Tag: Highland Whisky Page 6 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.

Today I look at a comparison of 15 year old whiskies; two classic brands. These two brands go head to head all over the world. The Macallan 15 vs Glenfiddich 15 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

Both these single malt whiskies have iconic status worldwide. They are two of the most recognizable names in whisky. But what happens when you put them in a side by side comparison.

One from Speyside and one from the Scottish Highlands. Both spent time ageing in bourbon whiskey and sherry casks. Let’s start in Speyside.

Glenfiddich 15 year old Whisky

Review and Tasting notes Glenfiddich 15 yo Macallan 15 yo vs Glenfiddich 15 yo single malt whisky

The Glenfiddich is one of my favourite distilleries, and this release has a special place in my heart. I love the sweet fruity releases that consistently come from this Speyside distillery. Family-owned after all this time, everyone knows the classic triangular-shaped bottle of Glenfiddich.

The Glenfiddich 15 year old single malt Scotch whisky is matured in American bourbon, Portuguese sherry and virgin oak casks. The whisky is then mellowed in a handcrafted Oregon pine solera vat (that is always kept half full) before being married in Portuguese oak tuns.

The Macallan Fine Oak 15 year old Whisky

Review and Tasting notes Macallan 15 yo Macallan 15 yo vs Glenfiddich 15 yo single malt whisky

The Macallan Distillery started life as Elchies Distillery. The name changed, and it expanded as the demand for the product soared. Over time, the Macallan had become a premium brand and have some of the most expensive drams in the world. The Macallan is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Edrington Group.

The Macallan Fine Oak 15 year old is a single malt Scotch aged in a combination of bourbon oak casks as well as sherry casks.

Also Read: Chivas 12 vs Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky

Macallan 15 vs Glenfiddich 15 year old Whisky

Macallan 15 vs Glenfiddich 15 yo Single Malt Whisky Comparison

	Macallan 15 yo whisky	Glenfiddich 15 yo whisky
Region	Highland Whisky	Speyside Whisky
ABV	43%	43%
Colour	Golden straw	Golden red
Nose	Oak and orange blossom sweetness. It is rich and rewarding and invites you to dive in. There are faint hints of orange peel and honey.	Complex and rich with sweet sultanas, honey, stewed apple crumble with cream and caramel. Bit of oak and vanilla combining with hints of sherry and fudge.
Palate	Florals, barley, vanilla sweetness mixed with some pepper spice and nutmeg. Adding water smooths out the spiciness, but takes away some of the sweetness. Faint hints of orange blossom and fruit float about. I was expecting a lot more bourbon notes on the palate, but the bourbon notes are a very faint part of the vanilla sweetness.	There are notes of honey, oak, cinnamon and nutmeg spice, brandy-soaked fruitcake, hints of nuts perfectly balanced with more fruit and vanilla. Water just smooths out this already delicious dram.
Finish	Medium length and end in notes of oak, orange and spice.	Long and lingering with hints of malt, honey and cinnamon
My Rating	Excellent	Excellent
Comments	Great all round, well-balanced smooth whisky.	Rich, delicious, complex and easy drinking.
Price	$170	$80
Pairs well with	Wensleydale cheese or soft buttery blue cheese.	Duck, Grilled sirloin steak.

This side by side whisky comparison divided John and me. He loves the Macallan 15 year old, and I love the Glenfiddich 15 year old whisky.

The Macallan 15 year old bring notes of oak, florals, vanilla and orange blossom mixed with pepper and nutmeg. On the other side, the Glenfiddich 15 year old is brandy soaked fruit cake, nuts, oak and cinnamon.

The Macallan is bolder and more spice forward than the Glenfiddich. The Glenfiddich has a more elegant complexity with a nicer finish.

I love the creamy and soft fruity sweetness of the Glenfiddich, and it will probably be one of my all-time favourite drams. John loves the bolder, spicier notes balanced with the sweetness of the Macallan.

Looking at online ratings, it seems like more people prefer the Macallan compared to the Glenfiddich. The Glenfiddich 15 year old will always have a special place in my heart regardless. But for now, we are just going to sit back and enjoy these two excellent whiskies.

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Also Read: Ardbeg Corryvreckan vs Uigeadail Whisky

Balblair 18 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 12/02/2019

In Single Malt whisky

The last of my tasting notes for Balblair for this year. I have reached the last of my Balblair samples and today I look at the Balblair 18 year old single malt Scotch whisky. Earlier in the year, I started with the Balblair 12 year old and moved on to the Balblair 15 year old whisky.

