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Checkers and its whisky experts have travelled to some of the world’s finest distillers to source whiskies. These hand-picked whiskies are selected for their unique character and rarity and then bottled under the Private Barrel Co. label. They include distilleries such as GlenLossie, James Sedgwick and Glen Grant.

Each bottle is individually numbered, with tasting notes.

Private Barrel Co Glenlossie 15 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/18/2019

In Single Malt whisky

I am still working through the mini bottles of whisky I had in the cupboard. Today I am looking at the Checkers Private Barrel Co Glenlossie 15 year old Scotch whisky.

Diageo owns this beautiful Speyside distillery and near to quite a few distilleries, including BenRiach, Glen Moray, Linkwood and Longmorn. It is known for its splendid roof and beautiful onion-shaped stills.

John Duff, the former manager at Glendronach, built the distillery in 1876. The distillery changed hands a few times during the years and ended up with Diageo through mergers. It takes its name from the valley of the River Lossie, which is less than a mile away.

The Glenlossie distillery is unique as it shares the building with another distillery, Mannochmore Distillery which was built in 1971. The water used in Glenlossie is drawn from the local Bardon Burn.

Also Read: Glenfarclas 12 yo Whisky

The primary volume of spirit from Glenlossie ends up in Diageo blends, including the Haig blended whisky. The Glenlossie warehouses also serve as the storage vault for more than 200,000 casks of whisky originating from many different Diageo distilleries.

You will rarely see a single malt bottling from Glenlossie. That is the reason why Checkers chose this distillery. It is an unknown distillery in SA and not something you find everywhere.

One of the few releases is the Diageo’s Flora and Fauna series where it was bottled as a 10 yo. Independent bottlings are sometimes released, and Glenlossie has featured in Signature Vintage, and Douglas Laing releases.

Checkers Private Barrel Co Glenlossie 15 year old Whisky Review

The Private Barrel Co Glenlossie 15 year old single malt whisky has been aged in bourbon casks.

REGION: Speyside

COLOUR: Rich gold

NOSE: Green notes with tropical fruit sweetness. Hints of grass and freshly baked bread. Soft spices in the background.

PALATE: Pineapple sweetness and honey balanced with vanilla and soft pink pepper. Hints of smoke and green grass mixed with bits of oak. Water releases more fruity notes and pear comes forward but softens the other notes. Soft and sophisticated.

FINISH: Medium length with hints of pepper, vanilla and fruit.

RATING: VERY GOOD

An interesting dram that brings a new dimension to the table. It is not overly complex or bold, but memorably different. Easy drinking for a late Sunday afternoon pre-dinner drink. Just add a few drops of water to release more fruitiness. This is one of those distilleries that you don’t get to try on a regular day.

I love that Checkers finds these out of the way releases. They allow us to explore new distilleries this way, which is exciting!

I have written a lot more on the Private Barrel Co releases both their “odd bin” releases where they only give the bottling a number such as the Private Barrel Co No 41 and their named releases such as the Glen Grant 17 year old or the James Sedgwick 6 year old whisky.

Also Read: McCarthy’s whiskey

Private Barrel Co No 108 Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/04/2019

In Irish Whiskey

During December, Segan, a whisky friend tagged me on a post on Instagram. He tried a new Checkers Private Barrel Co release and loved it. He described it as ‘… the best tasting Irish whiskey for the sub R300 range that I’ve had this year and has a nose like a hummingbird cake.”

Well; this interesting whiskey I needed to try. The whisky he was referring to was the Checkers Private Barrel Co No 108 Irish whiskey release.

This blog is no stranger to the Checkers Private Barrel Co releases. Both their named and unnamed releases. During 2018 they released the James Sedgwick Distillery 6 yo Fino Cask Finish which was terrific. I have also tasted the Glen Grant 17 yo and the Glenlossie 15 yo whisky from their series.

But the real of the Private Barrel Co releases lies in their unnamed releases. Both Private Barrel Co No. 41 and Private Barrel Co no 68 whisky is excellent and very affordable. By not revealing the Distillery name, Private Barrel Co is able to sell the whisky at a fraction of the cost. The bottles do, however, have an age statement and full tasting notes.

