Whisky I've Drank: The Balvenie Triple Cask Aged 12 Years

By Ruben Luyten at whiskynotes
The Balvenie’s Triple Cask series was launched early 2013 in the travel retail market but is now also available in regular stores.
The range comprises The Balvenie Triple Cask 12 year old, 16 year old and 25 year old variants. Each is matured in three types of wood: first-fill Oloroso, first-fill bourbon and traditional (refill) bourbon casks.
Mind that unlike the 12yo DoubleWood for instance, this is not a finished whisky: the whisky stays in its type of cask for the whole 12 years and is then combined in a large ‘marrying tun’ for the final six months.
It is quite expensive, the same age but around double the price of the DoubleWood.
The Balvenie 12 yo ‘Triple Cask’ (40%, OB +/- 2015, 100cl):
Nose: 

Very elegant and aromatic. Typical apricot and honey nose, with some mint and subtle herbal notes. Sweet vanilla. Also golden raisins and juicy plums. Very light floral notes. Actually you can draw a line from this to a Tun 1401, that’s nice. Mouth: whereas I couldn’t say it was underpowered on the nose, it now feels quite light. Still quite fruity (sweet oranges, green apples, apricot) but with more woody touches now (green tea, mint, pencil shavings). Some cinnamon powder. This continues in the finish, with some dry tannins and fruit tea.
Triple Cask doesn’t mean they are used in equal amounts of course. The active bourbon wood gets the upper hand but is nicely supported by sherry. Well made but a little expensive. Around € 80-100 depending where you live (for a 1 liter bottle).
Score: 86/100

Whisky I've Drank: Johnnie Walker Explorers' Club Collection-The Adventurer

By Jan van den Ende
Country: Scotland
Brand: Johnnie Walker The Adventurer (Explorer's Club Collection)
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS
ABV: 40%
Colour: Dark Gold
Nose: 

Young and Edgy with Grain Alcohol, Nut Shells, Brown Sugar, Salt, Oak, Heather, Malt, Green Apple, Dried Fruit, light Vanilla, Caramel and light Peat Smoke. It reminds me of JW Red although the Adventurer is slightly less Edgy.
Taste: 

Thin and Watery but again not quite as rough as JW Red. The Peat Smoke is more present here. I also find Grain Alcohol, Salted Nuts, Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Oak, Orange Zest, Toffee, Caramel, Resin, light Licorice and Pepper.
Finish: 

Short and Edgy with Grain Alcohol, Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Toffee, Caramel, light Peat Smoke, slightly Bitter Orange Zest, Oak, Salted Almonds, Pepper, Cinnamon and Menthol.
The Adventurer does not accept added Water. If you like, add a little Ice.
- Rating: 77
- Nose: 20 – Taste: 19 – Finish: 19 – Overall: 19
General Remarks: 

The Johnnie Walker Brand is owned since 1997 by the Diageo Group. The Explorer's Club Collection is exclusively sold via Travel Retail and was introduced during 2012 and 2013 to honour the Johnnie Walker Whisky Traders who have always travelled the whole wide world in search of new adventures, experiences, flavours and aromas. The Trade Routes series include The Spice Road, The Gold Route and The Royal Route. Diageo's Master Blenders have tried to create Blends that reflect those voyages, stories and regions. It is likely that The Adventurer was the first of a new series within The Explorer's Club Collection. However a law suite was launched by the existing real life Explorer's Club that included such legendary names as Buzz Aldrin and Sir Ernest Shackleton. The Club funds scientific Research and Education and did not want their name used for commercial purposes without their permission. A judge ruled in favour of the Club in August 2014 which forged Diageo to rethink their strategy with regards to the Explorer's Club Collection. As a result, the Adventurer has become almost a rarity and a collectors item despite its humble ambitions. If you can find it in Travel Retail shops somewhere it would most likely cost you between 25 and 40 US Dollars.
Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average
Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Okay
Conclusion: 

