Amarula Gold

Bunnahabhain 12 year old Whisky

On 08/03/2015

This release is one of my favourites, the Bunnahabhain 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky. The Bunnahabhain distillery on Islay sits on the North-East of the island, with the Caol Ila distillery as its only neighbour.

The name Bunnahabhain is Gaelic for ‘Mouth of the River’ and refers to the Margadale river, which supplies the distillery’s water.

The brothers Greenless and William Robertson founded Bunnahabhain in 1881. The distillery closed and reopened a few times during the twentieth century, and eventually, production was limited to only a few weeks annually under the Edrington Group.

During 2003 the Edrington Group sold Bunnahabhain (both distillery & brand) to Burn Stewart Distillers for £10 million. Black Bottle blended whisky was included in the deal. Bunnahabhain has the largest production capacity of all distilleries on Islay. Launched in the summer of 2010, the new Bunnahabhain 12 year old whisky has an increase in ABV to 46.3%.

The Bunnahabhain is no chill-filtration and has no added colouring. It is presented in a new darker smoked glass bottle that replaced the traditional emerald-green of the older 12 year old bottling.

Also Read: Kilchoman Machir Bay Whisky

Bunnahabhain 12 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Light golden amber glow in the glass. It is a medium oily whisky.

NOSE: Sweet with notes of rich, fruity sultanas and toffee. There are notes of oak and malt with hints of spice. This Bunnahabhain 12 year old has a big bold nose, promising much. When adding a bit of water, the nose changes to more grain and wooden notes.

PALATE: Rich and full-bodied. The Bunnahabhain has a nice mouthfeel with smooth notes of sherry sweetness, herbal nuttiness and salty chewiness. There are notes of warming oak spice, vanilla, candied fruit and little hints of smoke. The taste delivers what the nose promised. A wonderful dram!

FINISH: Comforting and rounded with a long tail. It ends in notes of sweetness and malt.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Delicious, satisfying and perfectly balanced. It is one of my personal favourites, which I always go back to. The occasion does not matter; a glass of Bunnahabhain always puts a smile on my face. Don’t you want a glass too?

For my New Years Eve celebration, I paired the Bunnahabhain 12 year old Scotch with a bar of espresso chocolate. With its notes of Sherry, malt and a bit of smoke, The Bunnahabhain paired perfectly with this coffee chocolate. It was probably one of our favourite pairings of the evening.

I also love the Bunnahabhain 18 year old whisky. It is a bottle that does not last long in my house.

Also Read: Maraska ABC Whisky

Top 5 Single Malts under R500

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 11/05/2014

In Lifestyle

top 5 single malts under R500
A couple of days ago, a friend asked for some advice. She needed to buy whisky as a gift but did not know where to start. Walking into a bottle store can be a daunting experience. The sheer volume of products available makes choosing tough.

And knowing what whisky is worth buying on a small budget can be doubly difficult. And she needed to impress with something exceptional. I did some thinking and came up with my Top 5 Single Malts under R500.

I have also done a Top 5 Blends under R500 list. These whiskies are available in South Africa and will not break the bank. Additionally, they are all whiskies that I have tasted and rated over the last couple of years.

There is a glaring omission on the list. But as this amazing single malt whisky is as rare as hen’s teeth, I did not add it. However, The Three Ships 10 yo single malt needs an honorary mention. It retails (ed) below R500, and if you can still get your hands on one of the last few in the trade, grab it. It is worth it. But alas, not too many of them are left in the shops.

Here are the Top 5 Single Malts under R500 in South Africa that you can buy with confidence. As a gift for the boss or for your father in law. A special bottle for your boyfriend or your best friend.<

Or best of it all – as a gift to yourself. Don’t stress too much about Christmas presents; this list has you covered. And it will not break the bank.

Related Article: Gin and Olives

The Top 5 Single Malts under R500

anCnoc 12 yo Whisky

anCnoc 12 yo whisky with glass top 5 single malts under R500
This AnCnoc 12 yo single malt Scotch whisky is a typical non-sherried Speyside style, showing polished malt and a delicious spiciness throughout. It has a warm, complex palate and lasting finish.

