Tag: Rating: Excellent Page 38 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

It is time for a blended whisky again, and this week I look at the Johnnie Walker Premier Rare old Scotch whisky. Johnnie Walker needs little introduction. I have various bottles of this brand in my collection, and the Johnnie Walker Black is one of my favourite easy-drinking whiskies.

The Johnnie Walker company started in the 19th century when John “Johnnie” Walker began selling whisky from his grocery shop in Ayrshire, Scotland.

His blends were popular at the time. It wasn’t until he died in 1857, when Alexander Walker with his son Alexander Walker II inherited the company, that the brand took off.

Johnnie Walker whisky was sold in the distinctive rectangular bottles for the first time during 1870. I can’t find very much information on the Johnnie Walker Premier Rare Old Scotch whisky. I have had this bottle for quite a long time, so the packaging is lost. It is probably one of the first bottles in my collection.

From the little available information, it seems that the Johnnie Walker Premier whisky was a blend aimed specifically at the Japanese Market. It is in a heavy rectangle-shaped bottle, very different from their standard square bottle. It seems like this blend has been discontinued.

According to the internet, Johnnie Walker Premier whisky is a blend from some very rare whiskies in the Johnnie Walker inventory. A portion of this is from closed distilleries.

My research suggests that this bottle includes rare and exclusive whisky from the most precious of Johnnie Walker’s vast stocks of long-aged malts. Some of which are from now-silent distilleries and can never be replaced.

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Johnnie Walker Premier Rare Old Scotch Whisky Review

ABV: 43%.

COLOUR: This blended whisky has a beautiful red copper colour. It is quite an oily whisky.

NOSE: Initially, there is almost a bourbon sweetness on the nose. On the addition of some water, dried fruits, raisins and caramels come through. There are hints of vanilla, ice cream, barley and oak. This Johnnie Walker whisky has a gratifying rich nose.

PALATE: It is a whisky with a pleasant big, bold taste and a wonderfully warming feel in the mouth. The tasting brings notes of rich oak and spice with some sherried sweetness on the palate. Some toffee, ginger and still lots of oak comes through.

FINISH: It has a big and rewarding finish. It ends in notes of spice with black pepper and ginger. The finish is long and lingering, with hints of oak and toffee at the end. It is a wonderfully complex whisky that offers a big mouthful. It has a lingering finish and is amazingly smooth.

RATING: EXCELLENT

It narrowly misses being a Divine. It just lacks the last little bit of the WOW factor. If you can still get your hand on a bottle, grab it! It is worth it. Bold and complex with a delicious finish.

Some of the other Johnnie Walker releases I have tried include the Johnnie Walker King George V, Johnnie Walker XR 21 yo as well as the Johnnie Walker Swing blended whisky.

Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/25/2014

In Blended Malt Whisky

In 2013 John graduated as a Doctor of Philosophy. I wanted to find something special to celebrate this momentous occasion. My first stop was the WhiskyBrother shop in Hydepark, and there I found this very special bottle of Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt whisky.

It is a replica of the Mackinlay’s whisky left in Antarctica by Sir Ernest Shackleton during his Antarctic expedition. In February 2007, after almost a century buried under thick ice beneath Shackleton’s expedition hut, a maintenance team discovered three crates of this long-lost Mackinlay’s whisky.

However, in line with international protocols, the team could not remove the crates from Antarctica unless for conservation or scientific reasons. Whyte and Mackay, who owns the Mackinlay brand, jumped at this opportunity. Under the leadership of their Master Blender, Richard Paterson, they managed to recreate this special whisky almost perfectly.

Down to the very last detail, including the packaging. Early 2010, one crate of the whisky removed from the ice and flown back to Canterbury Museum. With the whisky from the frozen crate, the museum conservators completed a detailed analysis of the packaging, labels and bottles. Eventually, this crate returned to its original resting place.

The result of all this is a faithful reproduction of the very bottle of Mackinlay’s whisky that Shackleton took with him on his expedition. It was a blended whisky using malts from Speyside, the Islands, and the Highlands, including a 1983 Glen Mhor.

Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Trans-Antarctic expedition is one of the greatest survival stories in history. It has inspired adventurers across every continent over three generations.

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Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky Review

ABV: 47.3%

COLOUR: The official colour description for this whisky is light honey, straw gold with shimmering highlights.

NOSE: Light and elegant but still complex. There are notes of fresh fruit, vanilla sweetness and hints of smoke and cinnamon spice. This well-balanced Mackinlay doesn’t need too much water.

PALATE: Bits of smoke and peat mixed with barley, honey and rich toffee sweetness. There are delicate florals and a bit more spice. It is a lovely complex whisky that warms you from the inside.

FINISH: The Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt whisky is full-bodied with a medium finish.

