Tag: Speyside Whisky Page 7 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.

How to start a whiskey club

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/20/2019

In Lifestyle

How to Start a whisky club
Whiskey is a spirit that brings people together. It gets people talking and having fun. It is an experience to be shared, to learn about, and to enjoy. However, exploring new whisky can be difficult in today’s economic climate. With rising food prices and fuel costs, whisky has become a luxury item. But there’s a solution: start a whiskey club!

A whiskey club is where you and like-minded friends can taste and learn together, making quality whiskey more affordable. For example, if each of 7 members contributes $15 per month, you have $105 monthly to spend on different whiskey. With this budget, you can enjoy 1 or 2 exquisite drams every month.

How to Start a whisky club get some friends and Some glasses

1. Start a Whiskey Club

1.1 Chat with your friends

Gather friends interested in whiskey, aiming for a club of 7 to 12 members. Establish ground rules for a positive experience and create a private communication channel, like a Facebook group or WhatsApp list, for easy information sharing.

1.2 Choose a name for your whiskey club

Select a name that defines your group, reflecting your identity. Be creative, and it could be linked to your locality or a shared interest.

1.3 Define your monthly contributions

Agree on a fixed monthly contribution; this makes budgeting easier. Even as low as $15 per month can work well, as great whiskey doesn’t have to be expensive.

1.4 Plan your venue and meeting time

Select a date and time that accommodates everyone, such as a Friday evening. Find an easily accessible venue, which could rotate among members’ homes or a central location.

1.5 Define a format

Ensure your meetings have structure and learning opportunities. Designate a leader for each event responsible for research, buying whisky, and hosting the tasting. Rotate this role to share the workload and promote learning.

The preparation can include the history of the distillery, information about the specific release as well as notes on food pairings.

2. What else you will need

2.1 Glassware

Some people will have strong opinions on what glasses you need for a whiskey tasting. Use what you have initially, but look for small tulip-shaped wine glasses as you progress. Getting glasses branded in your whiskey club’s name is a fun touch.

2.2 Tot measure

2.3 Water

Have room temperature water for adding to whiskey and cleansing the palate. We taste the whiskey first without water and then with a few drops of water. Water allows more of the flavours to open up.

The one thing we never add when tasting is ice. Ice makes the molecules contract, and you don’t taste all the aspects of the whiskey. Keep the ice for the hotter days when you are out just enjoying but not for tasting.

2.4 Tasting sheets

Standardized tasting sheets allow you to write down your impression of the whiskey you taste. Print them out or share them with the team so that they can bring a new tasting sheet to every session.

Some information to include on a tasting sheet can include:

Distillery name
Whiskey Region
Bottling information (ABV, Year distilled, Age, Cask type)
Tasting notes including colour, nose, palate and finish
Comments
Rating

3. Start a whiskey club: Your first meeting

Ensure all members share a basic understanding of whiskey. Use the first meeting to discuss how whiskey is made and the fundamentals of whiskey tasting, utilizing online resources for guidance. There are some great resources available such as:

Start a whisky club people sharing a drink

4. Choosing whisky to taste

Plan your whiskey selection based on your budget and members’ preferences. Decide whether to buy one expensive whiskey or a few medium-priced options. Create a tasting schedule in advance, considering different types of whiskey.

Start by making a list of some interesting whiskies. Look at the various regions and countries available. For example: Month 1 you taste Speyside whisky from Scotland, month 2 you try an American whiskey aged in wine barrels, month 3 it is time for a few rye releases.

During month 4 you can explore some bourbon, while month 5 looks towards Scottish Islay and you can try some peated and unpeated expressions from there.

Leverage online resources like the Whizzky App, which offers recommendations and a platform to track your club’s whiskey journey.

Who many whiskies should you taste per session? That depends on you and your club. We don’t taste more than 3 drams at a session. But that is just us. However, remember your taste buds stop working after a couple of drams. So anything after your 5^th whisky, you probably do not taste properly anymore.