I wonder why Diageo launched this new JW Expression, be it that it might need to be continued under a different name on account of the law suite. That's probably just as good as the Adventurer does not bring any Adventure whatsoever. It's just a plain Vanilla (or better, plain Caramel) Blended Scotch Whisky that has nothing exciting to offer. It's a slightly refined version of the JW Red at a higher price in my opinion. And that would be in line with the company policy of the last years whereby good Blends like the original Black, Gold and Green are replaced by Double Black, Gold Reserve, Platinum and the Explorer's Club expressions. These new Blends are carefully promoted and packaging and design are really great and aimed at a (mostly) younger public. But in my opinion all this can't hide the fact that these new Blends do not have the same quality as the original expressions and they are marketed at much higher price levels. With enough commercial margins to, at least, increase the ABV to 43% and cut back on the Caramel colouring. And perhaps stop the Chill-Filtering of the most expensive expressions. That way at least the consumer would get something in return as well. The way it is I won't spend my money on Blends like The Adventurer. Or whatever it's name will be in the future!

Whisky I've Drank: Bulleit Bourbon: Frontier Whiskey

By Josh Peters at The Whiskey Jug
Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey has been something of a darling in the bourbon industry over the last few years. It’s cheap, it’s flavorful and it’s as versatile as a whiskey can be making it a favorite of whiskey drinkers and bartenders alike. One of the things that sets Bulleit apart from other bourbons is it’s very high rye content in the mash bill which gives it a spicy kick that balances nicely with the sweet bourbon notes.
The brand was briefly owned by Seagrams who then sold it to the current owner Diageo. Bulleit Bourbon was originally it a rye whiskey made with 2/3 rye and 1/3 corn (even though it was marketed as a bourbon) created by Augustus Bulleit and was produced from 1830 – 1860 when he died. The modern version is the the brain child of Tom Bulleit who is the great-great-grandson of Augustus Bulleit and to make it a true bourbon, which must be at least 51% corn, he’s adjusted the mash bill to 68% corn, 28% rye and 4% malted barley. Today it’s marketed as being a product of Bulleit Distilling, but there isn’t a Bulleit distillery. It’s actually made in the Four Roses distillery who is also well known for their high rye bourbons.
When it comes to value for money it’s hard to beat Bulleit and overall I think it’s a fine bourbon filled with great aromas and flavors. It’s good neat, holds up on the rocks and gives a spicy rye kick to any bourbon based cocktails you make with it making it a great bourbon for bartenders and in-home drinkers alike. It’s very approachable and my only criticism is that about 1/2 way through a second glass it gets a little boring. It’s not something I can drink all day while having a game day with my friends (I’m also a board game nerd), at a dinner party or other event and always find myself looking for something to change it up after the first or second serving.
If you’ve tried this versatile bourbon feel free to add your own notes to the comments below.
Bulleit Bourbon Review
ABV: 45%
Price: $22
Mash: 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley
Distiller: Bulleit Distilling / Four Roses distillery
EYE
Medium caramel
NOSE
Caramel, vanilla and citrus are the first aromas out of the bottle. Following that are some great notes of smoky char, oak, strawberry shortcake and a mild astringency that I usually find with high rye bourbons.
TASTE
Caramel, oak, and vanilla start things out. This is one of the more woody bourbons I’ve had and it’s rather nice actually. Accompanying these main four is a very robust spice filled with paprika, pepper, and cinnamon. There’s some orange zest, light crisp fruit and cherries hanging out in there as well.
FEEL
Smooth, easy and warming but a little dry. Dusty would be the right comparison.
FINISH
That same slightly dry / dusty character follows through on the long woody finish with some caramel and citrus hitching a ride. Very consistent aftertaste as it fades on a long finish.
- SCORE: 88/100
This one has stayed pretty much the same during the whole bottle. The rye and caramel have moved up on the nose, palate and finish and become more assertive, especially the rye. When the bottle was first opened the rye spice was not as prominent with the sweet notes riding a bit higher. As it’s been open for the last 8 months the whiskey has opened up a bit more and there was a bit more depth and richness that started to come through. Not enough to give it another point, but enough to move it from barely being an 88 to being a hair from becoming an 89.
As I mentioned above, the juice in this bottle is Four roses, but that deal has been canceled earlier and we don’t know who the new supplier is/will be. This bottle was definitely pre cut-off, but this is also one of my wife’s favorite bourbons so we buy it regularly and there’s not much difference between the two so I’m assuming they’re still pumping out the stock they had left from what they already bought from Four Roses.
It’s going to be interesting to find out who they found to replace it and what it tastes like. It’s obviously going to be a high rye bourbon to retain the flavor and character it has now. Likely it will be MGP until Diageo finally starts distilling it themselves, but that’s going to be a while. Even though they broke ground on the Bulleit Distillery (called the Bulleit Distilling Co.) on August 21, 2014 but it won’t be operational until 2016 and then the bourbon has to age for at least 4 years to retain their NAS Straight designation so we won’t be seeing Diageo produced Bulleit until 2020 at the earliest and their popular Bulleit 10 won’t be available until 2026 at the earliest. It’s going to be a long and interesting journey for this bourbon and you can be sure it’ll be covered here.