The 15 year old was a definite favourite. The Balblair 17 year old is a travel retail release and also delicious but a lot harder to get your hands on. It is worth looking out for it when you travel.

One of the unusual things about this Highland Distillery is the hits of history that stands just outside of the door. There is a Clach Biorach, a four-thousand-year-old standing stone with Pictish carvings on. The new (and older) branding celebrates this stone age artwork and I love the design.

The Balblair 18 year old single malt whisky has been matured in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in first-fill Spanish oak butts. It is not chill-filtered and has a natural colour. In terms of pricing, the 18 year old retails for around R 1 900 and is available in South Africa through WhiskyBrother Shop.

Balblair 18 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Rich gold

NOSE: Creamy toffee and fresh fruit with a hint of warm spices and malt. Freshly baked pastries, toasted oak and sherry sweetness. Lots of sweet ripe fruity sweetness.

PALATE: Ripe summer fruits sprinkled with vanilla sugar and hints of toasted oak. Fresh pineapple, apricot and freshly baked buttery pastry with bits of toasted nuts and cherries. Creamy and full-bodied. Mild spices including nutmeg and pepper. Water releases more fruity notes, but it is so easy drinking that you don’t need to add water.

FINISH: Fruity sweetness with bits of warming spices. Long and lingering

RATING: EXCELLENT

Simply delicious. I enjoyed the Balblair 15 year old tremendously and did not expect the Balblair 18 year old whisky to top it. But this bottling had the perfect balance between fruity sweetness and warming spices. The spiciness in the Balblair is soft and engaging while highlighting the creamy fruitiness and rich malty character of the whisky.

For me, it had a perfect balance. Of all of the four releases that I was fortunate to try, this is the one I want to buy for myself.

Also Read: Dunville’s Three Crowns Sherry Whiskey

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

Deanston 12 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 11/25/2019

In Single Malt whisky

Today I look at another whisky with a strong SA connection; the Deanston 12 year old single malt Scotchwhisky. The Deanston distillery is situated on the banks of the River Teith in the Scottish Highlands and is part of the Distell Group.

During the 18^th century, a cotton mill was situated just outside the village of Doune in Perthshire. After 180 years, the cotton mill closed. However, all was not lost, and in 1966 it was transformed into a distillery. The first spirit was bottled in 1974. The distillery started using local skills and Scottish grown barley to create their spirit.

The classical architecture of the Mill was one of its best features, and many of the Mill buildings were reused and slightly modified for the distillery. The vaulted warehouse, which was previously the weaving shed, has been recognised as one of the most remarkable surviving Regency buildings in Scotland and is now used to mature the Deanston whisky.

Also Read: Teerenpeli Whisky

Deanston changed ownership a few times, but in 1990 was purchased by Burn Stewart Distillers (which is part of the Distell Group). Distell Group Limited also own Bunnahabhain Distillery as well as Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull.

A big part of the Deanston whisky is used in blends, including Scottish Leader blended whisky. The Master Blender is (was) Dr Kristie Mccallum. (During October 2019 Dr Mccallum moved to Glen Moray.) The Deanston 12 year old whisky is the entry-level of the core range, followed by the Deanston virgin Oak. There are also Distillery exclusives and a few independent releases.

The Deanston 12 year old single malt whisky is aged in ex-bourbon barrels, not chill-filtered and has no added colouring.

Deanston 12 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV: 46.3%

COLOUR: Light honey gold

NOSE: Soft, sweet and delicate with notes of cereals, grassy green fields, flowers and orange sweetness. Hints of vanilla, oak and cinnamon. Freshly baked sugar cookies.

PALATE: More spice than what the nose suggests. Dry oak, pepper and nutmeg mixed with water biscuits, vanilla, toffee and orange. Vanilla cookies and orange peel. A few rough edges that soften with the addition of water.

Water also brings sweetness and wood forward. It becomes fruity and easy drinking with a few drops of water. The cereal notes from the nose are still there.

FINISH: Medium length ending in oak, pepper and orange peel.

RATING: VERY GOOD

A soft and sweet Highland 12 year old whisky. From here, it invites you to try more from this Scottish distillery. Not the boldest of drams, but very drinkable and indeed a great whisky to start exploring the Highlands with.

According to some research, the Deanston 12 year old whisky will pair well with cocoa dusted truffles. That sounds like a pairing I should try!

Also Read: Redbreast 12 yo Whiskey

Timorous Beastie Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/21/2019

In Blended Malt Whisky

Today I try a whisky named after a well known Scottish poem from the Scottish National Bard, Robert Burns. A part of the poem “To a Mouse” goes “Wee, sleekit, cowran, tim’rous beastie, O, what a panic’s in thy breastie! ” This release is part of the Remarkable Malt range and can stand tall next to Big Peat, Scallywag and Rock Oyster is Douglas Laing’s Timorous Beastie blended malt Scotch whisky.