5. Start a whiskey club: The process

Adapt the process to suit your club. Start with the leader sharing insights about the distillery, region, and the specific bottling. Then proceed with the following suggested steps:

Do not rush the tasting; take your time to savour each whiskey.
Pour out a measure of whiskey for everyone.
Start with the tasting sheet. Complete the basic info around region etc.
Look at the colour. Dark or light, what does the colour remind you of?
Nose the whiskey and see what flavours you can identify?
Then take a small sip (at last) and roll the liquid around in your mouth. What do you taste? What does it remind you of? Add a bit of water. Try it again. Is there a difference in the taste? Fill out the tasting notes on the tasting sheet as you go along.

When everyone has tasted the whisky, it is time to chat. See what other people smelled and tasted. Go back and taste some more.

Let the glass stand a bit and try it again. Proceed through your lineup of whiskies and if you’re lucky there’s some leftover to go back and have a 2^nd glass.

Enjoy the company of like-minded friends and a good whiskey. The rest of the night is up to you!

6. Drinking & Driving

Prioritize safety. Never drink and drive; use ride-sharing services like Uber or Taxify, designate a sober driver, or take a taxi. Ensure everyone in your club gets home safely.

Starting a whiskey club is a fantastic way to enjoy this delightful spirit, expand your knowledge, and create lasting memories with friends. So, gather your fellow whiskey enthusiasts and embark on this exciting journey of discovery and camaraderie. Cheers to your whisky club adventure!

This article was also published on LinkedIn.

Glen Grant 12 year old Non Chill Filtered Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 02/11/2019

In Single Malt whisky

One of my favourite events of the year is the annual Whisky and Spirit live festival in Sandton. Not only do I get to taste a variety of whisky, but I get to meet up with many whisky friends. And over the years, traditions have formed.

Every year, my friend Bernard G comes up to present at the Glen Grant stand, and we get to spend a bit of time together. For me, it is an opportunity to taste some of the delicious Glen Grant releases and to catch up on what has been happening.

The morning after the first Whisky Live evening, we always meet up to share a massive slice of chocolate cake and coffee.

I already knew and love the standard Glen Grant 12 yo as well as the Major’s Reserve. But during 2018, Bernard managed to get his hands on the Glen Grant 12 yo non chill filtered (NCF) single malt Scotch whisky release, which is (sadly) only available in travel retail.

He brought this and the standard release to our yearly coffee and cake session, and we sat down, right there in the middle of the Sandton coffee shop to taste the difference.

I was not expecting a big difference. Yes, the ABV is a bit higher, but it is the standard Glen Grant 12 year old whisky, just the non-chill-filtered version. How big can the difference be?

It was HUGE. I could not imagine that this is the same dram. The sad part, it is only available in selected travel retailers. So when John travelled, he had strict instructions to buy nothing else but the non-chill-filtered edition.

Also Read: Cragganmore 12 yo whisky

What is chill filtering?

According to Wikipedia chill filtering is a method in whisky-making for removing residue. In chill-filtering, whisky is cooled to between -10° and 4° Celsius and passed through a fine adsorption filter.

Chill filtering prevents the whisky from becoming hazy when in the bottle, when served, when chilled, or when water or ice is added. It also prevents sedimentation from occurring in the bottles.

More reading indicates that many people say that chill filtering has no impact on the whisky and many more who say that it does. Various brands have gone the non-chill-filtered route. These include Bunnahabhain, Ardbeg and Compass Box.

However, it isn’t easy to properly test the difference between a non chill filtered and a chill filtered release as there are not many available in the market. That is until John brought back my bottle of Glen Grant 12 year old non chill filtered whisky.

Glen Grant 12 year old Non Chill Filtered Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 48%

COLOUR: Bright gold

NOSE: Fruity sweetness, ripe cherries, oak with hints of vanilla sweetness and cinnamon

PALATE: Big, bold and oily with heaps of pineapples, banana, tropical fruit, woody spices, honey, vanilla, and hints of butterscotch and cinnamon. You don’t even have to add water, it drinks so smooth. Water releases a few more sweet notes and softens the boldness.

