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LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton commonly known as LVMH, is a French holding multinational corporation and conglomerate specializing in luxury goods, headquartered in Paris, France. They own various perfumes, cosmetics and fashion lines and also the following distilleries and whisky brands:
Ardbeg Distillery
Glenmorangie Distillery
Hennessy cognac
Belvedere Vodka

ardbeg 10 vs talisker 10 yo single malt whisky side by side comparison
Today I have a big battle, a courageous battle; the battle of the islands. A side by side comparison of the Ardbeg 10 vs Talisker 10 year old single malt Scotch whisky. Nestled amidst the rugged landscapes and salty sea breeze on the Isle of Skye, is a dram that has stolen my heart; the Talisker 10 year old whisky.

In my whisky journey, I’ve discovered that timing matters. If I had encountered this island dram earlier, I might not have fully appreciated its allure. However, there is another Scottish island 10 year old whisky that has achieved cult status and that consistently offers a delicious drinking experience. One of John’s favourites; the Ardbeg 10 year old.

The Talisker 10 year old whisky embodies the essence of a coastal fishing village. In contrast, the Ardbeg 10 year old whisky emanates from the heart of peat. Today, I invite you to join me on a comparative journey as we explore the distinctive flavours of Ardbeg 10 vs Talisker 10 year old whisky.

Ardbeg 10 year old Whisky

Review and tasting notes Ardbeg 10 yo whisky with glass

Ardbeg, situated on the southern shores of Islay, proudly holds the title “Peat Capital of the World.” Their Ardbeg 10 year old Islay single malt is a testament to this reputation. It is crafted from heavily peated malt, boasting a remarkable peat content ranging from 55 to 65 ppm (parts per million).

Aged for a minimum of 10 years in ex-bourbon barrels, this whisky is a prized creation under the LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) umbrella.

Talisker 10 year old Whisky

Review and tasting notes Talisker 10 yo with glass

Venturing to the windswept Isle of Skye, we discover the Talisker distillery, founded in 1830 by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill along the shores of Loch Harport. Now a part of the Diageo family, Talisker plays a vital role in the Johnnie Walker Red Label blend.

The Talisker 10 year old single malt carries an entirely different peat profile, with peat levels typically resting between 18 and 22 ppm.

Also Read: Ardbeg Uigeadail vs An Oa whisky

Ardbeg 10 vs Talisker 10 year old Whisky

ardbeg 10 vs talisker 10 Whisky Comparison

	Ardbeg 10 yo	Talker 10 yo
Region	Islay Whisky	Island Whisky
ABV	46%	45.8%
Peat Level	55 to 65 ppm	18 to 22 ppm
Colour	Pale Straw with green hints	Bright Gold
Nose	Peat and smoke with hints of vanilla, sea salt and citrus sweetness. Not overwhelming, but beautifully balanced and rich.	Smoke and peat mixed with fruity sweetness, seaweed and salty air. A dry bit of sundried fish and orange blossoms.
Palate	The characteristic Ardbeg peat and smoke and medicinal notes balanced with oaky vanilla sweetness and spice and lemon. Dark roasted coffee and a bit of iodine.	Peat, smoke with hints of ash and salt. This is all wonderfully balanced out with a fruity sweetness with hints of black pepper and coastal air. Faint hints of chocolate.
Finish	One of the longest and full-bodied finishes around with salted caramel, peat and hints of sweetness. An epic finish!	Rich and rewarding ending on notes of faint peat, bits of pepper and soft sweetness.
My Rating	Excellent	Excellent
Comments	Not chill-filtered Complex, and big, but not overwhelming.	It is rich and wonderfully balanced. This ensures that it is easy drinking and delicious.
You will like it if you are looking for…	If you are looking for the Islay medicinal peat notes, this is it. Perfectly balanced with peat, smoke and fruit.	If you are looking for sea spray, salt type of peat to remind you of the ocean. Warming like a wood fire while the storm rages outside.
Price	$65	$75
Pairs well with	Garlic leg of Lamb or a charcuterie platter, Blue cheese or smoky BBQ pork	Kipper quiche or paté, Strong cheddar or Roquefort, smoked almonds, sushi

Tasting these two whiskies side by side opens up a fresh perspective, allowing us to discern the nuances that might otherwise be overshadowed when sipped in isolation. The distinctions between these two island drams become pronounced in a direct side by side comparison.

Talisker graces the palate with a peaty, maritime essence, evoking the very soul of the ocean. There are notes of sun-dried fish, peat, smoke and orange blossoms. Fruity sweetness mixed with bits of chocolate and black pepper.

