Tag: Speyside Whisky Page 3 of 14

Speyside is a “protected region” for Scotch Whisky distilling under UK Government legislation.According to Visit Scotland, this region includes the area between the Highlands to the west, Aberdeenshire in the east and extending north to the Cairngorms National Park. Speyside single malt whisky is single malt Scotch whiskies, distilled in Strathspey, the area around the River Spey in Moray and Badenoch and Strathspey, in northeastern Scotland.

A beautiful box arrived a week or three ago. It was an invitation to join Rowan Gibb, the Super Premium Whisky Ambassador, to taste some Benriach whisky now available in SA. The tasting pack included the Benriach The Twelve Speyside single Malt Scotch whisky as well as the Benriach Smoky Twelve whisky.

The Benriach distillery has many links with South Africa. John Duff, the original owner, travelled through South Africa with his family during the 1800 and visited Johannesburg during the gold rush. He wanted to start a distillery here, but that did not work out as planned.

He went back to Scotland and, in 1898, built two distilleries next to each other in the Elgin region of Speyside. The other distillery was the Longmorn distillery. The Benriach distillery shut down during the Pattison crash, and only the malting floor remained active.

In 1965 the distillery was reopened by Glenlivet Distillers and, over the years, changed hands various times. In 2004 the Benriach distillery was bought by a consortium formed by two South Africans and Scottish whisky expert Billy Walker.

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The consortium expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of the Glendronach distillery in 2008 and the Glenglassaugh distillery in 2013. In 2016 the consortium sold all three of these distilleries to Brown-Forman.

Brown Forman appointed Dr Rachel Barry as the Master Distiller, and she has been refreshing the core range’s branding and structure. The look of the bottles and branding is reminiscent of the more classic branding from the early years.

Today let’s look at the Benriach The Twelve single malt whisky. In a week or two, I will also publish my tasting notes for the Benriach The Smoky Twelve whisky.

The Benriach The Twelve whisky was launched in 2020 as part of BenRiach’s new core range of single malts. It combines whisky matured in sherry casks, bourbon barrels and port casks for at least 12 years. Dr Barry then married the whisky from each cask together to create a sherry-rich single malt.

Benriach The Twelve Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Golden bronze

NOSE: Rich and sweet with notes of red fruits, sherry and cherries. Something fresh in the background reminds me of fresh summer meadow flowers and green apples. There are hints of cocoa and honey in the background.

PALATE: Sweet with toffee apples, summer fruit salad and fresh cream, chocolate-coated cherries and pepper. Bits of wood and tropical fruit floating around. Warming chilli spiciness balances out the sweetness. Water softens the fruity notes and takes away a bit of the complexity.

FINISH: Long and lingering with fruity sweetness and soft pepper.

RATING: EXCELLENT

A rich sherry forward dram perfect for summer. Perfect as a pre-dinner sipping drink. The Benriach The Twelve is bold and memorable.

The Benriach The Twelve Scotch whisky is an excellent addition to any whisky drinker’s cupboard. The new branding is clean and classic and does credit to the spirit in the bottle.

It is available in South Africa and rentals for around R500. That is an excellent price for a 12 yo single malt from this innovative distillery.

Sample disclosure: I received this whisky from the Benriach team. The review and tasting notes are my own honest, fair and independent thoughts about the whisky.

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Glen Grant 10 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/16/2022

In Single Malt whisky

The last time I wrote about a Glen Grant whisky was in 2019 when I looked at the 12 year old Non Chill-Filtered. I need to rectify this oversight, as it is a whisky distillery that I like. So today, I look at the Glen Grant 10 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

The first time I tasted this whisky was at a Whisky Show many years ago when my good friend Bernard Gutman poured me a tot. The Major’s Release is on my top 5 affordable drams list, and the 12 year old non-chill-filtered is perfection. The Glen Grant stand is always on my whisky show must-visit list.

Glen Grant was founded in 1840 in Rothes, Speyside, by brothers John and James Grant. After the founding brothers died, James ‘The Major” Grant inherited the distillery, and he had a keen interest in whisky-making.

Also Read: The Top 5 Blends under R500

The Major was known as a renowned innovator and traveller, and he enjoyed trying many new ideas. He was the first man in the Highlands to own a car. Glen Grant was the first distillery to have electric lights. Chivas Brothers Ltd owned the distillery in the past. But in 2005 it was bought by the Italian company Campari Group.

The core range includes a 12 year old and an 18 year old, and there are quite a few independent bottlings available such as the Checkers Private Barrel Co Glen Grant 17 year old release.

