Tag: Rating: Excellent Page 39 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

Today I look at the Glendronach 16 year old single malt Scotch whisky. James Allardes founded the distillery in 1826. Rumour has it that this was only the second distillery licensed to legally produce whisky under the Excise Act of 182.

This Act was passed three years earlier and allowed for the distilling of whisky in Scotland. Glendonach created richly sherried single malts often used in blended whisky. Since 1826 it has changed ownership many times.

Some of the best-known whisky companies in the world has owned the Glendronach Distillery at some stage or another. However, Glendronach always seems to stay true to its sherried roots through all the changes and moves.

During the 1830’s Teaninich owned it. Charles Grand of Glenfiddich bought it in 1920, and during 1960 William Teacher & Son bought it.

Also Read: Glenfiddich IPA Cask whisky

They expanded the number of stills from two to six. Allied Distilleries mothballed it in 1996. During 2005 it moved to Chivas Brothers, and it closed for a few months to allow for conversion from coal to steam to fire the stills.

In 2004 three families, two being South African, purchased BenRiach. The BenRiach Distillery Company bought the Glendronach distillery in 2008 and brought a South African connection. GlenDronach could focus again on their original strength, crafting richly sherried single malt whisky in the style that Glendronach became famous for.

I found this Glendronach Platinum 16 year old expression at Makro during December 2013 as part of their Christmas catalogue.

Glendronach 16 year old Platinum Whisky Review

The Glendronach 16 year old single malt was matured for a minimum of 16 years in Oloroso sherry casks. Glendronach is not chill-filtered with no added colour.

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 48%

COLOUR: This is one of the darker whiskies in my collection. The texture is oily and thick and leaves long fingers on the glass.

NOSE: It has a big, bold nose, full of sherry notes. There are dates, raisins, sweetness and Christmas cake on the nose. After adding a little water, fresh fruit comes through as well.

PALATE: Glendronach 16 year old Platinum Scotch is quite a mouthful. It has a nice body and a smooth, robust mouthfeel. The palate brings dried fruit, fruitcake and nuts. Hints of spice and cinnamon with some wood and smoke in the background.

FINISH: There is quite a lot of spice in the finish with bits of caramel. It has a slow build and a lingering finish. Not an overly complicated whisky but quite bold and spicy. Adding a bit of water softens the higher alcohol bite a bit, and unlocks more flavours.

RATING: EXCELLENT

If there are still some in stock, it is worth grabbing. And especially with our South African winter fast approaching, it will add a soothing warm touch to the heart on a cold night. Combine it with a creamy Irish seafood bisque to warm up a cold winters’ evening.

Other Glendronach releases I have tried include the Glendronach 13 year old whisky WhiskyBrother release as well as the Glendronach 12 year old whisky.

The GlenDronach 16 year old Platinum sells for around R 2 700 in South Africa and is not that easy to get anymore.

Update: During 2016 GlenDronach and BenRiach was sold to Brown-Forman.

Related Article: Glenlivet 12 yo whisky

Penderyn Single Malt Welsh Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 04/13/2014

In Single Malt whisky

In the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park, Penderyn distils the first whisky in Wales for over a century. My blog post today looks at the Penderyn Welsh single malt whisky release.

The Brecon Beacons National Park spans 519 square miles. It has some of the most spectacular, pristine and diverse landscapes in Europe. The Beacons themselves are a mountain range of outstanding natural beauty.

They are home to Pen-y-Fan, the highest old red sandstone summit in Britain. The distillery is situated in the village of Penderyn, from which the whisky takes its name. Some consider Penderyn to be the smallest distillery in the world. There is some evidence that the Welsh practised distillation as early as the fourth century.

Economic and political events shut down the distilling industry in 1894. However, Penderyn became the first whisky to be manufactured in Wales for over a century when the new distillery was launched in 2000.

Sales of the new whisky started in 2004. It remains the only whisky currently produced in the country. Penderyn Aur Cymru Welsh whisky is different from English or Irish whisky.

The complete process from wash to new make is done in a single Faraday still. Also, Penderyn buys their wash from a regional beer brewer instead of preparing it themselves. For the first maturation, they use hand-selected bourbon barrels.

The distillery finishes the various Penderyn Welsh whisky expressions in different casks which include Madeira, Port Wood and Sherry casks. My bottle has been finished in Madeira casks and was released in December 09. Penderyn is not chill-filtered.

