Tag: Rating: Very Good Page 12 of 21

Whisky of the Week review and tasting notes for whisky I rated Very Good. When the dram is enjoyable and memorable, and we don’t mind having another glass later in the week. This is bottles I might use for cocktails and the occasional afternoon sipper. Rating: Very Good

Kavalan Concertmaster Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/27/2018

In Single Malt whisky

World whisky time again and today I look at the Kavalan Concertmaster Port cask finish single malt whisky. Kavalan whisky is no stranger to the blog. I love their releases, and the Solist Ex-Bourbon Cask whisky will probably make my ’Best 10 whiskies to drink before you die’ list.

Kavalan has adopted a musical theme for naming its whisky. The range includes the King Car Conductor, the Podium and the Solist whisky series.

The Kavalan Concertmaster single malt whisky comes from Taiwan where the subtropical climate speeds up the maturation a bit more, compared to Scotland or Ireland. The Kavalan whisky series has no age statements due to this.

The Concertmaster whisky is first aged in American oak and then finished in several different varieties of Port barrels, including Ruby port, Tawny port and Vintage port from Portugal.

But this begs the question: What is Port and what is the difference between the Ruby, Tawny and Vintage port?

Also Read: Maraska ABC Whisky

What is Port?

Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine produced exclusively in the Douro Valley in the northern provinces of Portugal. It is typically a sweet, red wine, often served as a dessert wine or aperitif. It also comes in dry, semi-dry, and white varieties.

Ruby port is the least expensive and most extensively produced type of port. Ruby port is younger, has spent less time in the cask and has retained more of its natural colour, and sweet, fruity characteristics from the grapes.

Tawny ports are wines usually made from red grapes that are aged in wooden barrels exposing them to gradual oxidation and evaporation. Tawny port has aged longer in the cask, sometimes as long as 20 years. As it matures, more of its colour fades to a brownish, tawny colour. Also, the flavours are less sweet, and it has a deeper, more complex characteristics.

Vintage port is a port that is made of blended grapes, usually from various vineyards, which are all from the same vintage year. These ports typically spend about 6 months in oak and then go unfiltered into a bottle for further ageing for at least another 20 years or more!

Kavalan Concertmaster Whisky Review

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: Rich gold with hints of red.

NOSE: It’s best feature. It is rich, sweet, complex with ripe cherries, liquorice, berry sweetness, dark chocolate and condensed milk. It promises much.

PALATE: Medium body with very little of the sweetness promised by the nose. Spicy oak, pepper, citrus, malt, with only faint hints of fruity sweetness. Water softens the spices.

FINISH: Pepper spice and dry oak

RATING: VERY GOOD

This Concertmaster Port cask finish single malt is my least favourite of all the Kavalan whiskies I have tried. I found the spiciness overwhelming. John, however, loved it. He loved the peppery bite and finished my glass too. Most weeks, our individual views on a whisky are relatively similar. This week it was not. Don’t get me wrong; this is not a bad whisky at all.

But for my palate that like sweet things, this was just to peppery. If you love peppery, spicy whisky, then this is perfect for you. If you prefer sweeter drams, instead try the Solist range that I found sweeter and softer. The Kavalan Concertmaster retails for around R1100 in SA and is readily available.

Also Read: Koval Single Barrel Bourbon

Johnnie Walker Explorers Club The Spice Road Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/23/2018

In Blended whisky

During 2014 I tasted the Johnnie Walker Gold Route Explorer’s Club Collection whisky and loved it. John picked it up from Kenyatta airport after a fire damaged a part of the departure terminal. The Johnnie Walker Gold Route was inspired by journeys around the lush Amazon forests of Central America through the snow-capped Andean mountains.

We loved this expression and managed to grab the Johnnie Walker Explorers Club Collection the Spice Road blended Scotch whisky soon after. And do you know; I have tasted it but never wrote about it. So it is high time that I formally look at this Explorer’s Club release.

The Spice Road is the first of the three limited editions in Johnnie Walker’s Explorer’s Club Collection and aims at celebrating the trade routes of old. The other two are the Gold Route and the Royal Route.

During the 1800s and early 1900s, the Walker family and their agents travelled the world in search of adventure. They took their whisky to Asia, the Americas and the Caribbean. Johnnie Walker was enjoyed on the great railways, luxury ocean liners and early transatlantic flights.

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Back in London, Alexander Walker established the Travelers’ Room where his agents would come to rest, talk strategy and exchange stories and samples from their travels. These colourful tales of exploration influenced the Johnnie Walker Master Blenders, who created these different styles of whisky to reflect the exotic stories.

