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.

Originally this post was part of my Balvenie Golden Cask tasting notes, but it is such a fun and delicious side by side comparison, I decided it warranted a post of its own; Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask whisky. Both these Balvenie releases were finished in rum casks.

The Caribbean Cask release is part of the Balvenie core range, and the Golden Cask was travel retail special. Let’s look at the Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask single malt Scotch whisky comparison.

The Golden Cask has been finished in Caribbean Rum barrels and the Caribbean Cask in barrels that previously held Malt Master David Stewart’s personal blend of select West Indian rum.

I have both these expressions in my collection, so after capturing my tasting notes for the Golden Cask, I got out the Caribbean Cask whisky to do a bit of a comparison. For me, a side-by-side comparison is a valuable learning experience that shows the different sides of each dram.

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask Whisky

Balvenie launched the Caribbean Cask 14 yo whisky to mark the 50th anniversary of David Stewart joining the Balvenie distillery. It is part of the Balvenie core range.

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask Speyside single malt whisky has been matured in traditional oak casks for 14 years. Afterwards, they finished it in casks that previously held Malt Master David Stewart’s blend of select West Indian rum.

The Balvenie Golden Cask Whisky

The Balvenie Golden Cask whisky was initially bottled for the travel retail market. The Golden Cask single malt Scotch whisky was first matured in traditional oak casks and then finished in casks that formerly held golden Caribbean rum.

It was crafted by Balvenie’s David Stewart, and it has been discontinued.

Balvenie Golden Cask vs Caribbean Cask Whisky

	Balvenie Golden Cask	Balvenie Caribbean Cask
Age	14 yo	14 yo
ABV	47.5%	43%
Cask Finish	Caribbean rum	David Stewart’s blend of select West Indian rum
Colour	Light wheat gold	Golden wheat
Nose	Heaps of fruits, florals with butterscotch and fudge and vanilla. Fields of summer flowers with hints of cinnamon spice and hints of chocolate coated fruits and oak.	Ripe mango, pineapple and guava, toffee, Christmas cake and plump rum-soaked raisins. Hints of florals and malt intermingling with oak. Fudge and lashings of spices.
Palate	The fruity sweetness promised on the nose is not so pronounced, and there are more spicy notes on the palate. The Golden Cask is refined and luxurious. It is fresh and light with pineapple, tropical fruit.	Mango and spicy notes, creamy caramel toffee, vanilla, oak, tipsy tart and ginger. Chewy and spicy.
Finish	Big and bold with sweetness and cinnamon that lingers	Softer with notes of pectin and pepper
Comments	More refined and floral with an amazing finish.	Chewy and delicious, but with a few sharp pepper notes.
Pairs well with	Dark chocolate and tropical fruit	Softer cheese such as camembert

Side by side, it is amazing how different these two releases are.

The Balvenie Golden Cask has a higher ABV and is slightly lighter than the Caribbean Cask release. Both the releases has the tropical rum notes, but it is more pronounced on the Golden Cask.

The Balvenie Golden Cask single malt has a floral note mixed with the tropical pineapples and oak, where the Caribbean Cask has more mango, raisins and vanilla mixed with fudge. The Balvenie Caribbean Cask single malt has a spicier finish with more pepper and ginger notes.

Both are excellent and delicious. However, the Golden Cask is more refined with less spicy compared to the Caribbean Cask. It is definitely my favourite of these two bottles.

Both my bottles are nearly finished. I will be sad to see the Golden Cask empty; it was a delicious and unique dram. The Caribbean Cask is readily available, and when the bottle is empty, I will replace it.

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I have also done a side by side comparison between the Caribbean Cask and the Balvenie Doublewood.

Tamnavulin Double Cask Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/26/2020

In Single Malt whisky

Today I look at the Tamnavulin Double Cask Speyside single malt Scotch whisky, produced at one of the younger Scottish whisky distilleries. The Tamnavulin distillery was built in 1966, mainly to supply the booming market for whisky to use in blends including Whyte & Mackay and Mackinlay’s.

Tamnavulin distillery was built on the remains of a wool mill, and Tamnavulin is a translation of the Gaelic for ‘mill on the hill’. The water used is from underground springs in the neighbouring hills.

The distillery changed hands a few times and spend some time closed. It ended up in the Emperador/ Whyte & Mackay stable together with Jura and Dalmore.

Also Read: Springbank 18 yo Whisky

In 2016, Tamnavulin was re-launched in the UK as a single malt brand. It marks the 50th anniversary of the distillery. The Tamnavulin range also includes a Sherry cask edition, a red wine cask edition as well as a Vintage Collection.

The Tamnavulin Double Cask single malt whisky is the first official release from the distillery in more than two decades! It is first matured in American oak barrels before a finishing period in sherry casks.