Whisky I've Drank: Glenfarclas Aged 15 Years

By Scotchnoob
I like Glenfarclas. It’s an independent distillery, still family-owned despite massive conglomeration in the rest of the scotch industry, and pretty much just continues doing what it’s always done: make solid, dependable whisky at an acceptable price. Other than the vintage-dated Family Casks and the value-priced NAS 105, Glenfarclas doesn’t release flashy bottlings every year with high pricetags and no age statements. It doesn’t name whisky after trips to space or antarctic digs. It’s also the last distillery in Scotland to use exclusively direct-fired stills. There’s value in doing things the old way, and in not following trends like whiskymaking sheep. There you go, that’s your tagline: The folks at Glenfarclas are not just whiskymaking sheep.
I’m a fan of the Glenfarclas 17, a well-priced competitor to other sherried malt in the 18 year range, although I thought the 12 year was priced a little high. Alas the 15 is apparently (please correct me if I’m wrong) not sold in the US, because Goldilocks (were she a malt drinker) would have settled on this one. It’s just right.
Nose: 

Pungent, grapey resin, alongside prunes, dried red apples, and other jammy dried fruits. A tart top-note, like red wine vinegar but not as acidic, comes and goes while the overall impression slides towards jam and those bright red candied apples at the fair. Deeper in, there is an oily citrus note, like orange bitters. A rest in the glass reveals some vanilla.
Palate: 

Medium body, with a very tame tongue burn. Again, the flavors center around dried fruits, jams, and apple. Near the end, there’s also a black licorice element.
Finish: 

Of medium length. Blackberry jam, drying red wine tannins (like the dregs at the bottom of a big fruit-forward red). Fades quickly without much residue.
With Water: 

A few drops of water actually seem to collapse the aroma, muting all of the fruit and adding nothing. If you add water, make sure to give it a lengthy rest before sampling. The palate becomes maltier, with more of a graham cracker note, but (again) with less fruit. Just skip the water here.
Overall: 

A mid-line sherried malt, without the “big fruit” hallmarks of a true sherry monster, but with plenty of berry, wine, and resin to produce the desired effect. The fruits are subdued, but do contain that aged, balsamic, resinous quality, and are balanced by slight malty sweetness. This is the kind of drink you reach for when you want to lean back and relax on a chilly winter evening, but not necessarily think too hard about what’s in your glass. As it’s not sold in the US my American readers might consider this one the next time a friend or family member is traveling to Europe. You know, as a souvenir.