Related Article: Bushmills 16 yo Whiskey

Penderyn Single Malt Welsh Whisky Review

REGION: Wales

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Beautiful golden colour. It is nice and oily and makes beautiful fingers in the glass.

NOSE: The nosing brings honey, dried fruit and raisins. Some of the Madeira notes are also quite pronounced. It has a complex, layered nose that promises greatness.

PALATE: The Penderyn Welsh whisky has a smooth, rich mouth-feel. The palate brings spice and sweetness of burnt caramel and fresh fruit. A bit of oak and some notes of barley. Every sip allows more flavours to come through. It is a medium-bodied whisky. There are notes of citrus and oak, and it is a wonderfully complex whisky.

FINISH:Drops of quickly but then comes back. There is honey sweetness with a few vanilla notes. It ends with bits of spice and fresh fruit. A nicely balanced whisky to enjoy anytime.

RATING: EXCELLENT

I would love to add more of these whiskies from Wales to my collection, especially if I can get my hands on the peated expression. A worthy addition to any whisky collection.

Also Read: Singleton 15 yo whisky

The Wild Geese Irish Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/16/2014

In Irish Whiskey

What a name for a whiskey, The Wild Geese Irish single malt whiskey. There must be a story behind this. I went to investigate. The name Wild Geese in the Irish context has a long history.

The Catholic King James and the Protestant King William of Orange fought the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 across the River Boyne near Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland.

William won the battle, and Patrick Sarsfield’s army was defeated. Following the Treaty of Limerick, William gave Sarsfield’s army a choice. Those that chose to live under English rule filed one way; others like Sarsfield and his followers turned the other way to board French ships to take them to France.

They took the name The Wild Geese in the hope and belief that this would be a temporary exile in Europe. The parting, however, proved permanent. Stripped of their authority and property, many of them found life in Ireland intolerable.

These soldiers served in various continental European armies in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. However, they never forgot their homeland and dreamt of one day returning to Ireland.

I choose the Irish Wild Geese Irish single malt whiskey especially for today as it is nearly Saint Patrick’s Day – the Patron Saint of Ireland. And with the history of this whiskey, a fitting choice for Whisky of the Week. I received this bottle as a gift from a friend visiting us from Bangalore, India.

Also Read: Dunville’s Three Crowns Sherry Whiskey

The Wild Geese Irish Whiskey Review

The sturdy square bottle, it is packaged in a bright orange box. It certainly stands out among other whiskies boxed in neutral colours.

COUNTRY: Ireland

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Light gold.

NOSE: Layers of oak and wood. Also a bit of fresh fruit and spice.

PALATE: Toasted oak, spice, pepper and some floral notes. A bit of a mossy green note. It is not a sweet whiskey. It is full-bodied and smooth, easy-going whiskey. The spice is well-balanced with a hint of vanilla. There is a bit of citrus and more oak. It is a complex whiskey.

FINISH: The Wild Geese Irish whiskey has a long smooth finish that becomes sweeter with some floral notes and butter toffee.

RATING: EXCELLENT.

This whiskey has won many prizes, and I can understand why. It is nicely balanced, and I had a second glass. Interesting to note that you need to add water carefully to this Irish release. Adding water does not enhance or release extra flavours.

The whiskey tasted watered down when I added my usual splash of water. Only when I limited the water in the second glass, did the green and oaky notes came to the front.

As this is a spicy whiskey, there will be quite a few really good food pairings that will match nicely with this Irish release. A gold creamy Irish cheddar should make an excellent pairing. Also, on a winter’s day, a sweet potato gratin with caramelized onions should match the spicy nature and warm up a cold day.

I paired the Wild Geese with some Irish Dubliner cheese, and it made for a great pairing. The whiskey enhanced the cheese’s buttery nature, making it creamier and smoothed out the pepper notes. The Dubliner cheese enhanced the smooth and rich whiskey and lengthened an already amazing finish.

Also Read: Waterford Cooladine Whisky

Wemyss Malts Gooseberry Marmalade Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/03/2014

In Single Malt whisky

Today I try the Wemyss Malts Gooseberry Marmalade single malt Scotch whisky. A Single Cask release from the Dalmore distillery bottled by Wemyss Malts. Wemyss Malts is an independent bottler of malt whiskies from Scotland.

The Wemyss Malt offices are in Edinburgh, but the Wemyss Estate is in Fife, Scotland.The Wemyss family whisky connection dates back to the beginning of the 19 th century. The first distillery on Wemyss land was built when John Haig constructed his distillery on Wemyss land.

