Tag: Rating: Good Page 6 of 8

Whisky of the Week review and tasting notes for whisky I rated Good. When the whisky is drinkable but forgettable. One of us sometimes doesn’t finish the glass. The bottle might be in my collection for a long long time. Rating: Good

Catto’s Blended Scotch Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/19/2017

In Blended whisky

The next edition in my affordable blended whisky series; this week, I look at the Catto’s blended Scotch whisky. It retails for around R 300 in South Africa. It is affordable and in a similar price range as the Johnnie Walker Black Label blended whisky. James Catto began his retail business in 1861 in Aberdeen and wanted to blend high-quality Highland malt with some accessible (probably also more affordable) Lowland grain whisky.

Grain whisky distilling has been around since around 1810 and was (still is) considerably cheaper and easier to make than malt whisky.

Interesting how many whiskies started their life story in a grocery store. Brands like Johnnie Walker, Teacher’s, Chivas and Famous Grouse all have a link to a grocery store.

James locked himself away in his basement and experimented until he created a blended whisky that he liked.

He sold whisky in his shop, and as a result of his connection to the founders of P&O and White Star shipping, his whiskies were soon exported all over the world.

Today Catto’s is created by Master Blender Stuart Harvey. The heart of Catto’s whisky is formed by unpeated single malts from among others Balblair, Balmenach, Knockdhu, Pulteney and Speyburn.

Interesting to note, Jim Murray, rates this Catto’s Rare whisky at 92 points and mentions that he likes to drink this at home. (Whisky Bible 2015 Edition).

Also Read: Bell’s Whisky

Catto’s Blended Scotch Whisky Review

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Light golden wheat

NOSE: Hints of raw alcohol surprisingly similar to the Speyburn I had a few weeks ago. Notes of honey, vanilla, fresh fruits and caramel.

PALATE: Medium body with some alcohol bite. There are lots of caramel sweetness balanced by a bit of cinnamon spice, malt, fresh-cut grass. Not very complex. Water softens the alcohol and releases more sweetness.

FINISH: Medium length ending on some cinnamon sweetness and pepper.

RATING: GOOD

Well, it is better than the Speyburn Bradan Orach whisky. I am not sure why Jim Murray would drink this at home if he has the whole of Scottish whiskies to choose from. Sadly, I found the Catto’s whisky a bit bland. The caramel sweetness is nearly overwhelming.

In South Africa this retails for around R300 and at the price range, there are many more decent blends from which to choose. This blend will probably be in my cupboard for quite a while…

Also Read: Label 5 whisky

Evan Williams Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/06/2016

In Bourbon whiskey

In today’s whiskey exploration, I’m delving into the fascinating realm of Evan Williams Kentucky Straight bourbon whiskey. Over the past few years, I’ve embarked on a journey through various whisky and bourbons.

My pilgrimage began with traditional Scottish single malts and blends. From there I started exploring world whiskies from India such as the Amrut Two Continents, Kavalan from Taiwan, Three Ships from South Africa, Europe, and Australia. Eventually, my journey led me to the sweet embrace of bourbon and Tennessee whiskies, as my palate tends to lean toward the sweeter notes.

Living in South Africa, I’ve encountered some limitations regarding the availability and affordability of bourbon, especially with the challenges brought on by currency fluctuations. However, my quest for new experiences led me to discover this budget-friendly gem, Evan Williams bourbon whiskey.

Also read: Jack Daniel’s whiskey

Upon first glance, the labelling of Evan Williams Kentuckybourbon bore a striking resemblance to that of Jim Beam Black bourbon, another budget-friendly option. It’s worth noting that Evan Williams is part of the Heaven Hill portfolio, a company with a rich history in whiskey.

Evan Williams bourbon debuted in 1957, courtesy of Heaven Hill, and it takes its name from the man credited as Kentucky’s first distiller. It’s reassuring to know that the Heaven Hill company remains independently owned, staying true to its heritage.

This particular bourbon release boasts an ageing period of around 4 to 5 years. The burning question on my mind: Can Evan Williams stand up to the likes of Jim Beam Black bourbon, or is it destined to be relegated to the bargain bin? Let’s dive into the tasting notes.

Evan Williams Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey Review

COUNTRY: USA

ABV: 43%.

COLOUR: Dark reddish gold

NOSE: While Evan Williams bourbon whiskey exhibits the traditional bourbon aromas of toasty oak and vanilla, there’s a subtle undercurrent of corn syrup. However, I must admit that the nose lacks the layering and complexity I often seek in a bourbon.

