Tag: Rating: Excellent Page 10 of 41

Whisky of the Week review and tasting notes for whiskies that I rated as Excellent. Excellent means that after tasting the whisky, I want to pour a second and third glass. It is whisky that I want to keep on drinking and when the bottle is finished, I will buy another one. Rating: Excellent

During March this year, I got to meet Cam Dawson at a Jack Daniel’s function and taste a few exciting Jack Daniel’s releases. It was a great function that introduces a few whisky friends to more of how Jack Daniel’s is made.

We got to taste a variety of releases, however, the Jack Daniel’s release that impressed me most was the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Tennessee whiskey. I liked it so much, I went out and bought a bottle. At R600 a bottle, it is not too expensive and quite readily available.

Jack Daniel’s whiskey is not bourbon, but it is classified as a Tennessee whiskey. Despite bearing most of the same characteristics as bourbon in production methods, Jack Daniel’s whiskey enjoys filtration through a 10-foot stack of sugar maple charcoal before maturation.

This extra step, known as the Lincoln County Process, removes impurities and the taste of corn. It is what makes a Tennessee whisky different from a bourbon. Jack Daniel’s refers to this filtering step as “mellowing”.

The mash bill for Jack Daniel’s is made from corn, rye and malted barley, and is distilled in copper stills. Jack Daniel’s is labelled as a sour mash” whiskey, which means that when the mash is prepared, some of the wet solids from a previously used batch are mixed in to help make the fermentation process operate more consistently.

Jack Daniel’s is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee, by the Jack Daniel Distillery, which has been owned by the Brown-Forman Corporation since 1956. Other releases include the Gentleman Jack whisky and Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select whiskey.

Also Read: Jim Beam Double Oak Bourbon

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Whiskey Review

All Jack Daniel’s whiskey start out as Old No. 7. To become Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, the whiskey is matured in toasted and charred new white American oak barrels and stored in the uppermost part of the warehouse. Here the dramatic changes in temperature cause its colour and taste to deepen further. It is bottled at 94 proof.

COUNTRY: USA

ABV: 47%

COLOUR: Dark copper with hints of mahogany

NOSE: Ripe red berries, vanilla, a hint of mint, caramel sweetness, a bit of toasted oak.

PALATE: The Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel whiskey is creamy with notes of cherries layered with caramel, vanilla, hints of coffee and cereal balanced with cinnamon and pepper spice. It is rich and complex and the layers open up slowly when you take a second sip. Water releases some more of the sweetness and softens the pepper. I just love it.

FINISH: Long and lingering and ends in notes of pepper and citrus.

RATING: EXCELLENT

This Tennessee whiskey is big and bold and has a yummy’ness to it. It is one of those drams that just begs you for a second glass. Easily my favourite of the bunch that I have tasted so far. Rich, rewarding, sophisticated and just simply delicious. I also love the bottle shape.

Playing around, I found that the fruity nature of this whiskey pairs well with a sweeter Monterey Jack cheese.

I have started a series where I compare two whiskies with each other. A side by side comparison to look at the strong point of each whisky. The first comparison is between Woodford Reserve vs Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel. Go and look what how they differ and my suggestion for when to drink each release.

Talking about Jack Daniel’s, I have also done a side by side comparison between the Old No 7 and the Gentleman Jack whiskey.

Also Read: Jameson Caskmates Whiskey

Yellow Spot 12 year old Irish Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 04/04/2022

In Irish Whiskey

Green, Yellow, Red, Blue; you can be forgiven if you thought today was another edition of the Johnnie Walker range. But today, I am looking at an Irish whiskey. Yellow Spot 12 year old Irish whiskey is the second addition to the ‘Spot’ range of Irish whiskies.

Mitchell devised a simple colour-coding scheme for identifying casks, using spots of coloured paint on each cask in the warehouse to track the age of the whiskey in each barrel. Blue Spot was 7 years old, Green Spot was 10 years old, Yellow Spot was 12 years old, and Red Spot whiskey was 15 years old.

The name stuck, and today the ‘Spot’ range is produced specifically for Mitchell & Son of Dublin by Irish Distillers at the Midleton Distillery in Cork, Ireland. Yellow Spot whiskey is part of the Pernod Ricard brand portfolio.

Also Read: Jameson Whiskey

Green Spot was first released in 1933, followed by a few more Spot colours. However, the bonder’s style category whiskies disappeared when distillery bottled releases took over the market. Green Spot was the last to be discontinued in the 1950s.