It is a well-known brand all around the globe and is readily available in SA. The Glen Grant 10 year old single malt whisky is aged in bourbon casks. Glen Grant launched the revised bottle design in mid-2016. In SA, it retails for around R510. On Amazon you can pick it up for round £32.

Glen Grant 10 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Golden Yellow

NOSE: Elegant with notes of ripe pear, honey and vanilla. Bits of spearmint and fresh coriander with malt.

PALATE: Medium body and soft with sun ripe pear and apple and malt. Notes of vanilla, honey and oak spices. Adding water brings a gentle smokiness and lemon pepper to the front. Not very complex.

FINISH: Medium length with toffee cinnamon and oak.

RATING: VERY GOOD

A drinkable summer Scotch. The Glen Grant 10 year is not a bad dram, and I think it is an affordable introduction to Speyside single malt whisky for beginners. It is drinkable, but I miss the bolder, more complex fruity notes from the 12 year old. Even the Major’s Release has more depth and character.

It does, however, showcase the fruity characteristics of Speyside drams. It is readily available in South AFrica and in the affordable category. The Glen Grant 10 year old retail for around R 550 at WhiskyBrother& Co.

Also Read: Balvenie Doublewood 17 year old Whisky

Linkwood 8 year old Very Cloudy Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/25/2021

In Single Malt whisky

Three weeks ago, Morris invited me to join the Joburg Whisky Club for a whisky tasting. A real-life, in person, getting to shake people’s hands, whisky tasting. After so many months of lockdown and online tastings, this was the most exciting event on my calendar.

A further bonus was that the very knowledgeable Candice Baker hosted the tasting, and she presented some exciting drams.The first dram that Candice introduced us to was the Linkwood 8 year old Vintage 2012 single malt Scotch whisky released under the Very Cloudy label by the Signatory Vintage Scotch Whisky Company.

It is such a memorable dram that the next day I ordered myself a bottle for my collection. The other releases we tried were the Very Cloudy Bunnahabhain Staoisha 2013 Vintage, the Waterford Cooladine 1.1 and Knockroe 1.1 and lastly, the Edradour 9 year old Vintage 2010 whisky.

These releases are imported to South Africa by Navigate World Whisky. They don’t only do whisky but bring exciting rum releases to SA. I will also be exploring the rum selection later in the year.

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Signatory is an independent bottler based at the Edradour distillery near Pitlochry in Perthshire. Launched in September 2005, the Very Cloudy range is a variant of “The un-chill-filtered collection”. The cloudy appearance of the whiskies comes from the suspended fats loaded with aromas that were not eliminated at the time of filtration at room temperature. Especially when you add a drop or 2 of water, the cloudiness comes through.

The original Linkwood distillery was founded in 1821 by Peter Brown in Elgin in the Speyside region of Scotland. Then, in 1971, a new adjoining distillery, called Linkwood B, was built. The two distilleries operated together until 1996 when the old Linkwood was closed down for good. The distillery draws its water from the springs of Millbuies Loch.

Diageo currently owns the distillery. The vast majority of the spirit distilled at Linkwood is used in Diageo-owned blends like Johnnie Walker and White Horse whisky. However, the distillery also sells much of the spirit to other blenders.

Linkwood 8 year old Very Cloudy Whisky Review

Aged in bourbon barrels. Distilled on 08.05.20212 and bottled on 16.11.2020 from Cask no 306311 + 306317. Selected by Navigate World Whisky and La Maison du Whisky.

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Pale gold.

NOSE: Fruity and green with notes of freshly cut green grass, pine needles, mint and bits of grain and malty richness. Bits of summer fruit and hay. Fresh and elegant. A lovely inviting nose.

PALATE: Tropical fruit with mild black pepper, salted liquorice and sun-dried hay. Malt and woodiness with citrus notes. More mint and hints of florals mixed with guava and pineapple sweetness. Quite oily with a medium body .

FINISH: Medium length with mild spice, some green earthy notes and malt.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Not the most complex dram, but unique, well-balanced and very drinkable. The Linkwood is a great summer sipping whisky for when you are looking for something different but approachable.

As this is not a distillery from which you find regular independent bottlings (not in SA anyway), it makes for a great addition to the collection. It is available at selected retail stores, and I got mine via Navigate World Whisky Online. It retails for R995 in South Africa.

Also Read: Johnnie Walker Island Green Whisky

Glenfiddich Fire and Cane Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/06/2021

In Single Malt whisky

Today I look at the 4th release in the Glenfiddich Experimental Series, the Glenfiddich Fire and Cane single malt Scotch whisky. This whisky follows the very successful Glenfiddich IPA Cask, the Glenfiddich Project XX and the Glenfiddich 21 year old Winter Storm Experimental series whisky released by Glenfiddich over the last couple of years.