Ardbeg leans towards a more medicinal character. There are notes of peat and smoke mixed with vanilla and a medicinal (TCP) note balanced out with oak and dark coffee. Big and bold with a nice complexity.

Both are exceptional in their own right. Personally, I find Talisker to be the easier-drinking option. At the same time, my husband has a penchant for the bolder flavours of Ardbeg. Fortunately, we need not choose between them, as both standard releases are readily accessible and reasonably priced.

In addition to this Ardbeg vs Talisker comparison, I’ve also conducted a side-by-side exploration of Ardbeg 10 yo and Lagavulin 16 yo whisky, further enriching my Islay whisky journey.

So, whether you’re a seasoned whisky enthusiast or a newcomer to the world of spirits, these comparative tastings offer a delightful way to appreciate the intricacies and artistry that go into crafting these exceptional island drams.

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Also Read: Ardbeg 10 vs An Oa Whisky

Whisky of the Year 2018

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 12/31/2018

In Lifestyle

Bottles of whisky on the shelf to celebrate the whisky of the year for 2018 During the year, I am fortunate to taste many new whiskies. Some are not bad, and some I never want to taste again. Just search for “Ordinary” on this blog, and you will find quite a few examples of these. However, now and again, I taste something that blows my mind.

Something so delicious that I want to go out and buy many more bottles.Sometimes these Divine drams are limited releases, and when my bottle is finished, there will be no more. But sometimes they are standard releases that are readily available.

And this has been such a year. I have tasted 4 whiskies that we rated Divine. And each of these is readily available. They are not mindbogglingly expensive; they are quite affordable actually. But they were stand out drams that I loved.

And as always, at the end of each year, we gathered a few friends and blind taste-tested the year’s Divine whiskies to choose the Whisky of the Year 2018. The friends who helped was Roelia from Boozy Foodie and her hubby Jan from Social Savage.

The process is similar every year, a blind taste test and then every person individually ranked the glasses from 1 to 4. This gives us our Whisky of the Year. Here are the 4 whiskies in alphabetic order.

Best Single Malt: Ardbeg An Oa Whisky

Ardbeg An Oa single malt whisky header It was with great fanfare that Ardbeg launched an extension to their core range – Ardbeg An Oa. The first permanent expression to join the Ardbeg core range since Corryvreckan in 2009. I have been less impressed lately by the Ardbeg Day releases, so I was rather sceptical about this new release.

Was this just another premium-priced release that does not live up to the hype? Oh Hell No. This Islay dram was just perfect. It warms you up with the traditional peat and smoke, but it is elegant and smooth. The Ardbeg An Oa single malt Scotch whisky is not the salty, TCP and strong tar pole notes of an Ardbeg Uigeadail, but a softer, more classic version of it.

Notes of peat, creamy honey, salted liquorice with hints of cough syrup. Bits of toasted nuts and pine needles mixed with vanilla, lemon pepper and chocolate. It’s a fascinating and glorious mix of aromas and tastes. It’s complex, subtle and different all at once. It has a finish that is a mile long and lingers around you like a favourite old jersey.

Best Bourbon: Blanton’s Gold Edition

Blanton’s Gold Edition Bourbon whiskey header Blanton’s bourbon whiskey was launched in 1984 as a Single Barrel Bourbon. It is part of the Sazerac Company and distilled in Frankfort, Kentucky at the Buffalo Trace Distillery. What makes the Blanton’s bottle unique is the eight different stopper designs.

The stoppers feature a figurine of a racehorse and jockey in eight different scenes of a horse race, from standing at the gate to crossing the finish line with a win. I was wondering if this will be the only stopper in my collection, but after tasting this delicious bourbon, I am going to be looking for more bottles.

The Blanton’s Gold has notes of oak, warming rye, condensed milk, hints of sun-dried oranges and vanilla. It is rich and creamy bursting with a complex mix of tastes. There are notes of toasted oak, fudge, cinnamon, chocolate-covered oranges, Sichuan pepper with faint hints of cherries. And with an impressive ABV! A beautiful finish that leaves you with fudge, cinnamon, pepper and hints of orange peel.

Best Blend: Johnnie Walker Black Label

Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 yo blended whisky header Affordable, available all around the world and an icon! Johnnie Walker Black Label is a blend of about 40 whiskies from all around Scotland. Smoother and more drinkable than its little brother the Johnnie Walker Red, the Black Label has reached cult status. And I can understand why.