Fortunately, Green Spot was reintroduced to the market in the early 2000s, and Yellow Spot whiskey followed in 2012

Yellow Spot is a single pot still Irish whiskey, matured in three types of cask: American Bourbon cask, Spanish Sherry butts and Spanish Malaga casks (a sweet fortified wine) for a sweeter flavour. It has been aged for at least 12 years.

Yellow Spot 12 year old Irish Whiskey Review

COUNTRY: Ireland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Light caramel.

NOSE: Fresh nectarines, dried fruit, wood, and barley heaps of fruity sweetness. Pepper and vanilla with caramel sweetness.

PALATE: Yummy! Fruit drizzled stone fruit with vanilla and anise mixed with red apples, wood and sherry notes. Hints of dark roast coffee and barley. Medium-bodied and inviting. Bits of fresh toast with melted butter. Lovely balance between the fruity sweetness, wood and spices.

Very drinkable and velvety smooth. Bits of citrus zest and black pepper. A few drops of water releases more wood and sweetness, but it does not need extra water. It is delicious just like that.

FINISH: Long, sweet, warming and wonderfully balanced. Fruity, sweetness and wood.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Every aspect of this Yellow Spot whiskey is just yummy. It is not the most complex whiskey, but very drinkable and delicious. When I tasted it, the words that came to mind were “accessible and inviting”.

The Yellow Spot 12 year old Irish whiskey is probably my favourite “Spot” so far. (I tried Green Spot at a whisky festival). It is available in SA and retail for around R930. Which is your favourite “Spot”?

Also Read: Bushmills 16 yo Whiskey

Compass Box No Name No 2 Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/28/2022

In Blended Malt Whisky

I tasted the Compass Box No Name No 1 and the Compass Box No Name No 2 blended malt Scotch whisky about 18 months ago and have not gotten around to capturing the tasting notes. Released in 2019, this is the second limited edition in the Compass Box No Name series. The third bottling in this series was released in 2021.

Like the Compass Box No Name No 1, the Compass Box No Name No 2 is a blended malt Scotch. It is made up of the following whisky:

– 75% from Caol Ila (Refill Sherry casks)
– 10.5% from Talisker (re-charred American oak hogshead)
– 13.5% Clynishlish (re-charred American oak hogshead)
– 0.5% Highland malt blend (French oak, heavy toast)

Also Read: Glenfiddich Gran Reserva 21 yo Whisky

Compass Box is a producer, bottler and marketer of a range of blended Scotch whiskies. It was founded in 2000 by American entrepreneur John Glaser, who was a former marketing director at Johnnie Walker. The Compass Box whiskies create quite a stir when they are released.

The bottlings have distinctive labels and provocative names. Some of my favourites include Hedonism and Spice Tree. Other releases include Peat Monster, Circus and The Spaniard.

Compass Box No Name No 2 Whisky Review

A total of 8,802 bottles were produced. The Compass Box whisky is non-chill-filtered, with natural colour.

REGION: Islay and Islands with some Highland

ABV: 48.9%

COLOUR: Honey hay

NOSE: Islay ocean breezes with peat, hints of salty fish, seaweed and smoke. Bits of honey sweetness and candy floss. There is tropical fruit in the background with red berries, oak and honey. Lovely and complex.

PALATE: Drying ash, peat and wood smoke with fruity sweetness. Like tropical fruit salad in a wooden bowl next to a bonfire on the beach. Malty goodness, hints of dark chocolate, honey and pepper. Oak spices and salt with bits of orange peel and nuts.

Lovely. I nearly finished my glass before putting in a few drops of water. The water soothes the peat and ash to bring more fruit to the front. Medium body elegance with a beautiful symmetry between the peat and the fruit.

FINISH: Long and drying with pepper spice, peat and fruit.

RATING: EXCELLENT

I enjoyed No Name No. 1 (and this is a reminder that I still need to capture my tasting notes), but Compass Box No Name No 2 is my favourite. The Compass Box No Name 1 had a significant portion of Ardbeg and was quite bold.

In comparison, No 2 is softer, slightly more delicate and sophisticated. Don’t let this fool you. The Caol Ila and Talisker bring a rich fruit and peat experience that is delicious and very approachable.

No Name No 2 is still available, and I see that WhiskyBrother&Co still have some available. It retails for around R2300. This bottle will make a wonderful gift for the peat lover in your life.

Also Read: Tobermory 10 yo Whisky

Glenmorangie Signet Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/25/2022

In Single Malt whisky

I bought this bottle of whisky for John’s 5oth birthday, and it is only now, three years later that I get around to opening it. The Glenmorangie Signet single malt Scotch whisky is somewhat unusual. It is the world’s first single malt whisky made with high roasted chocolate malt barley.

