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William Grant and Sons Ltd is an independent, family-owned Scottish company that distills Scotch whisky and other spirits. It was established in 1887 by William Grant, and is run by Grant’s descendants as of 2018. It is the largest of the handful of Scotch whisky distillers remaining in family ownership. The William Grant brands include: Glenfiddich, Balvenie, Kininvie, Grant’s, Monkey Shoulder, Aerstone, Clan MacGregor, Tullamore D.E.W.
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Tullamore DEW Irish Whiskey

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 12/20/2021

In Irish Whiskey

Like the vibrant green spirit of Saint Patrick’s Day, Tullamore DEW Irish whiskey proudly wears its distinctive green label. This Irish whiskey is one of the quintessential choices to pay homage to this cherished Irish celebration.

Tullamore DEW, a well-known Irish whiskey brand, is owned by William Grant & Sons. They also own the Glenfiddich and Balvenie distilleries. The Tullamore distillery traces back to 1829 when Michael Molloy founded the distillery in Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland. Following Molloy’s passing, the distillery found itself in the capable hands of the Daly family.

Interestingly, it was during the tenure of Daniel E. Williams as General Manager that the iconic DEW initials came into play, derived from his name. Quite the revelation, as many of us might have assumed it stood for dew, that glistening morning moisture on exposed surfaces.

This rich tapestry of Irish whiskey heritage continued to evolve, with the brand changing hands several times, ultimately being acquired by William Grant in 2010. Like the shamrock with its three leaves, Tullamore DEW’s distillation process also unfolds in threes.

The whiskey undergoes triple distillation, blending, and cask maturation. These casks include traditional refill, ex-bourbon, and ex-sherry casks, each imparting its unique character to the final product.

As for the tasting experience, let’s dive into the flavours of Tullamore DEW Irish whiskey:

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Tullamore DEW Irish Whiskey Review

Looking at my tasting notes, this is only the 3rd Irish whiskey that I have tasted in the last 4 years.

COUNTRY: Ireland

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: A dark amber.

NOSE: A blend of vanilla and caramel greets the senses, accompanied by subtle notes of fresh flowers, butterscotch, and hints of citrus, reminiscent of subtropical fruits. In the backdrop, a delicate interplay of spice, moss, and wood adds depth. After adding water, the spice and wood elements take centre stage.

PALATE: Abundant notes of spice and oak dominate, intermingling with touches of grapefruit and lemon rind. A subtle toffee sweetness and hints of malt dance in the background, but the peppery spice starts to overwhelm. A drop of water tempers some of the whiskey’s fiery aspects, offering a smoother experience.

FINISH: Rather short and end in spicy notes.

RATING: VERY GOOD

My experience with Irish whiskies may be limited, but I anticipated a smoother, more approachable whiskey. Surprisingly, the spiciness of Tullamore DEW Irish whiskey takes centre stage, eclipsing other flavour notes. The spice and the oak nearly drown out the sweetness.

Due to the spicy nature, it pairs wonderfully with cheese, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on this Irish classic. I indulged in some Tullamore DEW alongside some Irish Dubliner cheese. The synergy between the whiskey and cheese was nothing short of lovely.

Tullamore DEW amplified the vanilla sweetness of the cheese while the cheese softened the peppery notes. The cheese lent its creamy texture to the whiskey, enhancing the woody undertones for a harmonious duet on the palate.

As a bonus, I conducted a lively side-by-side comparison between Tullamore DEW and Jameson whiskey to uncover their distinctive charms.

Also Read: Glenfiddich 18 vs Glenmorangie 18 yo 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.

Also Read: Aerstone Land Cask Whisky

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

Aerstone Land Cask Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/12/2021

In Single Malt whisky

Last week I looked at the Aerstone Sea Cask 10 year old single malt whisky, and this week I explore more of the Aerstone Land Cask single malt Scotch whisky and look at the Ailsa Bay Distillery. A new distillery to my blog

The Aerstone range has two distinct styles of whisky. The Sea Cask is a Speyside style single malt matured near the Ayrshire coast. The counterpart is the Aerstone Land Cask. These expressions from William Grant & Sons aim to capture two different flavour profiles from Scotland in an approachable aged whisky.

Ailsa Bay is in the Scottish Lowlands, on the Clyde coast, looking out towards Arran. It was built in 2007 within the Girvan grain complex where the dismantled Ladyburn distillery once stood. It has eight stills to create a wide variety of styles.

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This allows the distillery to produce a broad range of styles. This flexibility gives master blender Brian Kinsman the scope to test innovative ideas by isolating and controlling some aspects throughout the production process.

