Tag: Highland Whisky Page 5 of 13

Whisky of the Week review and tasting notes for whisky from the Highland Region in Scotland. Highland single malts are single malt Scotch whiskies produced in the Highland region of Scotland. This category includes the whiskies produced on the islands around Scotland. However it excludes Islay.

Trying the Inchmurrin 13 yo from Bottega whisky club made me interested in trying more from this distillery. It was bold and delicious, and when I got the opportunity to listen to the Master Distiller, Michael Henry, talk about the Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 18 year old single malt Scotch whisky and to taste it, I grabbed the chance.

It is the 3rd time that Loch Lomond feature on the blog this year. Exploring more from this versatile distillery has been lots of fun. Loch Lomond is in the Highland region in Scotland. You can read more about the Loch Lomond 12 year old whisky and the Loch Lomond history here.

Inchmurrin is one many single malt styles produced at the Loch Lomond distillery. The distillery is capable of producing at least eight styles of spirit.

Inchmurrin is the largest freshwater island in the British Isles, and it sits in Loch Lomond. They also produce Inchmoan, also named after an island on Loch Lomond. Inchmurrin’s character is typically fruity, floral and soft, while Inchmoan offers a peaty variation. The Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 18 year old single malt whisky is aged in ex-bourbon, refill and recharred casks.

Also Read: Loch Lomond Steam and Fire Whisky

Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 18 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Highlands

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Golden Amber

NOSE: Fruity sweetness, banana and tropical fruits with oak and butterscotch. Hints of butterscotch, malt and vanilla. Some red berries and hard candy in the background. Rich and inviting.

PALATE: The fruity sweetness continues on the palate, but now there are green grass and herby notes added. Bits of black pepper with old leather and caramel. Toasted oak and vanilla, bits of tropical fruit and tobacco. It has a bit of alcohol heat, but it makes the Inchmurrin chewy and full-bodied. Water softens the pepper spices and alcohol heat and brings more fruit to the front. Very drinkable.

FINISH: Long, warming finish with spice and liquorice; drying oak and caramel.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Delicious. If you see a bottle, grab it. It is a lovely addition to any collection, and if you like 18 year old whisky, then this will be a unique and different addition. The Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 18 year old whisky is available in SA and retail for around R1500.

I have seen some at Whiskybrother online and Bottega’s Whiskey Club. The next on my list, I want to try the Inchmoan to make sure that I have tasted my way around this whole distillery.

Also Read: Ballantine’s Finest vs Teacher’s whisky

Loch Lomond 12 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/14/2020

In Single Malt whisky

Just before SA’s second alcohol ban, I managed to pick up my sample pack of Loch Lomond whiskies for an online whisky tasting with Michael Henry. A few weeks before, I tasted the Inchmurrin 11 year old that was bottled exclusively for the Bottega Whiskey Club.

Savi and Musi, the Loch Lomond Brand Ambassador, set up this interesting online tasting. The online tasting included the Bottega Whisky Club Inchmurrin, the Loch Lomond 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky and the Inchmurrin 18 yo whisky.

Loch Lomond Distillery, situated in Alexandria, a small town south of the beautiful Loch Lomond, produces a broad range of different whiskies. They create single malt as well as single grain and blends.

Micheal took us through the different distilling options that he has available at Loch Lomond, and it was so refreshing to listen to how he works with the various elements that he has available to come up with all the different variations.

Also Read: Inchmurrin 11 yo Whisky

The Loch Lomond stills include special distillation trays in the necks, allowing for more significant contact with the cooling alcohol vapour. These stills can produce alcohol up to 90% ABV where traditional stills deliver the alcohol at around 70% ABV. From there it goes into maturation.

I captured tasting notes for the Loch Lomond Signature and Loch Lomond Single Grain whisky as well as for various other brands within the Loch Lomond portfolio in the past, and you can read all about it there.

The Loch Lomond 12 year old is drawn from a selection of three cask types – bourbon casks, refill casks and recharged casks. In South Africa, it retails for R625.

Loch Lomond 12 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Higland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Dark gold

NOSE: Apricot, peach and freshly cut green grass. Sweet spices, honeycomb and vanilla. Fruity sweetness with hints of lemon and malt.

PALATE: Fruity sweetness with vanilla and faint hints of smoke. Malted puffs with bits of dry oak, lemon and apricots and bits of pepper. Something green in the background. Adding water releases more spicy notes. Medium body.

FINISH: Medium length with drying oak, vanilla and pepper.