PALATE: On the palate, Evan Williams offers little complexity beyond the expected toasty oak, vanilla, and hints of spice. The rough edges of this bourbon are hard to ignore, and it has a light body and mouthfeel. Even with the addition of water, complexity remains somewhat elusive, revealing chilli and bitter orange peel notes, but not enough to fully elevate the experience.

FINISH: A bit rough and fortunately does not linger too long.

RATING: GOOD

This bottle will be part of my collection for quite a long time. Definitely not close to my favourite. It offers little depth and complexity. It has a raw alcohol note that makes it hard to drink and I will probably only use this in cocktails.

Curious to see how Evan Williams stacks up against other options from the Heaven Hill stable, I poured a glass of Heaven Hill Old Style bourbon for a side-by-side comparison.

While both hail from the same family, Evan Williams manages to outshine Heaven Hill Old Style, albeit marginally. These bourbons could easily be found in a classic spaghetti western movie scene.

If you seek a bourbon that invites you to unwind and savour its nuances, I’d suggest exploring other options. Personally, I found more satisfaction in the Evan Williams Single Barrel bourbon.

Over the weekend, I compared Evan Williams and Jim Beam bourbon head-to-head to see how they measure up against each other. You can find my thoughts by following the link for the full rundown.

To round out my bourbon journey, I also pitted Evan Williams against the timeless Jack Daniel’s, providing a comprehensive perspective. You can read all about that adventure. Cheers to the continued exploration of the world of bourbon!

Also Read: Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon

The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/02/2016

In Single Malt whisky

One of the more dusty bottles in my collection is the Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve single malt Scotch whisky. This Dalmore whisky bottle has been part of my whisky collection at least nine years, and I have barely touched it.

Dalmore is located on the northern shores of the Firth of Cromarty, part of the Scottish Highlands. Alexander Matheson founded Dalmore distillery in 1839. After building Dalmore and running it for 28 years, he decided in 1867 it was time to pass on the distillery to new owners. Andrew and Charles Mackenzie stepped forward.

They brought with them the iconic 12-pointed Royal Stag emblem, which has adorned every bottle of The Dalmore since. Dalmore now stands as Whyte and Mackay’s largest distillery as well as being the flagship for the brand.

The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve whisky was discontinued in mid-2009, causing an uproar among its fans. It was brought back in this new format.

The whiskies that make up the reworked Cigar Malt release are slightly older. The percentage of sherry wood is higher. The Dalmore is initially matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks and 30 yo Matusalem Oloroso sherry butts; it is then finished in Premier Cru Cabernet Sauvignon wine barrels.

Related Article: Glenlivet 15yo whisky

The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve Whisky Review

REGION: Highlands

ABV: 44%

COLOUR: A dark copper.

NOSE: The name implies smoky cigar notes, and that is the first impression when you get nosing this whisky. Elements of the tobacco mixed with sherry sweetness and juicy raisins. There are faint hints of malt and leather.

PALATE: This malt lives up to its name again. It’s very spicy, with bitter citrus. My first impression on tasting the Dalmore Cigar Malt, without water, reminds me of the smell of overflowing ashtrays in a closed room.

There are some bitter notes and something a bit like old cigarette smoke. Adding water softens the slight alcohol bite. Water also brings out more sherry sweetness and hints of orange and ripe cherries. It is not a complex whisky.

FINISH: The Cigar Malt Reserve whisky has a medium body and finishes in notes of cigarette smoke bitterness.

RATING: GOOD

The whisky lives up to its name. It tells you it is going to deliver cigar/cigarette smoke. And it does just that. If you like an old smoke lounge, you will probably love this dram. I’m not too fond of old cigar smoke. The spice and smoke overwhelmed all the other notes. A bit one sided.

It has put me off trying anything else from Dalmore; which might be a shame. Any suggestions for a Dalmore worth trying?

Also Read: The Balvenie GoldenCask whisky

Amrut Intermediate Sherry Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/22/2016

In Single Malt whisky

As I write this review, John is in Bangalore as part of his teaching commitment. So it is only fitting that we try a whisky from India this week. I packed him a sample of the Amrut Intermediate Sherry single malt whisky to taste while he is there.

With the 3,5 hour time difference between South Africa and India, he could relax after a long day, with a dram produced not far from where he is teaching.I was fortunate to share the dram with a good friend here at home.

Zee, a whisky lover, has never tried Indian whisky before. I was glad to share my tasting with her. Her daughter is a good friend of my little M, so while the 2 girls were playing dress-up, we settled down to try the Amrut Intermediate Sherry whisky.

In some of our previous posts, we wrote extensively about the start of Amrut in India. We have quite a few bottles from this distillery and have rated both the Amrut Fusion whisky and Amrut Two Continents whisky as Divine.