Glenmorangie is a well-known Highland Scottish distillery in the town of Tain. I have captured tasting notes for the Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX, and Glenmorangie Spios and these posts also deal with the Glenmorangie history.

Glenmorangie released the Signet edition in 2008. It takes its name from the elaborate design that embellishes most Glenmorangie bottles. The Signet itself originated from the Hilton of Cadboll Stone, a Pictish item that dates back to around the year 800 AD. The Signet whisky was a creation of Dr Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s Master of Whisky Creation.

Back in his student days, Dr Lumsden became a coffee enthusiast. While studying for the PhD in Biochemistry, he became obsessed over the intricacies of single estate coffee beans and the ideal roasting levels for optimum flavour. Years later, this coffee obsession inspired him to create the Glenmorangie Signet.

The Glenmorangie Signet single malt whisky was aged in American virgin oak casks before it was bottled. It is not chill-filtered and carries no age statement.

The Signet is part of the Glenmorangie Prestige range, together with the 18 year old and the 25 year old single malt whisky. The Signet release retails for around R2 500 in South Africa and around £ 150 in the UK.

Glenmorangie Signet Single Malt Whisky

REGION: Highland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Dark gold

NOSE: Notes of marshmallow, vanilla, butterscotch mixed with crunchy toffee brittle. Hints of spices and espresso and lemon peel. So delicious.

PALATE: Malty notes with lots of sweet spices, cinnamon dark chocolate. Bits of roasted coffee beans with a fruity hint and honey sweetness. Faint traces of pepper and ginger. A full-bodied whisky. Rich and delicious. Water releases a bit more complexity and sweetness, but it is delicious without water.

FINISH: The finish is long and lingering with notes of lemon peel, toffee sweetness and green pepper.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What a delicious single malt. I can’t believe we waited three years to open this bottle. The coffee and chocolate notes are noticeable and delicious. I can sit and nose this whisky for hours. If they made a candle smelling like this, my whole house would be full of it.

A whisky to enjoy late at night with someone special. Probably my favourite Glenmorangie of all times.

Also Read: McCarthy’s Oregon Whiskey

Scottish Leader 12 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/28/2022

In Blended whisky

Towards the end of 2016, I was fortunate to attend the launch of a new whisky release in South Africa. The Scottish Leader 12 year old blended Scotch whisky has been a long-standing favourite in the East and lucky for us, have now reached the South African shores.

Scottish Leader is a well-known brand around the world. The Original and Signature releases are popular in South Africa, and now they have extended their South African presence with the 12 yo.

I love their other releases. The Scottish Leader Signature is a regular in my house and the Original pairs wonderfully with Royal Ashton cheese. It was launched in 1976 and is available in around 30 countries across the world. The lead blender for Scottish Leader is Dr Kirstie McCallum.

Also Read: My Favourite Margarita Recipe

She has travelled all the world on her whisky journey. She went from being a chemist in Glasgow to the Burn Stewart Global Brand Ambassador, and today she leads the team in blending Scottish Leader.

Kirstie is one the pioneering woman in whisky. She was one of the first women to become a whisky maker and was one of the youngest female blenders in Scotland. On one of her visits to South Africa, I was fortunate to meet her.

During October 2016, she was nominated and inducted as a Keeper of the Quaich. A phenomenal whisky woman. Her signature is all every bottle of Scottish Leader.

Scottish Leader 12 year old Whisky Review

The Scottish Leader 12 year old is a blend of unpeated Highland and Speyside malt and grain whiskies, matured in American Oak casks.

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Dark golden red

NOSE: Sweet sherry, rich with notes of vanilla marshmallow and fruits. A very faint hint of wood, nutmeg and cream. The addition of water seems to bring out more of the sweet toffee and butterscotch notes.

PALATE: Fruit, sticky toffee pudding, brandy-soaked apricots. A big mouth full and wonderfully complex. The addition of water makes the Scottish Leader smoother and rounder and a little bit easier drinking.

FINISH: Long and lingering with spicy and sweet notes perfectly balanced.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Not too many bottles made it to South Africa. So if you have not yet grabbed a bottle, do so quickly. It is affordable and delicious. A great blended 12 year old Scotch whisky. I see that Vinoteque still has a few available.

Other releases include the Scottish Leader Supreme and there is even a Sherry Cask finish.

Also Read: Ballantines 12 yo whisky