The Private Barrel Co No 108 Irish whiskey is a 3 year old, aged in American Oak. It retails for R280 at Checkers, and I found a few at the Checkers store at the Mall of Africa.

Private Barrel Co No 108 3 year old Irish Whiskey Review

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Gold

NOSE: Oak, fruity sweetness with hints of spice, honey and orange blossoms. The nose is delicate and fragrant and opens up more when you add a few drops of water.

PALATE: Smooth and sweet with notes of fruit, vanilla, oak and caramel. Freshly baked pancakes with cinnamon sugar mixed with nutmeg. Faint hints of milk chocolate and cereal. A bit of alcohol heat that smooths out with a few drops of water. The Private Barrel Co No 108 is smooth and creamy and very easy drinking.

FINISH: Medium length with notes of oak and nutmeg.

RATING: EXCELLENT

I think Checkers has done it again. A great tasting whiskey at a reasonable price. I was a bit scared that the young age would be visible on the taste profile with a few rough edges. However, the Private Barrel Co team knows how to choose the best barrels.

Grab it if you see it, you will not be disappointed. Only 7 200 bottles were released, and I am sure there are not too many left. Thank you for the recommendation Segan. A very delicious dram!

Also Read: How to make a whisky bottle lamp

Private Barrel Co. James Sedgwick Distillery 6 yo Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/18/2018

In Single Malt whisky

A couple of weeks ago, The House of Fine Whisky at Checkers unveiled its latest addition. Something exceptional. A Proudly South African release. The Checkers Private Barrel Co. frequently makes an appearance here on my blog.

The Private Barrel Co No. 41 and Private Barrel Co no 68 is a firm favourite in my house, and their Distillery releases always promise something unusual. They have even released a Private Barrel Co no 108 – a 3 yo Irish whiskey.

This is the first South African whisky to join the exclusive Private Barrel Co. collection of whiskies. And it is a single malt from the award-winning James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington.

The James Sedgwick Distillery 6 yo whisky a slightly peated single malt that spent its first 3 years in older American oak, followed by 3 years in a seasoned Fino cask. During the beginning of 2017, the Checkers team got the approval to go ahead with the project.

On the 23rd of August 2017, they made the selection, and it has been released into the trade during June 2018. I have a suspicion that by the end of August 2018, this release will have sold out.

Only 677 bottles of the Private Barrel Co. James Sedgwick Distillery 6 yo Fino Cask is available, so this whisky is set to become a collector’s item. Fortunately, I managed to get my hand on two bottles, 1 to taste now and 1 to keep for a special occasion.

All the bottles carry the signature of master distiller Andy Watts who was recently awarded the 2018 Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky World Master Distiller / Master Blender of the Year award.

Another thing worth noting: This is the highest ABV to ever come out of the James Sedgwick Distillery. Both the Three Ships PX Cask and the Three Ships Pinotage Cask was bottled at 46.2% and the Three Ships 10 yo is bottled at 44.6%. So this 54.6% ABV is rather respectable.

James Sedgwick Distillery 6 yo Fino Cask Whisky Review

This is bottle 112 / 677

COUNTRY: South Africa

ABV: 54.6%

COLOUR: Deep mahogany, a similar colour than the Aberlour A’Bunadh whisky.

NOSE: A basket of mixed fruit berries (berries of the forest or in Dutch, bosbessen). Blackberries, juicy cherries and blueberries. Brandy soaked raisins. Sweetness floating in the background. Hints of creme brûlée with the faintest hint of cinnamon.

PALATE: The palate is spicier than the nose suggested. Rich chocolate cherry flavours with cinnamon and bit of vanilla. It’s chewy and delicious. The spice is not overwhelming, but warming and beautiful. The mouthfeel is creamy, and there is this suggestion of lightly toasted macadamia nuts.

The addition of water transforms this and releases more of the sherry sweetness. It’s chewy, delicious and fun drinking. Easy on the palette and super smooth.

FINISH: The finish is a little short, but that could be me just being super greedy on not wanting this pleasant taste to end. There are notes of light pepper and fruity berries with a nutty flavour.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What a beautiful whisky. Perfectly balanced, rich and satisfying with a very decent ABV. This release shows why Andy is one of the top Master Distillers in the world. And I know that there are more where this comes from. This is a limited release that is probably flying off the shop floor. If you have not got your hands on this, go quickly.

