Tag: Rating: Very Good Page 8 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

Glen Scotia Double Cask Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 04/19/2021

In Single Malt whisky

Today I look at a whisky from a whisky region that almost disappeared. The Glen Scotia Double Cask single malt Scotch whisky is from Campbeltown.Around a century ago Campbeltown was the most prolific of all of Scotland’s whisky regions.

There were more than 20 distilleries in the small geographic whisky region. It dwindled to just 3. One of the reasons for the decline was the fact that most distilleries in the Campbeltown region had a strong focus on quantity instead of quality.

Thanks to strong international demand, the Campbeltown distilleries could quickly sell their entire output. There was little need to innovate or improve the whisky. Then Prohibition was introduced in the USA, and the demand declined sharply.

Today there are three distilleries in the Campbeltown Region: Springbank, GlenGyle (Kilkerran) and Glen Scotia. Campbeltown whiskies are a mixed bag of flavours. Their characteristics include a dryness with a pungency, smoke and saltiness.

Imagine a cross between the Lowlands and the Western Highlands with a pinch of salt thrown in. Campbeltown sits on the Mull of Kintyre Peninsula protruding from the western coast. Glen Scotia Distillery was founded in 1832 by Stewart, Galbraith and Co and remained in the family until 1919.

It changed ownership various times and spent some years closed down. After years of opening and shutting down, some stability arrived in 2000 when the Loch Lomond Group bought the distillery.

Glen Scotia Double Cask is a single malt, which has no age statement and is matured in oak barrels then finished in a combination of American 0ak barrels followed by time in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks.

The Glen Scotia Double Cask won a gold medal at the 4th Annual Berlin International Spirits Competition in 2017.

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Glen Scotia Double Cask Whisky Review

REGION: Campbeltown

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Reddish copper

NOSE: Sweet red berries and rich dark fruits. There are notes of freshness associated with fresh-cut flowers and honey with hints of vanilla. In the background some dark bitter chocolate.

PALATE: More of the red berries and fruity sweetness with burnt toffee sweetness. The Glen Scotia Double Barrel is quite spicy with woody hints and a medium body. Over time the palette changes to mild citrus and black pepper.

Without water, it has a bit of an alcohol burn. Adding a few drops of water softens the burn. However, it feels like the water separates the elements and the fruity sweetness becomes overwhelmed by the pepper spices.

FINISH: Pepper and berries of the forest.

RATING: VERY GOOD

The Glen Scotia Double Cask is not the most complex dram, and the peppery nature nearly overwhelms the fruity sweetness. The sherry cask also comes through more noticeable than the bourbon cask. It is a great whisky if you like a more peppery bite. I have a sweet palate and prefer something sweeter and fruity.

However, I wonder how this pepper nature will work with a mature cheese? I suspect, it might make for a great pairing. Hmmm, let me go and experiment again.

Another Glen Scotia release I have tried and liked was the Victoriana as well as the Glen Scotia 15 yo whisky. The Glen Scotia Double Cask was also included in the Glen Scotia Dunnage tasting set that I wrote about.

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Bell’s Blended Scotch Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 04/12/2021

In Blended whisky

Today I look at an affordable brand with a memorable catchphrase. It was also my dad’s every day drinking whisky. So it has been around for quite a while; the Bell’s blended Scotch whisky.

An advert aired in SA round 2014 showed an elderly gentleman in his ambition to learn to read. Throughout the commercial, viewers watch the lead character attend reading classes, spell messages of devotion to his wife using fridge magnets, and play scrabble with his friends.

Ultimately, his motivation is to read the book his son has written. As he gives his son the news he has, at last, read his book, his jubilant son remarks, “Give that man a Bell’s”.

This catchphrase has become part of SA social culture. If someone achieves something extraordinary, people will comment, “Give that man a Bell’s”.

In 1851, Perth based Arthur Bell began to blend various single malts to create a more consistent blended whisky. His two sons, Robert and Arthur, joined the business in partnership in 1895.

By the 1880s, the company was focused on blended whisky. At the end of Prohibition in America, there was a sudden surge in demand, and Arthur Bell & Sons acquired Blair Athol and Dufftown distilleries in 1933.

In 1936 they added the Inchgower distillery to the portfolio. By 1970, Bell’s was the highest-selling whisky in Scotland. Today the brand still has significant market shares in the UK, South Africa, the Nordic countries, Spain and Brazil.

In 1994, an 8 year old age statement was added. It was at a time when there was a surplus of mature Scotch whisky. But in 2008, the supply of mature whisky became a problem, and the age statement was removed.