The Experimental Series allows Glenfiddich the freedom to play around with unusual combinations to expand their boundaries and test new ideas.

The Glenfiddich Fire and Cane whisky was released in mid-2018. Malt Master Brian Kinsman finished some of Glenfiddich’s peated single malt and bourbon barrel matured malts for three months in various Latin American rum casks.

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He wanted to enhance the campfire smokiness, balanced with a toffee sweetness in the whisky. When it was available in South Africa, it retailed for around R1000. With covid hampering the industry, I have not seen it around for a while.

Like the other Experimental Series releases, I have seen people both love and hate the Fire and Cane release. Just like some people adore the Glenfiddich Project XX, and others (me included) found it boring and stuffy.

I loved the Glenfiddich IPA cask whisky as it reminds me of brewery visits. Other people found it uninspiring and ordinary. I have seen similar sentiments for this Fire and Cane. However, I think it is an interesting whisky to try and was quite excited to add it to my collection.

Glenfiddich Fire and Cane Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Deep gold

NOSE: Billowing smoke, bits of peat with a honey sweetness. The nose reminded me a bit of liquid smoke. It has notes of sweet toffee with fresh fruit notes and bits of spiciness. Unique.

PALATE: Wood fire smoke, dry wood with toffee sweetness. It reminded me a bit of the Big Peat Cape Town Edition whisky from Remarkable Malts. It has a similar “braai” (BBQ) note on the palate. A charred wooden note with fruity sweetness.

Baked apple, ginger and chocolate orange. Some alcohol heat. Medium body. The Fire and Cane needs a few drops of water to release flavour. Not the most complex dram.

FINISH: Short with notes of pepper and oak.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What an interesting bottling. Unfortunately, the finish on this Fire and Cane single malt is a bit short. I was also expecting the tropical fruity rum notes to be bolder. That being said, just like the Glenfiddih IPA Cask, I think this is a successful experiment. It allows the drinker to experience a tropical smoke flavour that you don’t get to try every day.

It is not an everyday drinking dram, but a drinkable and unique whisky to enjoy on occasion. A great addition to my whisky collection. Thank you, Luben, for spotting and getting the bottle for me.

Also Read: My Top 5 Whisky Food Pairings

Glenfiddich Gran Reserva 21 year old Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/03/2021

In Single Malt whisky

John got this bottle of Glenfiddich Gran Reserva 21 year old whisky as a gift, and I decided why not. Let’s end this year on an old note. I started this year with the Three Ships PX cask. I will begin next year with the Three Ships Pinotage Cask. But first, I end 2016 on a high note with the Glenfiddich Gran Reserva 21 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

Glenfiddich is one of three William Grant family-owned distilleries which sit in close to each other to the north of Dufftown. The Glenfiddich distillery is massive and has a capacity of 10 million litres per year, making it one of Scotland’s largest distilleries.

During 2016, the packaging on the Glenfiddich Gran Reserva was re-designed. It re-launched as part of the Glenfiddich core range. The bottle is a broader, thicker version of the classic three-sided bottle used for the younger expressions in the core range. The liquid remains the same as in the earlier releases.

The Glenfiddich Gran Reserva single malt was aged for 21 years and then finished in Caribbean Rum casks for around four months. The rum-soaked casks add warmer and more vibrant flavours to compliment the fruity dram.

Also Read: Glengoyne 21 yo Whisky

Glenfiddich 21 year old Gran Reserva Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43,2%

COLOUR: A dark amber with hints of red in the glass.

NOSE: Rich tropical fruit, lychee, guava and banana mixed with red berry fruits and hints of toffee sweetness along with faint whispers of oak. There is a rich dark note to the nose with a layer of vanilla and cinnamon.

>PALATE: The Gran Reserva starts with pepper spicy and then very quickly turns to fruity deliciousness before evolving into rich toffee and vanilla. A second sip reveals a delicious tropical fruit such as dried mango and banana with hints of oak and fruitcake.

It is rich, complex and chewy! A toffee sweetness hangs around the background. The addition of water opens this whisky up wonderfully, and it becomes smoother and sweeter. It is easy drinking with the traditional Glenfiddich fruitiness enhanced by the rum casks.

FINISH: The finish is brilliant. It is long and lingering and ends in sweet and spicy notes.

RATING: DIVINE

It is a brilliant dram! The flavour development profile and finish of this Glenfiddich 21 year old Gran Reserva whisky ia undoubtedly the highlight. The fruitiness is perfectly balanced with the sweet spices. This dram puts a HUGE smile on my face.

I was planning to end the year on a high note and knew that the Glenfiddich Gran Reserva was excellent, but I did not expect it to be this good! What a finish – both the whisky and the year.

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