I have done a side by side comparison between this release and the That Boutique-y Whisky Company Three Ships 6 yo release. Here you can read about the differences between these two 6 yo whiskies. Pick n Pay also jumped on the single cask band wagon and released a Three Ships Virgin Oak bottling.

Comparing the Three Ships 10 yo PX Cask and the James Sedgwick Distillery 6 yo Fino Cask Whisky

My ‘official’ Private Barrel Co. James Sedgwick Distillery 6 yo Fino Cask tasting happened on Friday, as usual. However, Saturday afternoon, while sitting next to the braai keeping an eye on the World Cup Soccer Iceland vs Argentina game, we decided to try a side by side comparison.

We did a blind tasting in my green Ardbeg glasses. The 6 yo Fino is so much darker than the PX Cask, and these were the only glasses I have that could hide the colour difference.

Even on a blind tasting, these two whiskies are so different – its unbelievable. Both from the same distillery, both finished in sherry, but two very different drams. A Pedro Ximénez sherry versus a Fino sherry.

The Three Ships PX cask has more spice, peat and smoke with light fruit cake notes. The James Sedgwick Distillery 6 yo Fino Cask is sweeter with soaked Christmas pudding notes and a more woody finish. Both delicious and very difficult to choose a favourite.

These beautiful drams are a great testament to the craftsmanship of a world-class Master Distiller. A skill that needs to be celebrated. How special would it be if Distell could celebrate the 5th consecutive Gold medal in the New York International Spirits Competition for Bain’s whisky and release some of the older casks (such as the 15 yo Bain’s release) as a limited release?

Or celebrate their Master Distiller winning the Top Icon of Whisky Master Distillers Award by releasing a few more of his extraordinary creations as limited editions. We can but hope!

Also Read: Mackinlay’s Whisky

Checkers Private Barrel Co No 68 Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/31/2017

In Single Malt whisky

Something different today, in honour of World Whisky Day I try the Checkers Private Barrel Co No 68 single malt Scotch whisky. Founded in 2012 and celebrated on the third Saturday in May, World Whisky Day is a global event to celebrate all that is whisky or whiskey.

An opportunity to bring people together and to share a glass of your favourite dram. This year Checkers invited a group of whisky lovers around the country to participate in a special Twitter tasting. An event to celebrate the friendship that whisky creates.

Anel Grobler, the editor of DrinksFeed, ran the Twitter tasting and we had the opportunity to taste four whiskies from the Checkers Private Barrel Co. I have written about the Private Barrel Co whisky before. The team behind Private Barrel company source unique limited single barrel whisky and bottle it under the Private Barrel Co label.

The aim is to offer the whisky lover something unique, different and above all, affordable. Private Barrel Co sources single casks from distillers that would not typically bottle a single cask or distilleries not well known in South Africa. The team look for finishes and releases that are out of the ordinary.

The Twitter Tasting

During the Twitter tasting we got to taste:

The Glenlossie 15 yo single malt with its palate of pineapple, subtle spice and honey;
The Glen Grant 17 yo that I have written about;
The latest addition to the Private Barrel Co. is a 10 yo Glen Scotia from the award-winning Campbeltown distillery of the year and matured in first-fill American oak casks. The Glen Scotia 10 yo has notes of pineapple and lemon zest along with hints of orange marmalade, sliced apple with honey and vanilla syrup on the palate.
The Private Barrel Co No 68 and it stood out. A 12 yo single malt Scotch whisky matured in American oak bourbon casks. I have written about the Private Barrel Co. No 41 single malt before and that release quickly made it into my Top 5 affordable Single Malts. After tasting this No 68 Scotch and seeing the price, I had to go out and get a bottle.

Also Read: Balvenie Triple Cask 16 yo Whisky

Checkers Private Barrel Co No 68 Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Polished copper with red hints

NOSE: Initially, the Private Barrel Co No 68 has the classic sweet vanilla notes of bourbon and toasted oak. This is followed by faint winter spice, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper balanced with fudge and toffee sweetness.