The Spice Route whisky was inspired by the ancient spice trading routes into Asia. Reminiscent of the vibrant aromas and spices from the spice markets of the East, brimming with colour and new experiences. I see that the Johnnie Walker Explorers Club Collection the Spice Road is still available in retail for around R 1 600.

Johnnie Walker Explorers Club The Spice Road Review

The Johnnie Walker Spice Road whisky is matured in old oak casks. It has no age statement.

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: Gold with hints of mahogany

NOSE: Spices. There is no mistaking the inspiration of the spice route in this release. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves jump out but slowly make way for more tropical fruit. Hints of tropical forests and malted porridge, drizzled with honey.

PALATE: The spicy notes of the nose translates onto the palate. Waves of cinnamon, allspice is followed by ripe oranges, grapes and bits of smoke. Hints of honey, oak and malt when you add a bit of water. Not the most complex of drams, and without water, the spices can be a bit overwhelming. The Johnnie Walker Spice Road has a medium body.

FINISH: White pepper and oranges with bits of smoke and drying oak.

RATING: VERY GOOD

Not a bad release, however, I think I prefer the Johnnie Walker Gold Route whisky. The sweeter fruitiness of the Gold Route kept in my mind a lot longer.

The spiciness of this release can be somewhat overwhelming, and I prefer a slightly sweeter whisky. This spiciness of this Johnnie Walker Spice Road will probably work well with cheese, so I need to go and experiment a bit.

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Glenmorangie The Lasanta Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 11/27/2017

In Single Malt whisky

This is one of the bottles that started my whisky collection before I even realized I was collecting whisky. I tasted the Glenmorangie Lasanta single malt Scotch whisky at my favourite restaurant and loved it. John brought a bottle home soon after to remind us of a great evening.

The Glenmorangie distillery was established in 1843, by brothers William and John Mathesen. This distillery is well known to be one of the first distilleries to experiment successfully with wood finishes. Glenmorangie Lasanta together with Quinta Ruban and Nectar D’Or make up the Glenmorangie ‘Cask Finish’ series.

These expressions start from a similar maturation background – 10 years in white oak ex-Bourbon casks. What makes them different is the additional 2 years spend in “finishing” casks. Glenmorangie Nectar D’or is finished in Ex-Sauternes Casks while the Quinta Ruban uses ex-Port barrels.

Glenmorangie Lasanta single malt spends the final 2 years in ex Olorosso and PX (Pedro Ximenez) sherry casks. According to Glenmorangie, the word ‘Lasanta’ means “warmth and passion” in Gaelic.

I have an older bottling still bottled at 46%. The ABV of newer bottlings is 43%. Glenmorangie, like Ardbeg, is owned by luxury giant LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy). It is an affordable release retailing at around R600. I see that the Glenmorangie Lasanta retails for approximately £40 at Master of Malt.

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Glenmorangie The Lasanta Whisky

REGION: Highlands

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Warm gold

NOSE: Sherry, dried apricots, apples and peaches, warming oaky spiciness with hints of vanilla, cinnamon and honey sweetness.

PALATE: Warming and spicy with notes of sherry sweetness, pepper, raisins, dried lemon slices in dark chocolate and a caramels sweetness. Without water, the Glenmorangie Lasanta has a bit of alcohol heat that is tempered when a few drops of water is added. Water makes this release very easy drinking.

FINISH: Medium length with lemon and warming black pepper balanced with hints of caramel.

RATING: VERY GOOD

It is a lovely easy-drinking dram that is perfect for winter. It warms you from the inside out. The only problem of drinking it today, here in the Southern Hemisphere, is it is a scorching hot summers day.

I should have scheduled this dram for winter when it is cooler. Regardless, I have finished the last little bit of the bottle and will undoubtedly restock.

An article I found on Food24 suggests that the Glenmorangie Lasanta pairs perfectly with biltong tartlets. It also works well with cured meats and food that resembled Spanish dishes. Now I have to buy another bottle to try these food pairing ideas.

I have also tried the Glenmorangie Spios, a whisky aged in casks that previously held American rye whiskey as well as the Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX.

Also Read: Glenfiddich 15 yo Solera Reserve whisky

Michel Couvreur Peaty Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 11/13/2017

In Blended whisky

It was the clean, classic label design that made me buy the bottle of Michel Couvreur whisky more than anything. A cream label with a beautiful cursive font and a red wax seal. The label is attached over two sides of the square bottle to ensure the corner of the bottle is presented on the shelf.

This feature made it stand out in between other square and round bottles, and I noticed it immediately. I have never heard the name or seen anything on this release before.

The label also stated “ Product of Europe”, which fitted into my world whisky collection perfectly. So the bottle came home with me and I can’t believe I have never written adequately about it. Michel Couvreur is a finishing house and not a distillery.