I tried this whisky for the first time in Dullstroom during our visit to Wild About Whisky. It was so lovely, I immediately grabbed a bottle. It is affordable and easy drinking.

Ardbeg 10 yo Whisky

Ardbeg 10 yo whisky with glass top 5 single malts under R500
An Islay classic that is the favourite of many lovers of peaty, smoky whisky. The Ardbeg 10 year old single malt Scotch does not flaunt the peat; instead, it allows the malt’s natural sweetness to produce a whisky of perfect balance.

Even if you are not a ‘peathead’, this whisky is just perfect. I rated it Excellent. A perfect gift for someone who wants to try something new. This peaty whisky also pairs well with lamb.

Balblair 2000 Vintage Whisky

Balblair 2000 Vintage Single Malt
At a respectable 10 years of age, the Balblair 2000 Vintage single malt Scotch whisky is one of the youngest of the current offerings from the oldest working distillery in the Highlands region of Scotland.

I bought this bottle from Whisky Brother and sampled this single malt early in 2013. With tasting notes that include vanilla pod, toffee apple, lemon cream biscuits, it certainly was delicious.

Glenfarclas 12 yo Whisky

Glenfarclas 12 yo Single Malt Whisky with glass top 5 single malts under R500
Another whisky I discovered on one of my visits to Wild About Whisky in the beautiful town of Dullstroom. Glenfarclas produces expressions in the traditional Speyside style, with a heavy Sherry influence.

I rated this Glenfarclas 12 year old single malt whisky as Excellent. It pairs very nicely with Christmas Cake as well. A unique whisky for someone with a sweet palate.

Glenfiddich Rich Oak Whisky

Glenfiddich Rich Oak Single Malt whisky
This Speyside whisky was aged for 14 years before being finished in new American and Spanish oak casks. The official tasting notes for the Genfiddich Rich Oak single malt Scotch whisky include vanilla, coconut, pine, cherry, sweet spice, tobacco and leather.

I bought this for John from WhiskyBrother in 2013. It is from one of the best-known distilleries in the world and will make a wonderful gift for anyone who likes whisky.

These whiskies are available through the Whisky Brother Shop in Hydepark, Wild About Whisky and most major retailers.

Also Read: Teeling Small Batch Whiskey

Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/18/2014

In Blended whisky

The 15^th of August is an interesting day in the history of South Africa. A day that started the beginning of the end. To celebrate that we can live in a different South Africa, we decided to have a South African whisky that embodies the pioneering spirit that our country is known for – the Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish blended whisky.

On that night in August 1985 the then South African President, Mr P.W Botha, delivered his infamous “Rubicon” Speech in Durban. The world hoped that he would use this opportunity to announce radical reforms to the South African apartheid system.

But instead, he disappointed and announced that he will be consolidating the power his party had, but would not give in to pressure to engage with the ANC. After this speech, the Rand traded very low against the dollar and economic sanctions against South Africa followed.

Also Read: William Lawson’s Whisky

Four years later, the Groot Krokkedil (Big Crocodile the nickname for PW Botha) was gone. On the 15th of August 1989, FW de Klerk became president of South Africa. Not long after that, things started to change.

Today we can celebrate a country that has come a long way since that fateful day in 1985. And what better way to celebrate than with a whisky that has also come a long way – the Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish. I have written about this amazing Wellington-based distillery before. You can read my blog post on the Three Ships 10 yo single malt here.

Most recently this whisky won Double Gold at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Gold at the China Wine and Spirits competition.

Three Ships Bourbon Cask Whisky Review

Released in 2005, this premium whisky is a 100% South African blended whisky. This Three Ships Bourbon cask consists of malt and grain components that are distilled and matured in South Africa. After its first three-year maturation period, the whisky is placed in first-fill American bourbon casks for a further six month period.

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: A rich gold. It is a lovely oily whisky that leaves long fingers on the glass. The appearance of this Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish promises a rich experience.