RATING: EXCELLENT

A delicious dram. Perfect for that exceptional occasion where you need something different. The Mackinlay’s bottle is still in the wooden case and exhibited in a special place in my whisky room. Seeing the bottle reminds us of the great evening when John was rewarded for his hard work on his PhD.

A more accessible Shackleton blended malt Scotch whisky was released during 2017, and I captured my detailed tasting notes for this release if you follow the blog post.

Also Read: Johnnie Walker Premier whisky

Chivas Royal Salute 21 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/22/2014

In Blended whisky

What a beautiful container. The blue porcelain flagon stands out on my whisky shelf. The Chivas Regal Royal Salute 21 year old blended Scotch whisky is produced by Chivas Brothers.

Chivas Brothers trace its roots to the opening of a grocery store in Aberdeen in 1801. The grocery store took the name Chivas Brothers from the 17th century House of Schivas, a large house in the town of the Schivas in Aberdeenshire.

The store sold luxury food items such as coffee, exotic spices, French brandies, and Caribbean rums to wealthy customers. As the business grew, Chivas Brothers gained a reputation for supplying smooth malt whiskies of the highest quality.

In 1842, Chivas Brothers were requested to supply provisions to the royal family at Balmoral Castle upon Queen Victoria’s first visit to Scotland. The Royal Salute brand’s home is Strathisla Distillery at Keith, Moray, Scotland. The distillery was founded in 1786 on the banks of the River Isla.

Also Read: The Old Pulteney 21 yo whisky

It is the oldest working distillery in the Highlands of Scotland. Chivas Brothers purchased Strathisla in 1950 to safeguard this natural sweet malt for Chivas Regal whisky.

Strathisla single malt is one of the malt whiskies used as part of the Chivas Regal blend. Launched in 1953, this Chivas Royal Salute 21 year old blended whisky served as a tribute to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Named after the traditional 21-gun salute, this blended whisky has been aged for at least 21 years.

The Chivas Royal Solute 21 year old whisky is bottled in porcelain flagons, manufactured by Wade Porcelain. The flask incorporates the image of Robert the Bruce and bearing a Gaelic motto.

Chivas Regal Royal Salute 21 year old Whisky Review

Inspired by the jewels in the Coronation crown, it is packaged in three collectable colours: sapphire, ruby and emerald. I have the sapphire Royal Salute.

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: This is quite a dark whisky. The colour is close to amber, and it is reasonably oily.

NOSE: The Chivas Royal Salute 21 yo whisky has a very delicate nose. There are notes of vanilla and caramel with lots of fresh-cut flowers. The fresh-cut flowers become more pronounced after adding a few drops of water. There are very subtle hints of smoke in the background.

PALATE: It is very smooth. Tasting it brings notes of vanilla and sweetness to the palate. There is an abundance of fresh fruit and little hints of smoke. It is not the most complex whisky and quite thin on the mouth. But the flavours of oak and barley combine with fresh fruit and becomes amazingly balanced. There are faint hints of spice and ginger.

FINISH: The whisky finish ends in notes of spice and toffee. The Royal Salute has a medium-long finish.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The sapphire flask is a beautiful addition to any bottle collection. I had another glass and for me, wanting a second glass, is always the double-check to see if my rating is correct. If we share a second glass it is a whisky worth spending some quality time around. It is delectable.

Other releases from the Chivas Royal Salute stable that I have tried include the Chivas Regal 12 year old whisky and the Chivas Regal Extra whisky.

Also Read: Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky

The Black Grouse Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/26/2014

In Blended whisky

Time for a blended whisky again – the Black Grouse blended Scotch whisky. The Famous Grouse whisky is a brand of blended Scotch whisky, first produced by Matthew Gloag & Son in 1896. The brand is now produced and owned by The Edrington Group.

Its emblem is the Red Grouse, Scotland’s national game bird.Matthew Gloag was a grocer and wine merchant in Perth, Scotland. He purchased whiskies from distilleries around Scotland and sold them at his shop.

In 1860, his son, William Gloag, took over the company and began producing blended whiskies. But the Grouse brand only started taking shape when William’s nephew, also named Matthew, took over the company. He created The Grouse Brand blend in 1896.

This brand was so popular that they renamed it “The Famous Grouse” in 1905. Matthew Gloag’s daughter Phillippa first designed the label’s grouse icon. In 1970, Matthew Gloag & Son was sold to Highland Distillers, after the death of the chairman, Matthew Frederick Gloag.

The marketing and distributive power of the new company saw Famous Grouse become the highest selling Scotch in Scotland by 1980 and the second highest-selling in the United Kingdom.