FINISH: Fruits and nuts spices vanilla

RATING: DIVINE

My first Divine rated whisky for 2019. What a beautiful full rounded and balanced release. It is amazing how big the difference in taste is between the chill and non chill filtered. Later in the year, I will do a side by side blind taste comparison and write about it.

I am not sure if it will hold for other releases, but in this Glen Grant 12 year old whisky, the non chill filtering has a significant difference in taste.

John is under strict instructions to pick up another one when he travels again. I am happy that this is a 1L bottle because it is going to be hard not to finish it before the end of the year. The best part of this dram, it pairs perfectly with rich chocolate cake. What more can you ask for?

Also Read: Rum vs Whiskey

Cragganmore 12 year old Single Malt Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 10/22/2018

In Single Malt whisky

It feels like I am on an exploration of Diageo’s Classic Malts. This year, I have tasted the Talisker 10 year old, the Cardhu 12 year old and now the Cragganmore 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

Can you believe it, it is another new distillery that I have not tried before. Cragganmore represents Speyside in the Classic Malts series.The Cragganmore distillery is situated in the Ballindalloch village in Banffshire.

The distillery was founded in 1869 by John Smith who also managed The Macallan and The Glenlivet distilleries. The site was chosen both for its closeness to the waters of the mineral-rich Craggan Burn which tumbles down the Craggan More hill and because it was close to the Strathspey railway.

The name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic ‘creagan mór’ or ‘big rock’. It is one of the smaller distillers, and the majority of the production is used for blending, especially as part of the White Horse and Johnnie Walker Black blended expressions.

The Cragganmore 12 year old is a sherried expression that is lightly peated. The Cragganmore range also has a Distillers Edition, and I have seen a 25 year old as well. There are various independent bottlings from Cragganmore available too.

Also Read: Dalwhinnie 15 yo Whisky

Cragganmore 12 year old Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Rich Gold

NOSE: Fresh summer fruit salad drizzled with lavender honey, wildflowers with hints of cream and spices. The nose is quite sweet and delicate.

PALATE: Honey and fruit sweetness with hints of smoked nuts and malt. The Cragganmore 12 year old single malt has a medium body and a creamy mouthfeel. Adding water softens the sweetness and brings more spices to the front. Suddenly there are notes of spicy oak and dry orange peel with cloves and pepper.

FINISH: Medium length with orange peel and oak.

RATING: VERY GOOD

I enjoyed the Cragganmore 12 year old Scotch without water, but could not finish it the moment I added the water. It was as if the water changed the sweetness into orange peel notes. How strange. I enjoyed the balance between the sweetness and the smoke, but this changed the moment you add some water.

Not a bad whisky, perhaps I just had a rough day. I will try it again later this week. It is suggested that you pair the Cragganmore 12 year old with a grilled chicken salad to bring out the smoky notes. This pairing might be a great idea for dinner later in the week and a good opportunity to try it again.

Also Read: Oban 14 yo whisky

Aberlour A’bunadh Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 09/10/2018

In Single Malt whisky

Where the Lour River meets the Spey, sits a small distillery, with a big name. As the son of a local tenant farmer, James Flemming knew the Speyside region well. When he founded the Aberlour Distillery in 1879, he chose a location that provided a steady supply of pure spring water that flowed over the pink granite of Ben Rinnes.

James remained involved with the distillery until his death in 1895. He is buried opposite the distillery in the Aberlour Village Cemetery.

The Aberlour distillery changed hands a few times, and currently, Pernod Ricard owns it together with Glenlivet distillery. They also produce the Ballantine’s blended whisky and Chivas Regal brands.

