Tag: Rating: Very Good Page 16 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

Loch Lomond Single Grain Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/27/2016

In Grain Whisky

A month or two ago, I found an affordable new distillery release at our local Checkers and grabbed it immediately. It was a Loch Lomond single grain whisky. Not too long afterwards, I got invited to the Checkers launch of this same release and accepted with great anticipation.

It is exciting to see Checkers go to great lengths to bring a broader range of reasonably priced whiskies to SA. Loch Lomond is just the latest in a long line of prominent brands that Checkers is building relationships with.

The Littlemill Distillery Company Ltd built the distillery in 1965. In 1984 the distillery fell silent, but shareholders bought the company and created the Loch Lomond Distillery Company. Malt production restarted in 1987, and grain whisky production began in 1993.

Loch Lomond has an unusual set up of stills. It allows them to release a variety of bottlings. There were three sets of stills; two were fitted with rectification columns as well as five continuous stills.

Bottlings under the names: Inchmurrin, Inchmoan, Inchfad, Crotengea, Glen Douglass, Craiglodge and, Loch Lomond comes out of the one distillery.

Loch Lomond marks the boundary between the Lowlands and the Highlands of Scotland and is classified as a Highland whisky. It is also the brand name of the whisky consumed by Captain Haddock in Hergé’s famous comic book series “The Adventures of Tintin”.

This Loch Lomond release (and a few others from this distillery) is available at Checkers Liquor stores and definitely in the affordable price range.

Also Read: Teeling Single Grain Whiskey

Loch Lomond Single Grain Whisky Review

REGION: Highland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: It is one of the lightest colour spirits I have in my collection. It has a pale yellow colour with green hints.

NOSE: The first thing that strikes me about the nose of this single grain is that it’s very clean. I get malt and freshly baked cookies, flowers and grass mixed with juniper berries and fruit. Hints of butterscotch and vanilla come through. The nose is not very complicated.

PALATE: Initially surprisingly spicy with hints of fruit and almond floating around. Citrus zest from the nose is present, and the whisky has a medium mouthfeel. The dram needs a few drops of water to release the fruity notes. The addition of the water improves the drinking experience and makes it smoother.

FINISH: Medium length and ends in notes of citrus peel and vanilla sweetness.

RATING: VERY GOOD

It seems like this dram is just a tad too young. For me, it feels like there are a few rough ends to this whisky. A little bit longer in barrels might smooth this whisky out and create a more of a rounded integrated feeling.

Not a bad whisky at all! It is a versatile addition to my collection. And it is affordable as well. In South Africa, it retails for around R350. With all the spicy notes, it might make an excellent dram to pair with food. Let me go and experiment.

Have you tried this Loch Lomond release? I have also tried the Loch Lomond Original whisky, and you can read all about it to. There is a new batch of Single Grain available with a new label, and I captured my tasting notes about it as well

Also Read: Glen Scotia Victoriana whisky

Bowmore 12 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/20/2016

In Single Malt whisky

This is a dram I have tried a few times with food, but never written about. The definition of Enigma is a thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand. Will this Bowmore 12 year old Enigma single malt Scotch whisky show its secrets?

Situated on the Inner Hebrides, the Bowmore distillery lies on the South-Eastern shore of Loch Indaal. Loch Indaal is a sea lock that opens out into the Atlantic Ocean. On the other side, sits Bruichladdich.

Islay is the Queen of the Hebrides. Early hunter-gatherers have inhabited Islay from around 7500 BC, and the area is seen as an archaeological treasure trove.

John P Simons established the distillery in 1779, before passing ownership to the Mutter family in 1837. It has changed ownership a few times since and is now owned by Suntory.

Similar to the Islay whiskies, Bowmore is known for their peaty smokiness due to their peat-fired kiln. Looking at Islay on a map, I want to get on a plane to go and explore! The island is home to only around 3 000 people and eight distilleries.

The Bowmore Enigma is a 12 year old Islay single malt whisky with a higher proportion of sherry matured spirit than the standard bottling. The Bowmore 12 yo Enigma Scotch is bottled for the travel retail market.

Also Read: Ardbeg 10 yo whisky

Bowmore 12 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: Darkish gold

NOSE: Initially the nose is sweet quite sweet with a sticky, overripe fruit sweetness to it. Oak, peat and bits of grassiness follow. Hints of sherried fruit, grape jam, candied Christmas pudding float about.

PALATE: The Bowmore Enigma has an interesting palate. In the beginning, there are lots of peat, oak and spice and then slowly transforms, and burnt caramel comes through. There are notes of peat and ashy smoke with a few sharp alcohol edges mixed with bitter citrus in the background.

It starts boldly but dissolved into a thin drinking experience at the end. Adding a few drops of water smooths out the rough edges, but take away the bit of complexity and almost neutralises some of the interesting bits to this dram.

FINISH: Medium length and end in notes of oak, smoke and pectin.