Timorous Beastie is a blended malt made of Highland whiskies from distilleries such as Blair Athol, Dalmore, Glen Garioch, Glengoyne and more. A release from Douglas Laing to celebrate all that is the Scottish Highlands and part of their Remarkable Malts series.

The name is a nod to Scotland’s National bard Robert Burns and his poem. Scotland’s famous poet wrote this after disrupting a timid field mouse nest on his farm. The packaging has the sweetest little mouse drawing on.

The Beastie whisky range also includes a 12 year old as well as an 18 year old Beastie. There is even a limited edition 25 year old Beastie that was just released by Douglas Laing.

The non-age statement Timorous Beastie blended malt is bottled without colouring or chill-filtration. It is readily available and retail in South Africa for R 850. It is also available in the US for $ 56.

Timorous Beastie Whisky Review

ABV: 46.8%

COLOUR: Light golden yellow

NOSE: Notes of meadow honey, barley, fresh-cut green grass and flowers, grapes, apples, hints of oak, sherry and liquorice. Somewhere in the background, there is lemon and cinnamon with hints of ginger.

PALATE: Malt and oak, honey sweetness with crisp Granny Smith apples, fennel and freshly cut grass. Bits of malt, black pepper, cinnamon and smoke. Rich and creamy. It has a crisp green note. I was expecting a bit more of the sherry notes that the nose promised. Water softens and releases more sweetness. Medium body with some drying oak notes.

FINISH: Sweet and creamy with notes of oak, honey and malt with hints of lemon and chocolate.

RATING: VERY GOOD

This blended malt whisky is not a timid little mouse at all. The Timorous Beastie is drinkable and bold. It has a green freshness that makes it perfect for summer. Timorous Beastie is not the most complex whisky, but at the price point, it is value for money. A wonderful mix of the best that the Scottish Highlands have to offer.

Have you tried this release yet?

Also Read: Big Peat Cape Town Edition whisky

Balblair 17 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/07/2019

In Single Malt whisky

The third in my series on the new Balblair age statement releases and this week I look at the Balblair 17 year old single malt Scotch whisky. The Balblair 12 year old whisky set the foundation on which the rest of the series stands.

This is followed by the Balblair 15 year old, which is just delicious. The Balblair 17 year old whisky is a travel retail exclusive, so not quite part of the standard range, but something to look forward to when you travel.

Balblair is one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries. Founded in 1790 by John Ross, the distillery lies in Edderton in the Northern Highlands of Scotland. Balblair is owned by Inver House Distillers who also own the anCnoc whisky and Speyburn whisky brands.

Interestingly only an estimated 15% of Balblair’s capacity is bottled as a single malt. The rest are all used for blends, including Hankey Bannister.

The Balblair 17 year old single malt whisky is matured in American oak ex-bourbon casks and then finished in first-fill Spanish oak butts. It is not chill-filtered with no added colour.

Balblair 17 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Gold

NOSE: Dark chocolate, bits of sultanas and cherries with wood spice. Minced fruit, oak and pepper.

PALATE: Not as sweet as the 15 year old with more wood spice and fruit. Nutmeg, white pepper mixed with vanilla. Red apples, sweet figs and juicy oranges with oak and hints of honey. Bold and chewy with a medium body. Adding water makes the 17 year old a bit sweeter, but interestingly, it does not tone down on the spicy notes.

FINISH: Dark chocolate and pepper with a hint of dried orange peel in the background.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The Balblair 15 year old release showcased the fruity sweeter part of the Balblair style. This Balblair 17 year old whisky focused on the more wood spice part of the profile. It is delicious and a perfect after-dinner whisky.

This whisky will work well with a cheese board filled with fresh fruit and mature cheddar cheese. Next time I look at the last of my samples, the Balblair 18 year old whisky.

Meandering the world, one whisky at a time

Tag: Highland Whisky Page 6 of 13

Macallan 15 vs Glenfiddich 15 yo Whisky

Glenfiddich 15 year old Whisky

The Macallan Fine Oak 15 year old Whisky

Macallan 15 vs Glenfiddich 15 year old Whisky

Balblair 18 year old Whisky

Balblair 18 year old Whisky Review

Deanston 12 year old Whisky

Deanston 12 year old Whisky Review

Timorous Beastie Whisky

Timorous Beastie Whisky Review

Balblair 17 year old Whisky

Balblair 17 year old Whisky Review