NOSE: My first impression on nosing this whisky is delicious bourbon sweetness. There are notes of caramel and marshmallow mixed in between the cereal and barley. In the background, there are hints of fruitcake, dried fruit and Christmas pudding. Adding some water helps this whisky open up.

PALATE: Tasting this Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish brings spice and warm sticky toffee pudding. It has a rich and smooth mouthfeel. There are notes of sweetness mixed with Christmas cake, toffee apple and vanilla.

FINISH: The finish is long and lingering with a sweet-spicy ending. Amazingly smooth and rich for such a young whisky. A true testament to the teams’ whisky-making skills. This is the most underrated whisky in the Three Ships stable.

RATING: EXCELLENT

If you live in South Africa and you have not yet tried this amazing whisky – what are you waiting for? Go and get a bottle for yourself and enjoy. Recently this Three Ships whisky won a Gold Medal at the China Wine and Spirit awards 2014.

I have written about many more of the Three Ship whiskies. Just search the blog and you will find tasting notes on both the Bain’s Single Grain and the Three Ships Masters Collection releases.

Also Read: Drayman’s Solera whisky

Three Ships 10 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/29/2013

In Single Malt whisky

As a proud South African, I wanted to capture tasting notes for a South African whisky as my first blog post. I chose the Three Ships 10 year old single malt; an award-winning South African single malt whisky produced at the James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington. One of my favourite distilleries.

Wellington lies halfway between the bright lights of Cape Town and the beautiful mountains of the Western Cape. The Berg River flows along the western border with two smaller streams, the Spruit and Kromme, and the mighty Hawequas stand guard on the eastern side.

The Bainskloof Pass, built by the famous Scot Andrew Geddes Bain, was (before Du Toitskloof Pass) the only gateway to the north. Wellington is a short 45-minute drive from Cape Town, with a population of about 62,000 people.

The James Sedgwick distillery began operating in 1886. The Three Ships 10 year old single malt scored 91 in the 2012 Jim Murray Whisky Bible and further won Gold and Silver awards in international competitions in 2011 and 2012.

This bottle is labelled ‘Limited Edition’, and Three Ships states they will be launching two more vintage editions in the coming years. Currently, it is the only single malt they have produced. So to the tasting.

Related Article: Aerstone Sea Cask 10 yo Whisky

Three Ships 10 year old Whisky Review

COUNTRY: South Africa

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Three Ships 10 yo state that the colour of the whisky is warm copper. When I poured it, I found it was lighter than copper and more amber in colour. The colour is not as rich or deep as other whiskies that I have, but it may be because it has been matured in oak and not finished in another wood.

NOSE: The first thing that I picked up on nosing this Three Ships 10 yo was smoke with peat in the background. Very lovely and not overwhelming at all.

PALATE: On the palate, the oak comes through nicely, and I also picked up hints of vanilla. I think it’s quite a floral whisky and a little sweet.

FINISH: Full and long. Just the way I like it.

RATING: EXCELLENT.

Overall the combination works perfectly. It’s a beautiful, easy-drinking whisky without being too complex. After the first tasting, I had another glass. It’s a whisky that seemed to enjoy breathing a bit, so you may want to let it stand for a moment before diving in.

The James Sedgwick distillery can be proud of producing such a fine whisky, and I can’t wait to taste from single malt releases from them.

Update: During the last couple of years, the James Sedgwick distillery has released quite a few exciting releases as well as more 10 yo single malt drams, such s the Three Ships 10 yo 2005 Edition whisky. I have captured tasting notes for many of these drams.

Also Read: Schoonspruit 2010 Whiskey

Meandering the world, one whisky at a time

Tag: Heineken Beverages

Bunnahabhain 12 year old Whisky

Bunnahabhain 12 year old Whisky Review

Top 5 Single Malts under R500

The Top 5 Single Malts under R500

anCnoc 12 yo Whisky

Ardbeg 10 yo Whisky

Balblair 2000 Vintage Whisky

Glenfarclas 12 yo Whisky

Glenfiddich Rich Oak Whisky

Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish Whisky

Three Ships Bourbon Cask Whisky Review

Three Ships 10 year old Whisky

Three Ships 10 year old Whisky Review