Whisky I've Drank: Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish

By Savage 

So last week i said the Whisky Guy would be reviewing another South African whisky and here we are. Perfect timing given that tomorrow (16 May) is World Whisky Day, a special day for anyone who appreciates the dedication, craftsmanship and passion it takes to create a premium whisky. Last time out was the first time we reviewed a Japanese whisky, but we once again we return to local shores and get to experience the award winning Three Ships Whisky. Not just any Three Ships Whisky though…the special release Bourbon Cask Finish. And i’ve got a bottle to give away to you fine folks so keep reading.

- The Three Ships Whisky Bourbon Cask Finish.

Not very distinguished looking, but in this case it’s all about the taste. Worth noting above the logo is a Gold Award.

The story behind Three Ships Whisky Bourbon Cask Finish:

Some bar ammo for you. The Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish is the first South African whisky where both the malt and grain components are distilled and matured in SA. After an initial maturation of three years the final blend is matured for a further six months in first fill ex-bourbon casks. It’s produced at the James Sedgwick distillery in Wellington.

What’s it taste like?

Nose: 

before i tell you about the Bourbon Cask Finish i must mention that i’ve tried the 5yr old and didn’t really take to the smokey bacon flavoured nose and palate. I expected the Bourbon Cask to be similar, but it was pleasantly surprised that they were not similar at all. The aromas from the Bourbon Cask had a much more noticible bourbon inspired honey and oak notes coming through. It’s lighter and has more floral and vanilla hints.

Palate: 

I’d be lying if i said that the bourbon cask finish isn’t exactly that…you can’t not notice the bourbon influence. Throw in some honey, vanilla, pepper and cinnamon tones and i was rather impressed with the overall taste. There are some biscuity flavours mixed with wood and fruit in the background.

Finish: 

More spicy after taste, but i think that’s the pepper and cinnamon coming through. Still leaves you with overall honey and vanilla leftovers and it’s no secret that those are my favourite.

Appearance and price: 

the look of the bottle is still a little low budget for me and doesn’t exactly give you impressions of history and that vintage feel, but i’m ok with that. Maybe it’s just the name that puts me off. At the end of the day though the taste is what sold me. And for the price it’s probably right up ther with the best value for for money whiskies i’ve tried so far. At only R155 at bottleshop.co.za it trumps many a whisky more than triple that price.

Overall score on the Life is Savage Whisky Index: i was thoroughly impressed and the Three Ships Bourbon Cask Whisky gets a very unexpected 8.7 out of 10 on the score sheet. I will keep buying it.

Whisky I've Drank: Laphroaig Quarter Cask

By ScotchNoob

Laphroaig is unabashedly Islay. Its intense peatiness, maritime character, and (to some) off-putting medicinal bite are hallmarks that are present in every bottle. It was my “first love” in single malt, really in whisky period. That first dram of the 10-year was eye-opening. Smokey, woody, sweet, powerful. I woke up the next day tasting it on my lips and smelling it on my breath. To me, any peated malt must necessarily be compared to Laphroaig.

Today I’m trying the Quarter Cask expression, a younger peated malt (5 years of ex-bourbon maturation, plus an additional 7 months, approximately, in tiny “quarter casks” custom-made for this expression). The “finishing” in quarter casks gives the whisky far more exposure to wood than normally happens in larger standard casks. In addition, this expression is bottled at a higher 48% ABV and without chill-filtering (yay!).

Nose: 

Classic Laphroaig. Up-front is smoldering seaweed with briny notes of coastal thunderstorms and tidepools. A woody sweetness, like boiling maple syrup, pervades the nose and elevates the peat smoke. Hints of barbecued short-ribs, glazed ham, and applewood-smoked fish. The 48% ABV can be felt in the nose-prickle. Deeper exploration reveals white chocolate chips, freshly-baked sugar cookies, and even deeper in some extinguished campfire (wood char). A few drops of water bring out some faint dark chocolate and toffee.

Palate: 

Medium bodied – not watery, but also not chewy or oily. Right away there is big peat, in that briny, smoked-fish style. Smokehouse fumes, sugarcane, vanilla extract, and a pervading young woodiness – freshly-hewn green wood, dripping sap. A few drops of water brings an elevated sweetness to the mix, with more maple syrup, vanilla, and raw cane sugar.