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Michel Couvreur is originally from Belgium. He arrived in Burgundy in the 1950s to make and market wine. He took frequent trips to England and Scotland where he sold his wine but fell in love with Scotland for the fabulous fishing and hunting.

During the 1960s he moved to Scotland where he became involved in the production process of whisky. The whisky industry was changing and new ones were replacing the old methods. Couvreur returned to France in the 70s, and he dug his own cellar in the hillsides of Bouze-les-Beaune. He imported whisky from Scotland and then matured it in his underground cellar in rare sherry casks.

This Michel Couvreur Special Vatting peaty malt whisky is a blend of 3 distinct mellow single malts distilled in Scotland and “raised” up with oak sherry cask in the cellar.

Michel Couvreur Special Vatting Peated Whisky Review

I have bottle No. 000926

ABV: 45%

COLOUR: Dark golden mahogany

NOSE: Soft peat balanced with sherry and fruit, a marzipan sweetness, faint hints of ash and salt.

PALATE: Peat balanced with ripe red summer fruits, hints of iodine, citrus, sherry, oak with a slight pepper bite. Mild cinnamon and tobacco in the background. Water softens the peat a bit and makes the Michel Couvreur more complex.

FINISH: Medium length with notes of peat, citrus and pepper.

RATING: VERY GOOD

An interesting expression. The peat is not overwhelming and nicely balanced with the softer sweeter notes. I have paired this Michel Couvreur Special Vatting peaty malt with some Shropshire Blue in the past, and it is a great whisky to pair with strongly flavoured cheeses.

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JP Sizer’s Deluxe Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/11/2017

In Rye Whiskey

Canada celebrated its 150th anniversary on the 1st of July. I was fortunate to be in Canada during these celebrations, and it was wonderful to raise a glass (or 2) in celebration. One of the glasses we raised was filled with JP Wiser’s Deluxe blended Canadian Rye whisky. I spent quite a bit of time rummaging through Canadian liquor stores during our trip.

It was fascinating to see all the flavoured whiskies available. Flavoured whisky is not readily available in S.A. The occasional Jack Daniels Apple or Honey, but nothing as exotic as what I found in Canada.

There is a broad selection of flavoured vodka on the South African market, but very little flavoured whisky. The other noticeable thing was the different bottle sizes. You can find from a 375 ml to a 1.5L bottle readily available in the liquor stores.

The JP Wiser range had quite a few flavoured releases. There was a JP Wiser Apple, Vanilla and even a Hopped flavoured relese (at the end of the process the blended whisky is dry-hopped in the same fashion as India Pale Ale beers).

Another thing I had to get used to was the 40% ABV. I had to be very careful when adding water. We have to a bit more of a bite in S.A. with our 43% ABV, and it was remarkable the difference the little extra made. ABV on the flavoured whisky was typically around 35%.

On to the JP Wiser Deluxe blended Canadian whisky; in 1857, John Philip Wiser set out at a steady pace to build a distilling company. He began a long tradition of Canadian whisky making.

Produced from cereal grains, the dominant, base ingredient is typically corn, with rye, wheat and barley being used as blending agents to create a distinctive flavour. JP Wiser’s is Canada’s oldest continuously produced Canadian whisky. JP Wiser is produced in Windsor Ontario by Hiram Walker & Son’s which is owned by Pernod Picard.

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JP Wiser’s Deluxe Canadian Rye Whisky Review

The JP Wiser Deluxe Rye whisky is Wiser’s signature blend and has no age statement.

COUNTRY: Cananda

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: Golden Amber

NOSE: Vanilla, toffee sweetness, hints of fruit and lemon. Not the most complex nose and the Rye spices that I was expecting did not make an appearance.

PALATE: Now the spices come through. Toasted oak and grain, toffee sweetness, hints of vanilla and fruit with heaps of rye spices. After the soft nose, I was not expecting all the rye spices, and it was a bit overwhelming. Water softens the rye notes and releases a bit more sweetness. Not the most complex of drams and certainly not as lovely as some of the other rye’s that I have tried. A few blunt edges.

FINISH: Medium length ending in notes of spice and lemon rind.

RATING: VERY GOOD

After trying the Crown Royal Rye and the Rittenhouse Rye, I was excited to try another Rye release. However, the balance in this JP Wiser’s Deluxe version was just not there. It is not a bad whisky and definitely in the affordable category, especially as we were shopping in South African Rands.

It will make a great mix for cocktails, and after this tasting, my bottle is empty. Definitely not too bad. I used this JP Wiser’s Deluxe whisky in some mulled wine that I made and it worked well. I also tried the Forty Creek Barrel Select on my trip to Canada and captured the tasting notes about my experience.

Also Read: Bulleit Rye Whiskey