The Well Known Bell’s Decanter

Bell’s is also known for the ceramic bell-shaped decanters that it released for special occasions such as Charles & Diana’s wedding and Christmas.
There is a Bell’s Special Reserve that is (was) available in SA. Bell’s is a blend of about 40 grain and malt whiskies. It includes whisky from all around Scotland, including Dufftown, Inchgower, Glenkinchie and Caol Ila.

These are all blended with Blair Athol’s malt. Bell’s is a brand of blended whisky initially produced by Arthur Bell & Sons Ltd and now owned by Diageo.

Bell’s Blended Scotch Whisky Review

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Amber gold

NOSE: A few alcohol notes that need a few minutes to dissipate. After the alcohol evaporates, there is a fruity sweetness, gentle spice with cereal bits. Hints of shortbread and grain.

PALATE: Not as sweet as the nose. Notes of malt, oak, pepper and apricots. The Bell’s blended whisky has a medium body. Some alcohol heat. A few drops of water soften the pepper and alcohol notes and bring more fruity sweetness to the front. I managed to finish the glass with no trouble. The Bell’s whisky is not the most complex dram, but never the less drinkable.

FINISH: Medium long finish. End in notes of pepper and citrus.

RATING: VERY GOOD

The moment I opened the bottle, it brought back so many memories. There was always a bottle of Bell’s in the house growing up, and it was my dad’s regular drinking whisky. His special occasion whisky was the Chivas or the Dimple. The nose immediately reminded me of his glass of whisky.

Also, when we were sick, my mother would make us a remedy of hot milk with sugar and a shot of whisky. The whisky she used was always the Bell’s, and the moment I tasted it, I had clear memories of drinking it with the hot milk in bed.

It was not as sticky sweet, or harsh as the Black & White whisky I had a few weeks ago; quite drinkable, actually. For the price point, it is not a bad buy. What makes this whisky unique, for me, is all the cherished childhood memories that it brings back.

For that alone, it deserves a place in my whisky collection. In South Africa, this blend retails for around R210 and is widely available.

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Talisker Skye Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 03/01/2021

In Single Malt whisky

I love the Talisker 10 year old whisky. It is one of those drams that I will take to a desert island with me. It is smooth, smoky and comforting, and of course, very drinkable. However, I need to expand my tasting notes from this Scottish Island distillery, so today, I am trying the Talisker Skye single malt Scotch whisky.

The Talisker distillery is a whisky distillery on the Isle of Skye. It is part of the Diageo stable. Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill founded the distillery in 1830. It was rebuilt and upgraded a few times over the years.

Talisker’s water comes from Cnoc nan Speireag (Hawk Hill) and flows over peat, which adds an extra dimension to the whisky. Talisker has an unusual feature—swan neck lye pipes.

Diageo introduced Talisker Skye whisky in early 2015. They named it after the rugged landscape and jagged peaks of the Cuillin Mountains and the island’s wild seas. The Talisker core range also includes the Talisker Storm and the Port Ruighe.

Also Read: Ledaig 10 yo Whisky

It was great to see this distillery in the TV adaptation of one of my favourite books. In Good Omens by Terry Pratchett, the demon Crowley (played by Scotsman David Tennant) drinks Talisker by the bottle as he awaits the coming apocalypse.

This expression aims to create a more well-rounded and sweet flavour profile combined with the traditional Talisker maritime notes. It’s matured in a combination of refill and toasted American oak casks, with a slightly higher proportion of toasted casks. It is peated to an estimated 20 ppm and is a NAS release.

Talisker Skye Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: Island

ABV: 45.8%

COLOUR: Bright gold

NOSE: The nose is clean and fresh. There are bits of fresh fruit, a peaty earthiness mixed with underlying smoke. Hints of honey and salt.

PALATE: The Talisker Skye has a medium body. There are notes of dry oak, citrus fruit, fresh apples and peat. Bits of smoke and lemon pepper. Adding water bring forward more barley and softens the pepper. It is not the most complex dram and rather delicate.

FINISH: Drying oak and pepper.

RATING: VERY GOOD

The Talisker Skye whisky has a few unfinished edges and feels like it is not quite rounded off. It is not a bad whisky, but it is difficult not to compare this release to the Talisker 10 year old whisky. The 10 year old whisky is easier drinking, more complex and smoother than the Skye.

Although the taste difference between these two is quite pronounced, the price difference between these two releases is relatively small. At Master of Malt, the Skye retails for GBP 30.21 and the Talisker 10 year old single malt for GBP 30.38. I would rather grab the 10 year old release than the Skye.