The distillery is known for their sherried expressions and mainly makes use of sherry casks with a few bourbon barrels mixed in. Aberlour distillery produces a variety of ages, including a 10 year old, 12 year old, 15 year old, and an 18 year old whisky. However, today I am tasting their cask strength release, the Aberlour A’bunadh Batch #53 single malt Scotch whisky.

Also Read: The Macallan 12 yo whisky

The Aberlour A’bunadh has no age statement. Meaning ‘the original’ in Gaelic, A’bunadh is made to honour Aberlour’s founder, James Fleming. It is drawn exclusively from Spanish Oloroso Sherry butts, and the Aberlour A’bunadh is bottled without chill-filtration or additional colours.

I tasted the Aberlour A’bunadh whisky for the first time about a year ago at the Whisky Live event in Pretoria, and it blew my mind – literally. It is bottled at an impressive 59.7% ABV and packs a big punch. With the last bits of winter floating about, it is the perfect whisky to review.

Aberlour A’bunadh Batch #53 WhiskyReview

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 59.7%

COLOUR: Golden mahogany

NOSE: Let this Aberlour A’bunadh breath for a bit. There are notes of overripe cherries and red fruit, sherry, vanilla, cinnamon and oak. Sugary sweetness nicely balanced with spicy notes with hints of sweet dessert wine at the end.

PALATE: Not for the faint-hearted. The first sip brings toasted oak spices, bitter chocolate and orange peel, but slowly more sherry fruity sweetness develops. Hints of dark sugar, cherries and cinnamon. You know you are drinking a high ABV dram. The alcohol is not overwhelming but does bring quite a bit of warmth. Adding a nice splash of water brings more of the sweetness to the front.

FINISH: Long and warming with some sweetness following the spicy notes.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The perfect Scotch whisky for winter. Sitting next to a roaring fire, a delicious dram in your glass warming you up from the inside. The Aberlour A’bunadh Batch #53 single malt is big, bold, and a sherry monster with a few rough edges. I would love to taste various batches together to see the variety that can come from this distillery.

Also Read: Glenfarclas 12yo older expression whisky

The Balvenie 14 year old Golden Cask Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/20/2018

In Single Malt whisky

Can you believe it; I have not tried one single Balvenie whisky this whole year! What a shame and something that needs rectification immediately! And with the coolish weather we are having, I think a whisky aged in Rum casks is perfect. So I took down the Balvenie Golden Cask 14 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

The Balvenie is a distillery I love. I have tasted plenty of the Balvenie releases including the Balvenie Triple Cask 16 yo, the Balvenie Peated Cask and the Balvenie Portwood 1993 whisky release. You can read about the history of Balvenie in some of my previous posts.

Also Read: Tomintoul 16 yo Whisky

But today is all about the Golden Cask. This Balvenie Golden Cask Scotch whisky was initially bottled for the travel retail market.

The whisky was first matured in traditional oak casks and then finished in casks that formerly held golden Caribbean rum. It’s crafted by Balvenie’s David Stewart. It has been discontinued and I can’t find it available anymore.

The Balvenie Golden Cask 14 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 47.5%

COLOUR: Light wheat gold

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.

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. Complex and delicious, water brings sweetness to the front and makes the whisky delicious and drinkable.

FINISH: Long and lingering with some sweetness and cinnamon coming through at the end.

RATING: EXCELLENT

A lovely release. I will be sad when we finish this bottle of Balvenie whisky; especially as it can’t be replaced. The balance between the fruity notes, the spices and the tropical hints is delicious and luxurious.

I have paired this Golden Cask single malt release with some Lindt Papaya chocolate for New Year. The fruity chocolate enhanced the tropical fruit notes of the Golden Cask whisky and the whisky smoothed out the creamy sweet notes of the chocolate. It made for a wonderfully rich and decadent fruit combination.

I am glad that I at least have the Caribbean Cask to make me dream of tropical islands. A side by side comparison between the Golden Cask and the Caribbean Cask deserved its own blog post.

Also Read: New Zealand Whisky Company whisky