate and well balanced.
Palate	After the initial peat, some warming citrus and hints of vanilla. It continues to bring you hints of coffee and a bit of iodine. This Ardbeg 10 yo is a big whisky but not overwhelming at all.	Dry oak, peat with hints of cherry sweetness and smoke. Medium body with iodine and tar in the background. A bit one-sided.
Finish	What an epic finish! You will remember the Ardbeg 10 yo long after you have emptied the glass.	Medium length with peat and hints of oak and vanilla.
My Rating	Excellent	Very Good
Comments	Complex and well balanced	Lacks some complexity and has a few sharp edges.
Price	$65	$108
Pairs well with	Garlic leg of Lamb or a charcuterie platter	Blue Stilton

When John and I first tasted the Lagavulin 16 year old whisky, we looked at each other and frowned. It did not live up to our expectations. We felt that it was a bit one dimensional and boring. In the blind tasting, against the Ardbeg 10 year old whisky, the difference was even more evident.

The first difference between these two Islay drams is the peat level. The Lagavulin is peated at 35 ppm, and the Ardbeg sits at 55 ppm. There is also a big difference in the taste of the peat. The Lagavulin has more medicinal notes, and the Ardbeg has more ocean salt and fishy notes.

The Lagavulin 16 year old Scotch brings notes of dry oak, cherries and vanilla. Yes, it is peaty with smoke and fruity sweetness, but it lacks the complexity and wow factor. It has a medium body and a medium length finish.

The Ardbeg 10 year old has peat, smoke, sea salt, vanilla and citrus notes. There are hints of coffee and light iodine with an epic finish. It is big, bold, and complex. Just delicious.

Ardbeg is less medicinal than Laphroaig, however, it is more balanced and complex. Lagavulin has a more oily mouthfeel than the Ardbeg; however, the oiliness also seems to capture some raw alcohol notes.

The Ardbeg is drinkable and smooth and invites you back time after time. For my palate, this has a clear winner! The Ardbeg 10 year old every time.

I have done a side by side comparison between the Ardbeg Uigeadail and the Lagavulin 16 year old whisky as well to see how they stack up against each other.

Also Read: Ardbeg 10 vs An Oa Whisky

Talisker Skye Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/01/2021

In Single Malt whisky

I love the Talisker 10 year old whisky. It is one of those drams that I will take to a desert island with me. It is smooth, smoky and comforting, and of course, very drinkable. However, I need to expand my tasting notes from this Scottish Island distillery, so today, I am trying the Talisker Skye single malt Scotch whisky.

The Talisker distillery is a whisky distillery on the Isle of Skye. It is part of the Diageo stable. Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill founded the distillery in 1830. It was rebuilt and upgraded a few times over the years.

Talisker’s water comes from Cnoc nan Speireag (Hawk Hill) and flows over peat, which adds an extra dimension to the whisky. Talisker has an unusual feature—swan neck lye pipes.

Diageo introduced Talisker Skye whisky in early 2015. They named it after the rugged landscape and jagged peaks of the Cuillin Mountains and the island’s wild seas. The Talisker core range also includes the Talisker Storm and the Port Ruighe.

Also Read: Ledaig 10 yo Whisky

It was great to see this distillery in the TV adaptation of one of my favourite books. In Good Omens by Terry Pratchett, the demon Crowley (played by Scotsman David Tennant) drinks Talisker by the bottle as he awaits the coming apocalypse.

This expression aims to create a more well-rounded and sweet flavour profile combined with the traditional Talisker maritime notes. It’s matured in a combination of refill and toasted American oak casks, with a slightly higher proportion of toasted casks. It is peated to an estimated 20 ppm and is a NAS release.

Talisker Skye Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: Island

ABV: 45.8%

COLOUR: Bright gold

NOSE: The nose is clean and fresh. There are bits of fresh fruit, a peaty earthiness mixed with underlying smoke. Hints of honey and salt.