It offers a consistent, delicious experience which I keep on going back to. The Johnnie Walker Black label Scotch whisky has notes of smoke, red berries, 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.

This Black Label is an all-together impressive dram. I always have a bottle of this in the house, and I love this (FAR) more than the more expensive Johnnie Walker releases I have tried.

Best World Whisky: Paul John Classic Cask Select

Paul John Classic Select Cask Whisky header Paul John is a brand of Indian single malt whisky and single cask whisky, manufactured by John Distilleries in Goa. John Distilleries was founded by Mr Paul P. John in 1992, when they began producing several spirits, including Indian molasses-based ‘whisky’.

In 2008, John Distilleries attempted a single malt whisky, and the rest is history. Paul John Single Malt was launched in 2012 in the UK, and there was an overwhelmingly positive response to the golden liquid from this Indian distillery. And I am so glad that it is readily available in South Africa too.

The Paul John Classic Select Cask is an unpeated single malt that has been matured in ex-bourbon barrels and bottled without chill-filtration at cask strength. Again it comes at an impressive 55.2% ABV. The Paul John Classic Select Cask has notes of freshly baked apple pie sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, barley, faint hints of vanilla and candied fruits.

Hints of toffee, oak with warming cinnamon and soft pepper nicely balanced with honey sweetness. It has a delicious finish rich with oak, cinnamon and fruit. This year, the winning whisky and the runner up was only 1 point apart. But in the end, there can only be 1 winner.<

And the winner of the Whisky of the Year 2018 is…

Whisky of the year 2018 - Ardbeg An Oa I have to mention the runner up – it was the Paul John Classic Cask select. A delicious dram. From a distillery that I will be exploring more of! Well, that it is for 2018. Thank you for all your support this year. Wishing you many wonderful glasses of whisky in 2019. Early next year I will start again. But now it is time to sit back and relax and enjoy a glass of An Oa.

Great whisky gifts under R1000

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 12/05/2018

In Lifestyle

The second in my series on my Top whisky gift guide and I titled it ‘ Great Whisky gifts under R1000 to make you smile’. I am moving to a more accessible group, looking at whisky between R500 and R1000. In this category, you are spoilt for choice.

There are some fantastic releases in this price class that will not break the bank but will make for a very appreciated gift for the whisky lover in your life. Many of these releases come with gift packs during this time of the year, so it is a great time to shop.

Again, I am trying to find releases that I have tasted this last period and that have not previously made of my top 5 lists. There are many more. Just search the Excellent category on the blog, and you will find many many delicious drams. But these stood out for me in 2018. All in alphabetical order.

Also Read: Espresso Martini Cocktail

Whisky gifts under R1000

Ardbeg An Oa Whisky

It was with great fanfare that Ardbeg launched an extension to their core range – the Ardbeg An Oa single malt Scotch whisky. The first permanent expression to join the Ardbeg core range since Corryvreckan in 2009. I was rather sceptical. I am not always so crazy about the Ardbeg Day releases. But wow, this release was impressive.

The whisky is named after the Mull of Oa in the south-west of Islay. Maturation of Ardbeg An Oa took place in a combination of casks including PX, spicy charred virgin oak and ex-bourbon.

It has notes of peat, creamy honey, salted liquorice with hints of cough syrup. Bits of ash, sweet vanilla and cinnamon sugar, hints of chocolate and toasted oak. The Ardbeg An Oa has a big mouthfeel, and it’s smooth and velvety on the palate. Water softens the medicinal notes and adds more sweetness.

The Ardbeg An Oa Islay whisky is not the salty, TCP and strong tar pole notes of an Ardbeg Uigeadail, but a softer, more classic version of it. It retails for around R 800 at major retailers and is so worth it!

Blanton’s Gold Edition Bourbon Whiskey

This bourbon was my first Divine rated whiskey for 2018. The bottle is short and round with a unique stopper – easily recognizable. The Blanton’s Gold bourbon whiskey is bottled at a whopping 51.5% ABV, and it is part of the Sazerac Company and distilled in Frankfort, Kentucky at the Buffalo Trace Distillery.

What makes the Blanton’s bottle unique is the very collectable eight different stopper designs. The stoppers feature a figurine of a racehorse and jockey in eight different scenes of a horse race. From standing at the gate to crossing the finish line with a win.

The Blanton’s Gold is rich and creamy bursting with a complex mix of tastes. There are notes of toasted oak, fudge, cinnamon, chocolate-covered oranges, Sichuan pepper, hints of cherries, honey and vanilla.