Much of the unseated malted from Ailsa Bay is used in Grant’s and Clan MacGregor blended whisky. Ailsa Bay also produce peated whisky; its first official bottling as a single malt was a NAS heavily peated whisky released in 2016.

The Aerstone Land Cask single malt Scotch whisky was peat dried malt using Highland peat and matured for 10 years at warehouses situated slightly inland. In South Africa, it retails for R360 and is widely available.

Aerstone Land Cask 10 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Lowlands

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Dark gold

NOSE: Earthy mossy notes with peat, smoke and vanilla. There is a marmalade sweetness in the background mixed with crème brulee. Richer and bolder than the Sea Cask.

PALATE: Nicely balanced between sweet and smoky notes, with peat and smoke mixed with burnt sugar and dark orange chocolate. Heathery kind of peat with drying oak and warming pepper. Medium body. Not quite as sweet as the nose suggested. Bits of vanilla and cinnamon. Add water carefully; too much water drowns out the peaty goodness quite quickly.

FINISH: Bold and rich with notes of pepper, peat and brown sugar.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The Land Cask whisky is delicious, unpretentious and accessible. The peat is rich and nicely balanced, but water can easily overwhelm the flavour. It is a beautiful introduction to peat for a newbie. Both are excellent, but I enjoyed the Land Cask more.

The Aerstone Sea Cask is a summer dram. The Land Cask is perfect for a winter afternoon. It is an affordable everyday single malt whisky that hits all the right peaty notes. However, it is not a dram I would use in cocktails.

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

Also Read: Glenfiddich 12 vs Glenlivet 12 yo Whisky

Aerstone Sea Cask 10 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/05/2021

In Single Malt whisky

I was chatting to Steven Saunders, the William Grant Prestige Meta Manager in SA, and he mentioned that they are bringing in more of the Aerstone whisky releases into SA. I have seen a few comments regarding the Aerstone Sea Cask 10 year old Single Malt Scotch whiskyand Land Cask whisky on social media but have not tried them.

William Grant launched Aerstone whisky in the UK in September 2018. The range consists of the Aerstone Sea Cask and Land Cask, both 10 year old single malt whisky releases. These whiskies aim to simplify the traditional language’ associated with single malt Scottish whisky.

The Aerstone Sea Cask whisky is a Speyside style single malt matured near the Ayrshire coast. The Aerstone Land Cask is a peated malt produced using Highland peat and matured at warehouses situated slightly inland.

The distillery is not named, but it is safe to assume that it is from the Ailsa Bay distillery in the Lowlands. These Aerstone expressions aim to capture two different flavour profiles from Scotland in an approachable, aged whisky.

This week I will explore the Sea Cask, and next week I will chat more about the Aisle Bay distillery and the Land Cask. The Aerstone Sea Cask 10 year old single malt is described as ‘smooth and easy’.

William Grant remains one of the few family-owned spirits brands in the world. It is the third largest producer of Scotch whisky. The company have a number of brands including Monkey Shoulder, Grant’s, Glenfiddich and Balvenie.

Aside from whisky, William Grant also produces Sailor Jerry rum, Hendrick’s gin and Drambuie liqueur.

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Aerstone Sea Cask 10 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Lowlands

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Gold

NOSE: Honey sweetness, vanilla with lots of floral notes. Green grass and fresh-cut flowers mixed with bits of toffee, freshly baked shortbread and hints of oak. Sweet and malty.

PALATE: Medium body with notes of sweetness, vanilla biscuits, and light oak and nutty notes. Hints of flowers and grass. A lovely, delicate and smooth dram that is not too complex. It is unpretentious and drinkable. Quite sweet and perfect for the newbie and someone with a sweeter palate.

However, add water carefully. The delicate notes quickly disappear with the addition of water. The Sea Cask is drinkable without water or just a drop or 2. When you add too much water, it brings forward the lemony pectin notes.

FINISH: Short and sweet with honey sweetness, lemon pepper and oak.

RATING: EXCELLENT

It isn’t the most complex single malt you will encounter, but the Sea Cask is a delightfully smooth, easy-drinking dram. I was expecting the Aerstone Sea Cask to have more of a salty, peaty character. However, it is just as described, smooth and easy drinking. It is an uncomplicated drink you can sip the whole afternoon.

A deliciously moreish lighter style of whisky at a very affordable R360. Compared to other 10 yo single malts, this is an excellent price. Looking online at other single malts, the Glen Grant 10 year old is priced at R 530, and the Highland Park 10 yo at R540.

This low price puts the Sea Cask whisky in a highly accessible category for new single malt consumers and is even affordable when compared against some blends. Certainly worth a try!

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

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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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