You can read more about the history of Amrut in our previous posts. Amrut launched the Amrut Intermediate Sherry at the Paris Whisky Live Show on 25 September 2010.

It was named ‘Intermediate’ because the whisky started its maturation in Bourbon casks. Then it is shipped to Spain and put into Sherry casks. The filled casks are sent back to India. It is done to avoid infection problems with shipping empty sherry casks. The whisky is left to mature in the Sherry for a period and then put back into bourbon casks to complete its maturation.

Related Article: Yamazaki 12 yo Whisky

Amrut Intermediate Sherry Whisky Review

COUNTRY: India

ABV: 57.1%.

COLOUR: Red copper with hints of orange.

NOSE: An abundance of sherry notes mixed with spice, raw oak and overripe plums and figs. The nose is reminiscent of sawdust and an old book being opened. Faint hints of vanilla intertwine with traces of condensed milk with faints hints of vanilla and plump raisins.

Zee described the nose as a perfect balance between sherry and wood. The addition of water released some floral notes and removed the overt woody and must notes.

PALATE: The Amrut has sweetness mixed with loads of spice. Cloves, nutmeg and pepper come to mind. It’s very woody on the palette with a whiff of mineral spirits. Without water, it has a bit of an alcohol bite.

The whole combination seems a bit raw – as though it should have been aged more to get some of the sharper edges out. The addition of water certainly adds smoothness. After water, there are more fruity and flowery notes but also more spice.

FINISH: Medium length with lots of spicy notes, bitter citrus with an overlay of wet wood.

RATING: GOOD

I love the Amrut releases, but this expression is not their finest work. It seems rushed, and the notes and flavour do not combine elegantly. It had potential, and one can only hope future expression live up to its sister expressions’ standards, some of which are indeed a delight. Other Amrut expressions I have tried include the Amrut Kadhambam and the Amrut single malt.

Also Read: Hammerhead 1989 whisky

Bennachie 10 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/15/2015

In Blended Malt Whisky

I bought a bottle of Bennachie 10 year old vatted malt Scotch whisky on auction some time ago. I have never seen the name before, so it was an interesting bottle to get. William Smith started the Bennachie distillery in 1824 as the Jericho Distillery near the village of Insch.

The distillery changed hands a few times, and some extensions and changes were made. One of the new owners changed the distillery’s name to Bennachie, after the Aberdeenshire Mountain. The distillery shut its doors in 1913, and 6 years later, Lawrence MacDonald Chalmers purchased it.

Attempts were made to reopen the distillery but failed. United Brands took over the name and started the Bennachie Scotch Whisky Company Ltd in 1998. The Bennachie name is used for a range of vatted malts.

According to the back of the bottle: “A blend of only the finest single malt whiskies distilled in Scotland. They have been ‘married’ at 10 year old to achieve the mellow yet slightly woody taste which has enabled us to simulate the taste of the original Bennachie whisky.”

What is Vatted Malt / Blended Malt?

All of this raised the question; what is vatted malt? I found various clarifications, and simply put, it all comes down to :
Single Malt: A whisky made at one particular distillery from a mash that uses only malted grain, ordinarily barley.
Blended whisky: Produced by mixing (blending) different types of whisky into one. These whiskies can be single malts and grain-based whiskies.
Vatted Malt (or renamed as blended malt whisky): a blend of only single malt whiskies with no other grains added. The single malts can be from more than one distillery. An example of a blended malt is the Monkey Shoulder whisky, a blend between the Glenfiddich, Kininvie and Balvenie single malts) or the Douglas Laing Remarkable Regional Malt releases such as Scallywag, Rock Oyster and Big Peat.

But more importantly, how does this Bennachie vatted malt taste?

Related Article: Shackleton whisky

Bennachie 10 year old Whisky Review

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: A rich gold. It is quite an oily whisky with long fingers on the inside of the glass.

NOSE: Barley, cereals and wood. There are hints of flowers, vanilla and butterscotch. In the background, there are bits of citrus floating around. When you add a bit of water, more green apple notes appear on the nose.

PALATE: Mild spice and bitter citrus intermingling with oak, greengage and flowers. It is quite a delicate whisky. Adding water smooths the whisky but also brings out more of the bitter citrus notes. This Bennachie Vatted Malt Scotch is not a very complex whisky.

FINISH: Quite short and end in notes of oak and citrus.

RATING: GOOD

It is interesting to have in the collection, but the unusual bottle shape is probably more memorable than the whisky. I see that Master of Malt stocked the Bennachie range but lists them all now as ‘Discontinued’.

Also Read: Kamiki whisky