RATING: EXCELLENT 

It was interesting how the water changed the spices in this Loch Lomond 12 year old whisky. For me, adding a few drops of water tones down the spice notes in a whisky and brings more sweetness forward. However, with this release, the water made it spicier. I enjoyed it more without water.

Even at 46% ABV, it is smooth and easy drinking with no alcohol heat. An excellent whisky for autumn as it gently warms you from the inside. Just lovely. It is worth picking up a bottle when you see it.

I have also tasted the Loch Lomond Steam and Fire single malt whisky during my trip to Scotland and loved it.

Also Read: Compass Box No Name No 2 Whisky

anCnoc Peatheart Batch 1 Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/03/2020

In Single Malt whisky

A smoky release from the Scottish Highlands. Today I look at the anCnoc Peatheart Batch 1 single malt Scotch whisky. It was released in 2017 as the first permanent, peated expression in the core anCnoc range. It is peated to 40 ppm.

In comparison, Highland Park whiskies sit at around 20 ppm, while Ardbeg whiskies are peated to about 50-55ppm.

This NAS whisky is produced at the Knockdhu distillery in the village of Knock in Aberdeenshire. It was founded in 1893 when John Morrison, who owned the Knock Estate, discovered the high quality of the water that ran through the estate. It sits on the border between the Speyside and Highland whisky regions.

Also Read: Rhino Whisky

The current owner is Inver House Distillers Limited, and they changed the brand name to anCnoc. They also own the Balblair and Speyburn distilleries. The anCnoc core range includes a 12 year old, 18 year old, 24 year old and a 35 year old whisky. My bottle is from Batch 001.

It was matured exclusively in ex-bourbon casks. Non-chill-filtered and naturally coloured. The Peatheart retails for around R800 in South Africa (pre Covid).

anCnoc Peatheart Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Light golden wheat

NOSE: Freshly cooked oats drizzled with honey, some earthy notes and hints of smoke. Delicate and airy. Fruity sweetness with citrus blossom. Inviting and refreshing.

PALATE: Smoked barley, citrus fruits, vanilla sweetness and chocolate. Notes of earthy peat, pepper spice, oak and cardamom. It is not an Islay medicinal type of peatiness, but more a smoky, burnt wood and wet earth type of peat.

Water brings more fruity sweetness forward. The nose was delicate, and I was expecting a softer dram, but it was wonderfully warming and delicious. Medium body.

FINISH: Sweetness that moves to peat and smoke and orange blossom. Medium length.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The anCnoc Peatheart single malt Scotch is delicious and easy-drinking. A perfect whisky to introduce someone to Highland peat. Highland peat, for me, is more green heather, fresh pine and smoky when compared to the more medicinal Islay peat.

It is a big peat mouthful, but elegant and with enough sweetness and complexity. Peathheart has a great balance between the peaty and sweet notes.

A refreshing addition to my whisky collection. Perfect for our cold winter months to drink next to the fire. It also nicely shows the range from this underrated distillery. Worth getting if you spot it in stores.

Also Read: The Wild Geese Whiskey

Inchmurrin 11 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/22/2020

In Single Malt whisky

When South Africa went into Covid shut down in March 2020, the movement of all alcohol into the country and around the country came to a grinding halt. No alcohol sales were allowed, and all bars and restaurants closed.

The alcohol ban put a stop to the launch of an exclusive bottling for the Bottega Whiskey Club, a Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 11 year old Single Cask Scotch whisky.

The Government lifted the alcohol restrictions in June, and we all breathed a sigh of relieve. We could restock our wine and spirits again. And fortunately, the exclusive batting managed to reach its destination.

During 2019, after a long process, Savi selected an exclusive cask from Loch Lomond Inchmurrin, especially for the Bottega’s 20th birthday celebrations. And after all the wait and drama, it has safely arrived in Johannesburg. I had the fantastic opportunity to taste it live on Instagram with Muzi Mathe, the Loch Lomond Brand Ambassador.

Also Read: Kilchoman Sanaig Whisky

Loch Lomond has various brands in its portfolio. I have written about many of the Loch Lomond, and Glen Scotia releases and the Glen Scotia Victoriana is my favourite. However, I have not tasted anything from Inchmurrin yet.

The Isle of Inchmurrin is the largest of Loch Lomond’s island and was once home to chapel built by monks in the 7th century. Inchmurrin defines their house style as soft, grassy and floral notes mixed with woody influences. The Inchmurrin core range includes a 12 year old, an 18 year old whisky as well as a Madeira wood finish release.

The Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 11 yo was matured in refill American Hogshead and then finished for 9 months in new French Limousin Oak. Experts consider Limousin oak as loose grained, which allows particular characteristics of the oak to impact on the whisky. Limousin is not a wood finish you see every day and is certainly unique.