RATING: VERY GOOD

It seems that the notes just don’t gel together. It is as if the flavours are disjointed. This 12 year old Bowmore Enigma is appropriately named. It is a bit of an enigma. The Bowmore Enigma single malt leaves you hanging in terms of what it’s trying to be. Is it sweet, peat or smoky? Nothing fits quite right. It does, however, work very nicely with Blue Tower Cheese.

What did you think of this Enigma?

Also read: Longmorn 15 yo whisky

Highland Queen Majesty Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 11/23/2015

In Single Malt whisky

I had to pick up a gift in Pretoria the other day, and as I was a bit early, I stopped at the closest shopping centre for a cup of coffee. While strolling around looking for the best coffee place, I walked into a Checkers Liquor store, and much to my surprise, saw a bottle of single malt that I have not noticed before.

It was a Highland Queen Majesty single malt Scotch whisky, and it retailed for around R200. In South Africa, most single malts retail for slightly more. So finding an affordable single malt was very interesting. After a few Twitter conversations about this brand, I went back and grabbed a bottle.

The Highland Queen Scotch Whisky Company produces and distributes whisky and operates as a subsidiary of Picard Vins & Spiritueux S.A. Picard also owns Tullibardine. I tasted both the Tullibardine 1993 Vintage and the Tullibardine Sauternes Cask whisky a while ago and loved it.

In 1893, Roderick Macdonald decided to set up his own business. He had previously worked as an apprentice in the Scotch whisky trade, and his dream was to become a whisky blender. The company was known as Macdonald & Muir Ltd.

Macdonald named his whisky the Highland Queen. This name originates from the connection to the port of Leith and the original production site of Macdonald & Muir. I see that Master of Malt has quite a variety of releases from this company.

It was close to the spot where Mary Stuart made a triumphal return from France. She was later to be crowned Queen of Scots, creating one of Scotland’s most famous legends. Macdonald & Muir acquired the Glenmorangie Distillery in 1918 to supply the whisky for the base of his famous Highland Queen blend. Picard’s bought the Highland Queen and Muirhead’s brands from Glenmorangie Plc in 2008.

Also Read: The Chita Suntory Whisky

Highland Queen Majesty Whisky Review

The Highland Queen Majesty single malt Scotch whisky does not have an age statement. There is also no distillery mentioned. The Highland Queen Majesty was aged in oak casks.

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Golden wheat.

NOSE: Fresh tropical fruit notes intertwined with oak and hints of spice. There are traces of vanilla and cereal.

PALATE: Notes of tropical fruit, oak and muscovado sweetness. There are faint hints of coffee, vanilla custard and toffee. The Highland Queen Majesty is not a complex dram. Adding water releases more oak and softens the sweetness. There are plenty of spicy notes, including pepper and nutmeg.

FINISH: Medium length and end in spicy notes.

RATING: VERY GOOD

It is an affordable, easy-drinking whisky. Nothing that is going to blow you away, but decent enough. The Highland Queen should work great in cocktails. Also, the spiciness of the whisky allows it to pair quite nicely with a piece of mature cheddar cheese. It is robust enough to stand up to the richness of the cheese.

Have you tried this Highland Queen release? I found the Highland Queen whisky release in the USA, as well.

Also Read: Teerenpeli Whisky

Naked Grouse Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 11/02/2015

In Blended whisky

In addition to my regular single malt favourites, I add a blended whisky to my tasting schedule to spice things up now and again. Last year, this led me to the Black Grouse whisky, which I loved and I paired with some spicy Indian food. On reading up about the Grouse brand, I noted that they made a Naked Grouse blended Scotch whisky.

And with a name like that, I had to have it. So, on the way back from London, I grabbed this award-winning Grouse. I see that it is available in SA as well. The Famous Grouse is a brand of blended Scotch whisky, first produced by Matthew Gloag & Son.

The Edrington Group owns the Famous Grouse brand as well as The Macallan, Cutty Sark and Highland Park. This Naked Grouse has a high proportion of spirit from Macallan & Highland Park. The Macallan bringing the sweet sherry influence, and Highland Park bringing a slightly malty, smoky sharpness.

This is the previous blended Scotch whisky release. The new release was relaunched as a blended malt. Other releases in the range include the Famous Grouse Smoky Black whisky.

The Naked Grouse whisky has been matured in sun-dried sherry oak casks. I have also managed to add two more bottles to my Famous collection: the Famous Grouse Port Wood Cask and the Black Grouse Alpha edition.

In keeping with the Naked theme, the labelling is limited with only a Grouse embossed in the glass. So let get Naked…

Related Article: Bell’s Special Reserve whisky

Naked Grouse Whisky Review

ABV: 40%

COLOUR: A very dark colour. It is a rather unusual dark mahogany red colour.

NOSE: Sherry sweet. It made me think of a glass of Old Brown Sherry in front of a log fire. That sticky sweet, warming smell after spending the afternoon hiking in the cold mountains. There are notes of toffee, caramel and vanilla.