In 2007 they released a peated version of the Famous Grouse called The Black Grouse whisky. The packaging displays a black grouse in place of the usual red grouse. It is readily available in South Africa and retails for around R250. Jim Murray awarded it 94 points in the Whisky Bible.

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The Black Grouse Whisky Review

The Black Grouse blended whisky combines the Famous Grouse blend with specially selected Islay whiskies to create this peaty expression.

COLOUR:A dark gold. It is not a very oily whisky.

ABV: 43%

NOSE: Peat and smoke come through at once when nosing. There are some medicinal notes, sweetness and wood as well. Notes of fresh pear and malt.

PALATE: This Black Grouse is quite light on the palate. Peat and smoke are followed by spice. Especially ginger and pepper notes come through. There is a woodiness in the palate with notes of oak and rich chocolate sweetness. The peat and smoke notes continue into the finish.

FINISH: Medium length and ends with spicy notes. It is quite a complex whisky for the price point. This whisky proves again that you don’t have to pay exorbitant prices for good whisky. It has a finish that makes you want another glass. The peat is also not too overwhelming. Even a non-peat-head like me enjoyed this peaty expression.

RATING: EXCELLENT

It is an affordable whisky from the Edrington Group that you can proudly offer to whisky enthusiasts. It is also an amazing whisky to pair with Indian food. I have also used the Black Grouse whisky in a marinade for a Leg of Lamb that I roasted. The smoky notes work wonderfully with the meat.

At the end of 2015, the Black Grouse was renamed the Famous Grouse Smoky Black whisky. It has new labeling and I have captured my tasting notes for this release as well.

I have also managed to taste the Famous Grouse Bourbon Cask blended whisky and it is probably my second favourite Grouse whisky after the Black Grouse.

>Also Read: Johnnie Walker Green Label whisky

Nikka Miyagikyo Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/19/2014

In Single Malt whisky

During December, I tasted the Japanese Yamazaki 12 yo whisky. I enjoyed it and rated it as excellent. It prompted me to start looking around for more Japanese whisky. Another big player in the Japanese whisky industry is Nikka – a subsidiary of the Asahi brewing company. So today, I look at the Nikka Miyagikyo single malt Japanese whisky.

Nikka was founded in 1934 and now owns two distilleries; Miyagikyo (built in 1969) and Yoichi (est. 1934). In 1918, Masataka Taketsuru, son of a sake brewing family, was recruited by the Settsu Shuzo Company to produce the first authentic Japanese whisky.

With a background in chemistry, Taketsuru left for Scotland in 1918. He aimed to discover the secrets of whisky production.

In Scotland, he married Jessie Roberta “Rita” Cowan of Middlecroft, despite opposition from their families. Initially, they lived in Campbeltown and Taketsuru worked at Hazelburn distillery.

>In 1920 Taketsuru returned to Japan and joined the Kotobukiya Group, a beer industry giant later renamed Suntory. However, in 1934 he founded his own distilling company, Dai Nippon Kaju K.K., in Yoichi on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaidō.

He believed that this part of Japan was the most similar to Scotland. He later renamed the company Nikka. His growing success with Nikka whisky allowed him to set up a second distillery on the main island of Honshu in 1969.

I found this bottle of Nikka Miyagikyo whisky at WhiskyBrother’s shop in Hydepark.

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Nikka Miyagikyo Single Malt Whisky Review

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This particular Nikka Miyagikyo single malt is unusual in several ways. The Nikka Miyagikyo whisky has no age statement, although it is a single malt. The bottle comes without any packaging, and the size is not the typical 700 ml or 750 ml but is presented in a 500 ml bottle.

COUNTRY: Japan

ABV: 43%.

COLOUR: The Nikka Miyagikyo is quite oily and has a pale golden colour.

NOSE: My first impression on nosing is that it was perhaps aged in a sherry cask. Bold red fruit and malt. There are floral notes with hints of butterscotch and vanilla. Add only a few drops of water to open this Nikka Miyagikyo up.

PALATE: Oak, spice and vanilla. It is a medium-bodied whisky. It has a very smooth taste with a wonderful balance between the elements. The Nikka Miyagikyo tastes a lot lighter than expected. There are hints of florals and dried fruit coming through. It is undoubtedly an easy-drinking whisky.

FINISH: Long and lingering with notes of spice and oak at the end. It has a nice build up in the finish.

RATING: EXCELLENT

I have been looking forward to tasting this Nikka Miyagikyo with great anticipation. After the delicious nose, I was expecting a bolder palate. The palate is softer and elegant and makes it very drinkable.

An excellent world whisky to have in any collection, and I certainly had a second glass. Have you tried this Nikka Miyagikyo whisky?

Other interesting whiskies from Japan that I have tasted include the Nikka from the Barrel as well as the Nikka Coffey Grain whisky.

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