Inchmurrin 11 year old Whisky Review

The release is limited to only 371 bottles, so it is somewhat limited. It is non-chill-filtered and with natural colour.

ABV: 55.6%

COLOUR: Deep Gold

NOSE: Sweetness, fresh, green sapling with toasty malt and hints of fruit and vanilla. Rich and inviting.

PALATE: Spicier than what the nose promised. Oak spices with warming cinnamon and nutmeg balanced with roasted Brazil nuts, long grass and summer fruits. Bits of vanilla and faint wood in the background. It needs just a few drops of water to release a softer flower note. Big and bold, this release is perfect for winter.

FINISH: Oak spices, citrus with bits of fruity sweetness.

RATING: EXCELLENT

A delicious mouthful. I loved the spiciness balanced with sweetness. Neither overwhelmed each other. It works perfectly together. The wood notes in the background are like a beautiful ornate frame around the spice and sweetness.

I was surprised at how little water you needed to add to bring the flowers forward. Even though it has a huge ABV, it takes only a few drops of water to soften, and after adding the water, the change is pronounced.

The Inchmurrin 11 year old Scotch whisky excellent dram for winter to warm you up from the inside. It is one of those releases that you want to buy a bottle to drink and a bottle to keep.

I would, however, caution you not to wait too long before buying a bottle, because it is limited to only 371 bottles. It retails for R1 295, and you can find it online at Bottega whiskey.

Sample disclosure: I received this sample from Loch Lomond. Though received as part of a promotional event, the review and tasting notes are my honest, fair and independent thoughts on the whisky.

Glenmorangie 18 year old Extremely Rare Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 04/13/2020

In Single Malt whisky

I have had this bottle of Glenmorangie 18 year old Extremely Rare single malt Scotch whisky in my collection for so many years; I can’t even remember where I got it. It has stood in the back of the cupboard for at least seven years. I have not touched it in many a moon.

Glenmorangie is a Highland distillery in Tain, Ross-shire, Scotland. The brothers William and John Mathesen established the Glenmorangie distillery in 1843, on the Durnoch Firth. The site previously held a brewery and made use of the Tarlogie Spring. Glenmorangie boasts the tallest stills in Scotland.

Also Read: Glenfiddich 18 yo Whisky

World events significantly impacted on the Glenmorangie history. The distillery was mothballed between 1931 and 1936 due to prohibition in America and the Great Depression. The distillery was affected by the Second World War, and it was mothballed until 1944.

Glenmorangie plc took over the Ardbeg distillery in 1997 and revived it. The French drinks company Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton bought Glenmorangie in 2004, for around £300 million.

Glenmorangie matures all spirits in white oak casks. The white oak is manufactured from trees grown in Glenmorangie’s own forest in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri, USA. These new casks are left to air for two years before being leased to distillers Jack Daniel’s and Heaven Hill for them to mature their bourbon in.

Glenmorangie then uses these barrels to mature their whisky. The total Glenmorangie production is reserved for bottling as single malt whisky. The Glenmorangie 18 year old single malt whisky spent 15 years maturing in white oak casks.

After this time, about 30% is transferred into Spanish Oloroso casks to spend a further three years maturing. Then, when both elements have reached 18 years, they are blended back together.

Also Read: Aultmore 18 yo Whisky

Glenmorangie 18 year old Extremely Rare Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV:43%

COLOUR: Light golden amber

NOSE: Toffee sweet, rich and creamy. There are notes of crème brûlée, honey with hints of spice and oak. An abundance of fresh fruit, dried pear and fruits of the forest fills your senses. Water seems to soften the nose a bit.

PALATE: A big and bold mouthful. It is thick and syrupy with lots of spice and oak. There are notes of fresh fruit, pears and rich heather honey. Adding a bit of water smooths out the sweetness, and citrus notes come through. It is rich and complex with a big fruit and spice kick.

FINISH: Long and lingering with hints of butter, chocolate and citrus peel. The Glenmorangie 18 year old is a well-balanced and smooth dram.

RATING: EXCELLENT

After this tasting, the Glenmorangie 18 year old Extremely Rare Scotch whisky will certainly not be at the back of the cupboard anymore. I am moving the Glenmorangie bottle right to the front of the line. This Cinderella is going to the ball! A lovely well put together release.

I have also tried the Glenmorangie Spios, a whisky aged in casks that previously held American rye whiskey as well as the Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX.

I have done a comparison with the Glenfiddich 18 year old whisky to see how these two iconic 18 year old’s stack up against each other.

Also Read: Springbank 18 yo whisky