PALATE: The Talisker Skye has a medium body. There are notes of dry oak, citrus fruit, fresh apples and peat. Bits of smoke and lemon pepper. Adding water bring forward more barley and softens the pepper. It is not the most complex dram and rather delicate.

FINISH: Drying oak and pepper.

RATING: VERY GOOD

The Talisker Skye whisky has a few unfinished edges and feels like it is not quite rounded off. It is not a bad whisky, but it is difficult not to compare this release to the Talisker 10 year old whisky. The 10 year old whisky is easier drinking, more complex and smoother than the Skye.

Although the taste difference between these two is quite pronounced, the price difference between these two releases is relatively small. On Amazon, the Skye retails for £45 and the Talisker 10 year old single malt for
£43. I would rather grab the 10 year old release than the Skye.

Also Read: Arran Napoleon Cognac Finish Whisky

Bell’s Special Reserve Blended Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/22/2021

In Blended Malt Whisky

Today I look at the Bell’s Special Reserve blended malt Scotch whisky. One of my favourite whiskies during my student days was Bell’s whisky. It was a bit more upmarket than the cheap nasty bottles with “whiskey” printed on it. Best of all, it was affordable and accessible. We spent many a night solving world problems around a bottle of Bell’s.

But after university, my taste (and budget) changed and I have not had a Bell’s whisky in many, many years. Because I associated it with cheap university days, it had very little appeal. But then I saw a blog post on the Bell’s Special Reserve blended malt whisky I was intrigued. So what better time to try a Bell’s again.

Related Article: Bennachie 10 yo Whisky

The Special Reserve has been available in South Africa since 2004. Until someone wrote about it, I never noticed it before. Bell’s Special Reserve blended malt is owned by Diageo. It is a malt whisky described as a mixture of Highlands, Speyside and a subtle hint of Islay. The Blair Atholl distillery is seen as the “home” of the Bell’s brand.

Other distilleries used in the blend is the Inchgower and Dufftown distilleries from Speyside, Glenkinchie and the Caol Ila from Islay. The Bell’s Special Reserve is a blend of single malt whiskies, each aged for at least 8 years.

Bell’s Special Reserve Whisky Review

ABV: 43%.

COLOUR: The Special Reserve has a wonderfully rich golden amber colour that radiates warmth.

NOSE: Rich and complex with smoky sherry notes. There are brandy-soaked fruit and malt mixed with caramel and hints of spice. Adding a few drops of water releases more peaty characteristics on the nose.

PALATE: Without water, the palate is peppery and sweet with fresh fruit and honey. Fresh cut flowers and mint toffee come to mind. The palate is not as complex as the nose suggested. The Bell’s Special Reserve is a medium-bodied whisky. Adding water smooths the pepper notes and brings more sweetness and smoke.

FINISH: Medium length and end in sweetness, tobacco and a bit of woody orange.

RATING: VERY GOOD

It is certainly better than the Bell’s whisky that I had all those years ago. And at the price point of R270, not a bad buy. However, there are a few other blended malts that I would rather pick up. What did you think of this Bell’s Special Reserve?

Also Read: Compass Box Peat Monster whisky

Johnnie Walker Red vs Black Label Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 11/23/2020

In Whisky Comparison

Johnny Walker Red Label vs Black Label whisky comaprison
One of the search queries that bring quite a few people to my blog is a comparison between the Johnnie Walker Red vs Black Label whisky. Google brings them to my site because I have written about both, but let me do a proper comparison for people who want to have it all on one page.

Johnnie Walker is considered the most widely distributed brand of Scotch whisky globally. John “Johnnie” Walker started to sell whisky in his grocer’s shop. His blends were trendy at the time.

It wasn’t until he died in 1857, when Alexander Walker with his son Alexander Walker II inherited the company, that the brand took off. Johnnie Walker whisky was sold in the distinctive rectangular bottles for the first time during 1870.