Tamnavulin Double Cask Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Amber gold.

NOSE: An unusual nose. It took me a while to identify the notes. Fermented grapes, wet moss with bits of caramel sweetness. Some alcohol notes floating around—something like mouldy bread in the background.

PALATE: Oak, pepper with bits of caramel, lemon and tobacco. Not a very complex whisky. Adding water renders it flat and one dimensional. Water brings the honey sweetness to the front and softens the oak and pepper notes.

FINISH: Drying oak and pectin.

RATING: GOOD

I have seen very positive reviews on this release, and I was excited to try it. However, it left me disappointed. I saw people mentioning flavours including chocolate mousse, brownies and marzipan. I am wondering if there is something wrong with my bottle.

According to the reviews, I could look forward to Christmas pudding and some fruit, but could not find any of these in my glass; I did not even want to finish my drink. Sadly, I think this bottle of Tamnavulin will be in my collection for quite some time.

Also Read: Glen Scotia Double Cask Whisky

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.

Also Read: The Singleton 15 yo Whisky

Balvenie Caribbean Cask vs Doublewood Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/11/2020

In Whisky Comparison

Today I look at a side-by-side comparison of two releases from the Balvenie Distillery. The Balvenie Caribbean Cask vs Doublewood single malt Scotch whisky. Comparing different distilleries side by side is fun, but I find that the most interesting comparisons are the ones between other releases from the same distillery.

When you play around with drams from the same distillery, it gives you insight into the distillery character while highlighting cask influences and ageing changes. It is a wonderful way to explore a distillery, especially now that we are in Covid lockdown.

The Balvenie Distillery is a Speyside distillery in the Convals in Dufftown, Scotland, owned by William Grant and Sons. William Grant started as a bookkeeper at Mortlach distillery 1866, where he learned the distilling trade. After about twenty years at the Mortlach, he bought a piece of land near Balvenie Castle.

He built Balvenie 1892. It shares its water source, the Robbie Dhu springs, with Glenfiddich. It has gone from strength to strength, becoming one of the most prestigious distilleries in the world. William Grant and Sons also own Glenfiddich and Kininvie Distillery.

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask Whisky

Balvenie launched the Caribbean Cask 14 year old single malt whisky to mark the 50th anniversary of David Stewart joining the Balvenie distillery. It is part of the Balvenie core range.

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask single malt whisky has been matured in traditional oak casks for a period. Afterwards, it was finished in casks that previously held Malt Master David Stewart’s own blend of select West Indian rum. It is readily available in South Africa (before Covid anyway).

The Balvenie Doublewood 12 year old Whisky

The Balvenie Doublewood 12 year old whisky is also part of the core series and readily available. (Well it was available before Covid and lockdown anyway) It was launched in 1993.

The Balvenie DoubleWood single malt Scotch spends 12 years maturing in traditional American oak ex-bourbon barrels and is then moved to Spanish oak ex-Oloroso sherry casks for an additional nine months.

Balvenie Caribbean Cask vs Doublewood 12 yo Whisky

	Balvenie Double Wood	Balvenie Caribbean Cask
Region	Speyside Whisky	Speyside Whisky
ABV	43%	43%
Colour	Polished amber and burnt copper	Golden wheat
Nose	Bits of oak intertwined with sherry. Fresh grapes and red berries and spices with vanilla. Rich and inviting.	Ripe mango, pineapple and guava, toffee, Christmas cake and plump rum-soaked raisins. Hints of florals and malt intermingling with oak. Fudge and lashings of spices.
Palate	Sherry sweetness mixed with oak, honey and vanilla with mild nutmeg and cinnamon spice at the end. Bits of dried fruit and nuts. Not as complex as I expected. Medium body.	Mango and spicy notes, creamy caramel toffee, vanilla, oak, tipsy tart and ginger. Chewy and spicy.
Finish	Medium length with spicy, slightly drying notes and a hint of sweetness.	Long and lingering. Notes of pectin and pepper.
My Rating	Very Good	Excellent
Comments	Great introduction to the Balvenie house style	Chewy and rich and very delicious.
Price	$76	$95
Pairs well with	Grilled Haloumi, smoked cheddar cheese, smoked duck.	Camembert or brie cheese, mushroom risotto.

A side by side comparison like this is fascinating. You can pick up the Balvenie Distillery character notes of fruit, vanilla and honey in both these releases. The base of both the two releases is noticeably Balvenie. Both are smooth and very drinkable.

But I found the Balvenie Doublewood single malt delicate and not as complicated as I was expecting. The nose was creamy and delicious, but the palate did not quite live up to the promises the nose made. It had notes of oak, sherry, honey, nutmeg and cinnamon.