Big and beautiful. It needs just a few drops to tone down the bit of alcohol burn and release more complexity. Blanton’s Gold Edition bourbon is bold and demands your attention. All of it!

Three Ships Oloroso Cask 8 yo Whisky

I had to add this release to my ‘Whisky gifts under R1000’ list. The only whisky I have not tasted before. But Andy Watts is an absolute master at distilling and blending, and I love everything that comes from the James Sedgwick Distillery.

I am keeping this release for a special occasion and will publish my formal tasting notes probably early 2019. But you can rest assured, the Three Ships Oloroso Cask 8 yo is beautiful. And a gift worth giving.

A specially selected single malt was matured for 5 years in American Oak and then transferred to Oloroso Sherry casks for a further 3 years. It has notes of dried fruit, crunchy nuts, rich chocolate with red berries and cinnamon. I see that there are still a few bottles available at Norman Goodfellows and they retail for R 749.

Powers John’s Lane 12 yo Whiskey

In 1791 James Power, an innkeeper from Dublin, established a small distillery at his public house. The little distillery grew, and grew and ownership remained in the family until 1966.

Powers distillery was one of the first distilleries to install a Coffey still to allow for the production of grain whiskey. Through the ups and downs, the Powers brand continued.

Power John Lane Release returns to the origin of the Powers Irish whiskey and celebrates the style that made Powers so famous. The Powers John’s Lane Release is a combination of 12 year old single pot still whiskey aged in two different types of casks.

The majority is matured in bourbon casks and the remaining spirit in Oloroso sherry casks. First released in 2011, it was an instant hit. It won the ‘Irish Whiskey of the Year’ in the 2012 edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

The Powers John’s Lane Release has notes of malt, rich autumn fruit dusted with cocoa, dark chocolate with hints of caramel and bits of toasted oak, nutmeg and sherry. Smooth and warming. Water softens the spices and brings more honey notes.

I can understand why Jim Murray gave this a 96.5 in the 2015 Whisky Bible. For a change, I agree with him. It is delicious. The Powers John’s Lane Release retails for around R900.

Wemyss The Hive Whisky

Last but not least, in my ‘Whisky gifts under R1000’ list, I have had a long love affair with Wemyss releases. Since the first time I tasted Wemyss in Dullstroom, I have been in love. Wemyss was not available in SA until about 2 years ago. But all this changed with Wemyss bringing a few of their standard releases into SA.

However, the core of the Wemyss blended malts is the three releases aptly named The Hive, The Spice King and The Peat Chimney. All bottled at 46% ABV.

The Hive was launched in 2011, and the release that is available in SA has no-age-statement (NAS). Wemyss The Hive focuses on sweet honey qualities with a few Speysider style notes at the core of this blend. It is a blend of at least 10 single malts.

Wemyss The Hive has lashings of floral honey sweetness, freshly baked apple pie malt and oak with bits of vanilla, ginger. Adding water makes it easier to drink and releases more of the honeycomb sweetness. Rich and delicious.

Not the most complex dram, but easy drinking and fun. Perfect for summer! Let it stand for a few minutes and add enough water. The Hive also pair wonderfully with fresh French pastry. It retails for around R 650 in SA.

There you have it. A fun selection of five great whiskies that will put a smile on your or your whisky lover partner’s face. Next week I will explore whisky under R1500 with which to spoil someone. Until then, Sláinte!

Also Read: Valentine’s Day Cocktails

Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/17/2018

In Single Malt whisky

A couple of months ago a beautiful press drop arrived. It was the Glenmorangie Spios whisky, the 10^th release from the Glenmorangie Private Collection series.

While doing research on the Private Collection and the Spios whisky, I realized that I have another bottle from the series, one of the first Private Collection releases to come out. It is the Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX single malt Scotch whisky.

Background and history of the Glenmorangie were covered in the Glenmorangie 18 yo whisky and the Glenmorangie Lasanta posts, and you can read all about it in these posts.

With its Private Collection series, in particular, Glenmorangie can explore the possibilities present in whisky production. The Glenmorangie Director of Distilling, Dr Bill Lumsden, travels across the world to find and experiment with different casks, grains, and flavours.

Also Read: Balvenie Portwood whisky

Released in 2009, Sonnalta translates to “Liberal” in Gaelic. This name honours the generous amount of time that the whisky spent in Pedro Ximénez (PX) casks. This gives the Sonnalta PX a significant sherry influence.

The Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX single malt spent 10 years maturing in American white oak casks and was then transferred into Spanish ex-Pedro Ximénez casks for its final two years of extra-maturation. Pedro Ximénez Sherry is traditionally known for its very sweet taste with notes of candied fig and dates.

The Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX whisky is a limited release and not available any more.

Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX Whisky Review

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REGION: Highland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Dark gold with red hints

NOSE: You can’t mistake the sherry influence on the nose. The sweetness of sun-dried raisins, hints of oak, vanilla, fruits and spices. Rich and complex, it promises much.

PALATE: The sweetness continues on the palate, but it is nicely balanced with hints of pepper and vanilla spice, red berry fruit with green floral notes, nutty creaminess and toffee. Hints of malty goodness and dark chocolate. Adding water softens the spice and make the Sonnalta very drinkable. It has a medium body and mouthfeel.

FINISH: Long and lingering with sweet notes

RATING: VERY GOOD

The Sonnalta is a lovely dram. Delicious and easy drinking, but I was hoping for a bit more. After 2 years in PX casks, I was expecting more of the sherry richness to come through. A great release, but comparing it to a few other PX releases, such as the Three Ships PX Cask, it lacked the last bit of sherry boldness and depth.

I have paired the Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX with some Wensleydale cheese over here, and it was delicious! It made for a wonderful whisky cheese pairing.

Also Read: The Glenlivet Alpha Whisky

Glenmorangie Spios Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/07/2018

In Single Malt whisky

About two weeks ago, a beautiful press drop arrived at my office. It was an embossed box with golden writing. The box contained a generous sample of the new Glenmorangie Spios Highland single malt Scotch whisky and a Glenmorangie glass. What a treat! Spios is the 9th release in the Glenmorangie’s highly rated Private Edition Series.

Other releases in this series included the Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX, Glenmorangie Milsean and the Glenmorangie Bacalta whisky. The Glenmorangie’s Private Edition range is a special once-off and limited release that comes out every year.

The goal of the Private Edition Series is to showcase a new interpretation on the Glenmorangie flavour profile. Glenmorangie, together with Ardbeg, is part of the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy group.

Spios is Glenmorangie’s first single malt whisky fully matured in American ex-rye whiskey casks. Spios is the Gaelic word for “spice”. Even though this is a NAS release, according to a few hints dropped during the release presentation, it was aged for around 10 years in casks that previously held American rye whiskey.

I have written about rye whisky before when I looked at the Rittenhouse Rye and the Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye whisky. Rye whisky had it’s (first) heyday during the early 20th century when it was served in the USA’s most prestigious salons. Rye whiskeys’ distinctive and spicy notes inspired classic cocktails such as the Old Fashioned and the Manhattan.

Over time, rye whiskey slipped into obscurity, where it would remain until about 10 years ago. A rye whisk revival is bringing more and more rye releases to market as consumers are looking for new flavour profiles.

Glenmorangie’s Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks, Dr Bill Lumsden, chose the American rye casks to complement the distinctive Highland Glenmorangie style.

Also Read: The Balvenie Single Barrel whisky

Glenmorangie Spios Whisky

American rye whiskey is distilled from grain which must be at least 51 per cent rye and is matured in new, charred oak barrels only. The Glenmorangie Spios single malt is not chill-filtered.

REGION: Highlands

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Golden Wheat

NOSE: Freshly baked hot cross buns with honey, fresh fruit salad, meadow flowers and herbs with only the faintest hints of spices.

PALATE: The first sip brings the rye spices. Cinnamon, cloves, black pepper comes through, and then comes toffee sweetness and fresh fruit. There is a hint of toasted marshmallows. The spices are bold, but not overwhelming. It is wonderfully balanced with sweetness and complements the Glenmorangie fruitiness perfectly. The Spios has a medium body and is quite oily in the glass.

FINISH: Long and lingering with hints of spice, sweetness and liquorice.

RATING: EXCELLENT

I think that this was a very successful experiment. The Glenmorangie Spios Scotch whisky is delicious and inviting. Not too sweet and not too spicy. It will be a fantastic warming dram in winter. It is easy-drinking, and it is suggested that you try this Glenmorangie Spios with a bar of chilli-infused dark chocolate. The Glenmorangie Spios is now available in SA and cost around R1 225.

I have tasted and captured my tasting notes for the Glenmorangie 18 yo and the Glenmorangie Lasanta over here.

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

Also Read: Dalmore Cigar Malt whisky