PALATE: Smooth and spicy. On second sip hints of oak appear with some brandied fruit sweetness and berries. Bits of Christmas pudding, wet wood and vanilla. This release is quite spicy, but it is a warming cinnamon, and nutmeg winter spice taste, more than a pepper spice.

The addition of water transforms this dram – removing some the spice and releasing the sweetness. The Private Barrel Co No 68 has a medium body. <

FINISH: Medium length ending in vanilla and hints of lemon.

RATING: EXCELLENT

For the price range, this Private Barrel Co No 68 is excellent quality! A great addition to the Private Barrel Co. Range This release is widely available and will make it onto my Top 5 affordable Single Malts for 2017.

I was not the only one who loved it. It also paired very well with an aged cheddar as well as an oxtail. It is drinkable and warming and perfect for winter.

The Private Barrel Co released a James Sedgwick Distillery 6 yo Fino Cask during 2018, and you can read all about it too.

Also Read: Galloway Single Grain Whisky

Checkers Private Barrel Co No 41 Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 11/07/2016

In Single Malt whisky

One of the hardest things to do is to build a whisky collection on a budget. With an increase in demand and a hunger for unique and aged whisky, prices have been going through the roof and distilleries are releasing NAS versions at crazy prices.

With the Rand playing yo-yo against all major currencies (Nene-gate, State Capture report and Brexit), getting my hands on quality, affordable whisky has become harder and harder.

I have found budget blends and bourbons, but the big challenge has been single malts. Then I landed up at a Checkers lunch close to Hein Herbst (SA’s own MaltDoc), and he told me about the Checkers Private Barrel Co no 41 single malt Scotch whisky.

I have tried a few of the Checkers Private Barrel Co releases before. I have the Glen Grant 17 yo in my collection and tasted the Glendronach 20 yo, and a few others and they are delicious. These releases are, however, not in the budget category, i.e. under R 750. But, during 2014, Checkers released a whisky that doesn’t have a distillery listed at around R 230.

The concept works similar to the Checkers Odd Bins wine and champagne range. Odd Bins work on the idea that Checkers source top-class wine and champagne (and now whisky) from well-known wineries and distilleries and then bottle them under a unique bin number, not revealing where the whisky was sourced.

By not revealing the distillery, Checkers can sell the whisky at a fraction of the cost. It does have an age statement and full tasting notes on the bottle.

I was somewhat sceptical about an ‘Odd Bins’ whisky range, but MaltDoc assured me that he got a whole case of the Barrel 41 as it is so good. Barrel 39 is sold out, but Barrel 41 is still available, and I managed to grab a bottle.

It was bottled in 2015, and only 3 000 were released. If I was to wager a guess, the whisky in the Checkers Private Barrel Co No 41 single malt is from a Speyside distillery close to the Highlands border. Checkers, however, are keeping quiet on the origin.

Also Read: Michel Couvreur Peaty Whisky

Checkers Private Barrel Co No 41 Whisky Review

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Dark yellow gold

NOSE: On the initial nose there’s a lot of toffee sweetness with a little bit of spice. There is an element of sherry in the nose as well as summer fruits. It is followed by marshmallow and malty goodness floating about.

PALATE: The Private Barrel Co No 41 is bursting with fruity flavour mixed with creamy, buttery fudge, toffee sweetness and hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. Hints of candied fruits. I finished my first glass without water and then had to pour a second glass to see the impact of water on the dram. The addition of water certainly brings out a lot more smoothness and brings some floral notes to the front.

FINISH: A strong point to this particular release is a long and lingering finish. It is probably one of the longest finishes that I have experienced in a long time. The addition of water seems to improve the finish. The Private Barrel Co No 41 ends in notes of spice and toffee sweetness, perfectly balanced.

RATING: EXCELLENT

When Hein said that he bought a case of the Barrel No 41, I must honestly say, I thought he was overreacting. Can it be that good? But it is! It is delicious, smooth and easy drinking.

Well done Checkers team for choosing this delightful release and bringing it to us at an affordable price point. I am looking forward to many more Private Barrel Co. whisky releases.

The Private Barrel Coo released a James Sedgwick Distillery 6 yo Fino Cask during 2018 as well as a Private Barrel Co No 108. It is a 3 yo Irish whiskey release, and you can read all about it too.

Also Read: Nikka Miyagikyo whisky