I have to note that this is the start of the Balvenie range and a great way to start exploring the distillery.

However, the Balvenie Caribbean Cask single malt is just delicious. It is big, bold, wonderfully balanced and chewy. Tropical mango mixed with Christmas cake, oak, toffee and pepper. Slightly more spicy than the Doublewood.

The Caribbean Cask is my favourite releases between these two. Aged for two years longer than the Doublewood, the extra time in the wood and the addition to the rum finishing adds a rich extra dimension.

This release makes me dream of tropical islands, especially now that we are confined to one place during lock down.

There is also a Balvenie Golden Cask which is a limited edition also finished in rum. I did a side by side comparison between the Golden Cask and the Caribbean Cask as well to see how they differ.

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Macallan 15 vs Glenfiddich 15 yo Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 12/17/2019

In Whisky Comparison

Today I look at a comparison of 15 year old whiskies; two classic brands. These two brands go head to head all over the world. The Macallan 15 vs Glenfiddich 15 yo single malt whisky.

Both these single malt whiskies have iconic status worldwide. They are two of the most recognizable names in whisky. But what happens when you put them in a side by side comparison.

One from Speyside and one from the Scottish Highlands. Both spent time ageing in bourbon whiskey and sherry casks. Let’s start in Speyside.

Glenfiddich 15 year old Whisky

The Glenfiddich is one of my favourite distilleries, and this release has a special place in my heart. I love the sweet fruity releases that consistently come from this Speyside distillery. Family-owned after all this time, everyone knows the classic triangular-shaped bottle of Glenfiddich.

The Glenfiddich 15 year old single malt Scotch whisky is matured in American bourbon, Portuguese sherry and virgin oak casks. The whisky is then mellowed in a handcrafted Oregon pine solera vat (that is always kept half full) before being married in Portuguese oak tuns.

The Macallan Fine Oak 15 year old Whisky

The Macallan Distillery started life as Elchies Distillery. The name changed, and it expanded as the demand for the product soared. Over time, the Macallan had become a premium brand and have some of the most expensive drams in the world. The Macallan is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Edrington Group.

The Macallan Fine Oak 15 year old is a single malt Scotch aged in a combination of bourbon oak casks as well as sherry casks.

Also Read: Chivas 12 vs Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky

Macallan 15 vs Glenfiddich 15 Whisky

	Macallan 15 yo whisky	Glenfiddich 15 yo whisky
Region	Highland Whisky	Speyside Whisky
ABV	43%	43%
Colour	Golden straw	Golden red
Nose	Oak and orange blossom sweetness. It is rich and rewarding and invites you to dive in. There are faint hints of orange peel and honey.	Complex and rich with sweet sultanas, honey, stewed apple crumble with cream and caramel. Bit of oak and vanilla combining with hints of sherry and fudge.
Palate	Florals, barley, vanilla sweetness mixed with some pepper spice and nutmeg. Adding water smooths out the spiciness, but takes away some of the sweetness. Faint hints of orange blossom and fruit float about. I was expecting a lot more bourbon notes on the palate, but the bourbon notes are a very faint part of the vanilla sweetness.	There are notes of honey, oak, cinnamon and nutmeg spice, brandy-soaked fruitcake, hints of nuts perfectly balanced with more fruit and vanilla. Water just smooths out this already delicious dram.
Finish	Medium length and end in notes of oak, orange and spice.	Long and lingering with hints of malt, honey and cinnamon
My Rating	Excellent	Excellent
Comments	Great all round, well-balanced smooth whisky.	Rich, delicious, complex and easy drinking.
Price	$170	$80
Pairs well with	Wensleydale cheese or soft buttery blue cheese.	Duck, Grilled sirloin steak.

This side by side whisky comparison divided John and me. He loves the Macallan 15 year old, and I love the Glenfiddich 15 year old whisky.

The Macallan 15 year old bring notes of oak, florals, vanilla and orange blossom mixed with pepper and nutmeg. On the other side, the Glenfiddich 15 year old is brandy soaked fruit cake, nuts, oak and cinnamon. The Macallan is bolder and more spice forward than the Glenfiddich. The Glenfiddich has a more elegant complexity with a nicer finish.

I love the creamy and soft fruity sweetness of the Glenfiddich, and it will probably be one of my all-time favourite drams. John loves the bolder, spicier notes balanced with the sweetness of the Macallan.

Looking at online ratings, it seems like more people prefer the Macallan compared to the Glenfiddich. The Glenfiddich 15 year old will always have a special place in my heart regardless. But for now, we are just going to sit back and enjoy these two excellent whiskies.

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Also Read: Ardbeg Corryvreckan vs Uigeadail Whisky