Hints of cherry and ripe red fruits float around. The nose promises a rich, delicious experience.

PALATE: An interesting flavour development. The first sip is just spicy notes. Sweetness develops a bit more by the second sip. The second sip has remnants of bubblegum, plump cherries and bits of butterscotch.

But not the rich sweetness promised by the nose. There are notes of oak, cinnamon, cardamom and grape. Water softens the spices a bit but does not release any additional sweetness.

FINISH: Medium length and end in notes of dried fruit, toffee and faint hints of chocolate.

RATING: VERY GOOD

After all the positive reviews I read about this Naked Grouse whisky, as well as the rich sweet nose, I was expecting a more complex and richer dram. It did not quite live up to my expectations. What did you think of this Naked Grouse?

I have also managed to taste the Famous Grouse Bourbon Cask blended whisky and captured my tasting notes for this affordable release as well.

Also Read: Grant’s Sherry Cask whisky

Wild Turkey Kentucky Bourbon 101 Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/26/2015

In Bourbon whiskey

In early May, I had the pleasure of savouring the Wild Turkey Rare Breed bourbon. This experience left me craving more of this exceptional bourbon. Determined to restock my collection, I embarked on a spirited quest, only to be met with a challenge. The bourbon landscape in South Africa had dwindled over the past year, resulting in a somewhat limited selection.

Fortunately, my search yielded the Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey . I eagerly seized the opportunity to add it to my collection. Wild Turkey is a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey crafted and bottled by the renowned Wild Turkey Distilling Co., nestled on Wild Turkey Hill near Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.

The origins of this distillery trace back to the Ripy brothers, who established the original distillery. Their bourbon found its way into the hands of various wholesalers who, in turn, bottled it under their own labels. One of these wholesalers were Austin Nichols.

Related Article: Pikesville Rye whiskey

According to a old tale, the “Wild Turkey” brand was born during a wild turkey hunting expedition in 1940, when an Austin Nichols executive named Thomas McCarthy sampled warehouse treasures with friends.

The whiskey was so beloved that they couldn’t resist asking for “that wild turkey bourbon.” In 1942, Austin Nichols officially began bottling Wild Turkey.

In 1949, the Ripys sold their distillery to Robert and Alvin Gould. A significant turning point occurred in 1971 when Austin Nichols purchased the distillery, then called Boulevard Distillery, from the Goulds and bestowed the name Wild Turkey Distillery upon it.

In 1980, Pernod Richard acquired the distillery and Wild Turkey brand. As time went on, Wild Turkey became part of the Campari Group.

Wild Turkey Bourbon 101 Whiskey Review

The “101” denotes its robust 101 proof, equivalent to 50.5% alcohol by volume. This bourbon is a blend comprising 6, 7, and 8 yo bourbons that emerge from the barrel at a potent 109 proof. Only a slight dilution is applied before bottling, preserving its bold character.

COUNTRY: USA

ABV: 50.5%

COLOUR: Rich amber. It’s quite an oily bourbon.

NOSE: Rich and sweet, with layers of dark fruits. Hints of candied plums and ripe cherries, with maple syrup and caramel, form a delightful backdrop, offering a glimpse of the spiciness yet to unfold. Cinnamon whispers around, intermingling with the comforting embrace of vanilla. It’s an enticing beginning.

PALATE: The Wild Turkey 101 coats your palate with a chewy richness. Up to this point, John and I shared similar impressions. However, our tasting notes diverged from here. John perceived an outstanding balance of sweetness and spice, together with oak.

He described it as an intricate tapestry of spice layered over caramel toffee, with cherries adding depth. In contrast, I encountered a pepper spice bomb, overwhelming any lingering sweet notes. A touch of water does help, mellowing the pepper and taming some of the spice.

FINISH: John described the finish as a great body that builds to a smooth, spicy end. For me, it was a bold interplay of cinnamon and pepper vying for dominance.

RATING: VERY GOOD

Typically, our tasting notes and assessments align closely, but on this bourbon, our perspectives diverged significantly. John relished the Wild Turkey 101 bourbon whiskey, whereas I found it challenging to finish my glass. It’s a testament to the enigmatic nature of whiskey, capable of evoking diverse reactions.

This unpredictability is precisely what makes our whisky journey so thrilling; sometimes, we agree to disagree. This Kentucky bourbon secured an impressive 91 points in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible. In our deliberations, we settled on a rating of “Very Good” for the Wild Turkey 101 bourbon whiskey.

It’s a bourbon that shines if you have an affinity for robust spices. While it may not be my preference, John managed to single-handedly make a dent in the bottle, attesting to its undeniable appeal for spicy, bold bourbon fans.

This is the perfect pairing with a blue cheese. The whiskey has enough bold spiciness to stand up to the pungent cheese.

Also Read: Jim Beam White Label Bourbon