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Bell’s Special Reserve Blended Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/22/2021

In Blended Malt Whisky

Today I look at the Bell’s Special Reserve blended malt Scotch whisky. One of my favourite whiskies during my student days was Bell’s whisky. It was a bit more upmarket than the cheap nasty bottles with “whiskey” printed on it. Best of all, it was affordable and accessible. We spent many a night solving world problems around a bottle of Bell’s.

But after university, my taste (and budget) changed and I have not had a Bell’s whisky in many, many years. Because I associated it with cheap university days, it had very little appeal. But then I saw a blog post on the Bell’s Special Reserve blended malt whisky I was intrigued. So what better time to try a Bell’s again.

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The Special Reserve has been available in South Africa since 2004. Until someone wrote about it, I never noticed it before. Bell’s Special Reserve blended malt is owned by Diageo. It is a malt whisky described as a mixture of Highlands, Speyside and a subtle hint of Islay. The Blair Atholl distillery is seen as the “home” of the Bell’s brand.

Other distilleries used in the blend is the Inchgower and Dufftown distilleries from Speyside, Glenkinchie and the Caol Ila from Islay. The Bell’s Special Reserve is a blend of single malt whiskies, each aged for at least 8 years.

Bell’s Special Reserve Whisky Review

ABV: 43%.

COLOUR: The Special Reserve has a wonderfully rich golden amber colour that radiates warmth.

NOSE: Rich and complex with smoky sherry notes. There are brandy-soaked fruit and malt mixed with caramel and hints of spice. Adding a few drops of water releases more peaty characteristics on the nose.

PALATE: Without water, the palate is peppery and sweet with fresh fruit and honey. Fresh cut flowers and mint toffee come to mind. The palate is not as complex as the nose suggested. The Bell’s Special Reserve is a medium-bodied whisky. Adding water smooths the pepper notes and brings more sweetness and smoke.

FINISH: Medium length and end in sweetness, tobacco and a bit of woody orange.

RATING: VERY GOOD

It is certainly better than the Bell’s whisky that I had all those years ago. And at the price point of R270, not a bad buy. However, there are a few other blended malts that I would rather pick up. What did you think of this Bell’s Special Reserve?

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Craigellachie 13 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/05/2020

In Single Malt whisky

One of the most exciting and indeed the oldest dram I tasted during 2019 was the Craigellachie 51 yo single malt whisky. Georgie Bell, the Global Malts Ambassador for Bacardi, brought a few bottles of this very very limited release to South Africa and I was fortunate to try it.

It was my first foray into whisky from the Craigellachie distillery. So let’s look at the entry-level single malt from this distillery, the Craigellachie 13 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

The Craigellachie distillery was built in 1891 by Craigellachie Distillery Co. Limited, a group of blenders and merchants led by Alexander Edward. It is a Speyside distillery in Banffshire that overlooks the little town of Craigellachie. The Gaelic name means “Rocky Hill” and is pronounced Krai-GELLacky.

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The brand is part of the John Dewar & Sons stable. For many years, it was only used in blends like White Horse and various Dewar’s blends. It is only in 2014 that distillery releases become available. The distillery is known for its meaty, sulphurous nature.

The Craigellachie single malt range includes a 17 year old as well as a 23 year old whisky. There used to be a 19 year old release, but this has been discontinued. There are also various independent bottling available. It is part of the Bacardi stable of brands.

Craigellachie 13 year old Whisky

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Pale gold

NOSE: Apricots and dried cherries with toffee sweetness. A fruity sweet nose. The nose is like a colourful fruit salad with bits of malt and toasted nuts in the background.

PALATE: Medium body with the sweet fruit salad from the nose continuing on the palate. White pepper, oak, hints and malt with bits of smoky bacon and toasted nuts behind it all. I was hoping for a bolder meaty note on the palate. There was also a bit of alcohol heat. Water softened the alcohol heat and brought more sweetness to the front.

FINISH: Medium long, with some oak, pepper and fruity sweetness.

RATING: VERY GOOD

It is a good introduction to the Craigellachie stable and taste profile. John enjoyed the Craigellachie without the water, and I preferred it with the water. The water toned down the spices and the alcohol heat and created a smooth drinkable dram.

I want to explore more of the meaty notes from this distillery and need to find the 17 year old release somewhere. I do have a bottle of the discontinued 19 year old whisky in my collection, and perhaps I need to go and open that bottle.

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