The family has a longstanding passion for malt whisky. Even today, barley from the Wemyss Estate is prized by many of the leading distillers.

John Haig’s Cameron Bridge distillery, famous for the first distillery to produce grain whisky using the column still method, is located just a few miles from the castle. Wemyss Malts has a range of both blended malts and Single Cask releases. The blended malts include The Hive, Spice King and Peat Chimney.

Wemyss Malts also has specially selected Single Cask whisky releases, all of which chosen under the expert guidance of Charlie Maclean. The team choose each cask to represent the best characteristics of its regional origin. The strict selection process limits the number of casks in this range.

After the nosing panel has selected the casks, they then delve into the flavour profile of the casks. This ensures that the name given to each whisky reflects the unique aromas and flavours found within the bottle. All of the Wemyss Single Cask offerings are not chill-filtered and free of artificial colouring.

Related Article: Mackinlay’s The Enduring Spirit Whisky

Wemyss Gooseberry Marmalade Whisky Review

I managed to get my hands on a Wemyss Malts Gooseberry Marmalade single cask release. The whisky is from the Dalmore distillery on the northern shores of the Firth of Cromarty, deep in the spectacular Scottish Highlands. It was distilled in 1997, bottled in 2013. Only 372 bottles of this edition were released.

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Virgin olive oil.

NOSE: The Gooseberry Marmalade nose brings sweet notes reminiscent of fruits of the forest. It has a beautiful warm, enticing nose, tempting you to try the whisky.

PALATE: Rich with oak, spice, liquorice sweetness and tart gooseberry with hints of bitter marmalade. The Gooseberry Marmalade is a sweet, medium-bodied whisky.

FINISH: The Wemyss Malts Gooseberry Marmalade whisky finish brings wood with more citrus, and it is a medium-length finish. A special bottle of whisky for a special occasion. Something to savour and enjoy. If you can get your hands on a bottle, it is undoubtedly worth it.

RATING: EXCELLENT

I have tried various Wemyss releases including, the Wemyss Brandy Casket, Wemyss Malts Dark Chocolate Orange, and the Wemyss Velvet Fig Blended Whisky. And I see that a few of the blended malts are now available in SA, and I have written about Wemyss The Hive as well.

Also read: Penderyn Whisky

Teerenpeli Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/19/2014

In Single Malt whisky

Today I look at a world whisky from Finland; the Teerenpeli single malt whisky. Whisky is not usually associated with Finland. It is a country associated with cold, dark snowy nights, vodka and a close proximity to the Russian bear and centuries of Russian aggression. Vodka definitely, but not whisky.

Teerenpeli started as a restaurant with a microbrewery in 1995 in the city of Lahti in Finland. And what is the next step when you make great food and great beer? You open a distillery. The Teerenpeli distillery began operating in 2002.

Related Article: Mackmyra First Edition whisky

Teerenpeli Single Malt is distilled with Finnish malted barley and with fresh groundwater from the Salpausselkä ridge. The distillery has the traditional pot-still set up. One of the reviews mentioned that Teerenpeli whisky had used Highland Park as the inspiration for their small pots’ shape.

When I found this whisky last year at The Whisky Exchange in London, I had to buy it. It is the perfect addition to my whisky collection, and it was from a country that I had no idea could make whisky.

Teerenpeli Whisky Review

This 8 yo single malt whisky is bottled from a selection of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks.

COUNTRY: Finland

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Rich gold

NOSE: Notes of floral and light citrus with a hint of oak. It is a smooth, delicate whisky.

PALATE: Barley and oak, florals with fruits and vanilla. The Teerenpeli is a lovely medium-bodied whisky with an oily finish. The florals and some caramel and spice continue in the finish. It has a wonderful body for such a young whisky, and it is clean and light.

RATING: EXCELLENT

It is a distillery to keep an eye on in future. When I found the Teerenpeli whisky, I did not worry too much about the taste or rating. I just wanted to add a whisky from Finland to my collection.

However, I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted it. It is still a relatively young whisky compared to some of the other bottles in my collection, only 8 years old. But what a good 8 years it has been!

Pairing this sweet clean whisky should be done carefully as not to overwhelm the whisky. A fruit-infused 60% chocolate would probably work nicely with this Teerenpeli whisky. What else would you pair this sweet light whisky with?

Also Read: Floki Icelandic Young Malt