In 1909, as part of a rebranding exercise, the company started to name their blends to match the colours on the bottles. The Special Old Highland became Johnnie Walker Red Label, and Extra Special Old Highland became the Johnnie Walker Black Label. Today the brand is owned by Diageo.

Johnnie Walker Red Label Whisky

review and tasting notes Johnnie Walker red label whisky with glass
Johnnie Walker Red Label Scotch whisky is a blend of 30 single malt and grain whiskies. It’s a combination of light whiskies from Scotland’s East Coast and more peaty whiskies from the West.

It has no age statement. Affordable, consistent taste and quality that is an excellent base for cocktails. The price for the Red Label whisky is around R230.

Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky

Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 yo with glass
The Johnnie Walker Black Label blended Scotch whisky has a consistent taste profile and an affordable price point. It is a blend of about 40 whiskies from all around Scotland. All the whiskies are at least 12 years old.

You find this bottle of whisky in nearly every bottle store and bar around the world. The price for the Black Label is R 330.

Also Read: Johnnie Walker Black vs Double Black Label

Johnnie Walker Red vs Black Label whisky

Johnny Walker Red Label vs Black Label whisky Comparison

	Johnnie Walker Red Label	Johnnie Walker Black Label
Type	Blended Whisky	Blended Whisky
ABV	43%	43%
Colour	Honey gold	Polished amber
Nose	Fruit, malt and wildflowers. Green notes with bits of vanilla and hints of smoke. Not the most complex nose.	Faint smoke, red berries, Christmas pudding with heaps of toffee and hints of winter spice.
Palate	Toasted oak, toffee sweetness with hints of smoke and peat. Medium body with vanilla, pepper and cardamom heat. A few unrefined alcohol notes that are softened with water.	Smooth and creamy with smoke and peat perfectly balanced with fruit, citrus flowers, oak and malt. A toffee sweetness with hints of spice. You don't even need to add water, but water releases a bit more sweetness.
Finish	Medium length with pepper, pectin and honey	Long and rewarding balanced between fruity sweetness, citrus peel, vanilla and warming pepper spice.
My Rating	Very Good	Divine
Comments	Not the most complex and refined whisky, but certainly drinkable.	Smooth, easy drinking, perfectly balanced peat and sweetness.
Price	$26	$37
Pairs well with	Good in cocktails.	A cheese platter or roasted pork.

One of the things I appreciate about the Johnnie Walker Red and Black Label blended whisky is the consistent taste. Bottle after bottle you get excellent drinking whisky. However, it is a massive jump from Red Label to Black Label; in both price and on the palate.

The Red Label whisky has sweet fruit, malt, toasted oak and peat notes. There is vanilla mixed with cardamom and pepper. The Red Label has a few raw alcohol notes and intends a few drops of water to soften the alcohol.

On the other hand, the Black Label has notes of peat, smoke, red berries, Christmas pudding, flowers, malt, and oak. Hints of spices mingle with the fruity sweetness. It is bold and complex, and you don’t need to add water.

The Black Label is more complex, bolder, and more drinkable than the Red Label. The difference is noticeable on both the nose and the palate. The finish on the Black Label also stands out far more than the finish on the Red Label.

If you look at the Johnnie Walker Red Label vs Black Label price change, it is more than worth paying extra for the Johnnie Walker Black Label. The increased smoothness and delicious taste makes the roughly R100 / $11 price difference worth it.

The Johnnie Walker Red Labelis the good, affordable whisky to make cocktails with. It is spicy and unique enough to use in a variety of cocktails but still price-sensitive. If you want to enjoy a delicious peaty experience and spoil your self, the Black Label is ideal.

My favourite cocktail with the Red Label is a ginger highball made with ginger ale and with the Black Label is a Rusty Nail.

Also Read: Ardbeg Corryvreckan vs Uigeadail Whisky