Finish: 

Long. Initially there is lingering peat, salt water, which yields to vanilla and a very drying oak tannin, which fades into bitter spent wood and green sap. The peat doesn’t stay around as long as it does with the 10-year old.

Water brings out the sweet notes and marries them perfectly with the peat. I recommend a few sparse drops. This dram is much more complex than the standard 10-year Laphroaig, and, interestingly, less intensely peaty despite its younger age. There are several layers of oak flavors, ranging from the early sweet vanilla, through the earthy woody midsection, to the bitter sappy finish, which interplay very well with the usual Islay peat – complementing it and taming it slightly. I generally dislike drams that attempt to blend big fruity sweetness with peat, or bone-dry asceticism with peat, and this falls nicely in the middle. It gives you something to ponder, whereas the 10-year just gives you something to drink. It is, however, pricier, and that extra $14 isn’t always going to be worth it, especially if Laphroaig 10 is already part of your daily dram rotation.

Laphroaig Quarter-Cask

48.0% ABV

By SingleMaltBrasil
Depois de serem envelhecidas por 5 e 11 anos em barris tradicionais ex-bourbon de 190L, essas respectivas versões do Laphroaig são misturadas e levadas a uma segunda maturação em barris ex-bourbon de 125L, que adicionam ainda mais sabores e aromas ao destilado final. Non-chill filtered.
Teor alcoólico: 48%
Volume: 700 ml
Notas de degustação:
- Aparência: Âmbar. Cristalino.
- Olfato: Aroma salinado de algas marinhas, turfa queimada, fenólico e medicinal. Bastante enfumaçado e ligeiramente frutado.
- Paladar: Extremamente saboroso. Coco, baunilha, cravo, canela, caramelo e terra molhada. Mais frutado e não tão medicinal quanto à versão de 10 anos.
- Fim de boca: Longo, seco e complexo. Predominam sabores turfados, marinhos e medicinais.
- Conclusão: Complexo. Excelente equilíbrio entre sabores e aromas.

Whisky I've Drank: Hibiki 17 Years Old

By MyBottleShop

Hibiki 17 Year Old Whisky is a multi award winning Japanese Blended Whisky with a blend of single malts and grain whisky from the Yamazaki (Japan's oldest founded in 1923) and Hakushu distilleries. Another unique quality of this whisky is that it has been filtered through bamboo charcoal. Rather than removing significant amounts of flavour, this process creates a softer spirit with sweeter tones and more mineral expression. It can be hard to get your hands on this beauty... One of the greatest!

Stocks are very low and prices going up so hurry...

Whisky I've Drank: Glenfarclas Aged 10 Years

By Richard Thomas at thewhiskeyreviewer 
Glenfarclas is arguably the example of a single malt that is known and loved inside whisky circles, while remaining largely unknown outside of them. I know very few Scotch enthusiasts who do not think well of the distillery and its products, and at the same time I have encountered very few casual drinkers, the sort who only dabble with Scotch, who have heard of them.
The name translates from Gaelic as “valley of green grass,” and the distillery erected in that verdant glen was founded in the 1830s. In 1865, John Grant bought it, and the distillery continues to be owned by his descendants to this day. Part of Glenfarclas’s charm, and what makes it such a fan favorite, is it’s long history as an independent operation. “Independent” does not mean “small,” however: the six stills at Glenfarclas are the biggest in Speyside.
The ScotchGlenfarclas 10 year old is an entry-level expression, bottled at 40% abv, and often recommended as an affordable aperitif single malt.
A sniff reveals what could be described as the classic single malt nose: malty and grassy, with a touch of honey and toffee, and a trace of sherry. On the palate, however, it’s an entirely different and untypical creature. The toffee is still there, but it rests in the middle of a thickly spiced, big and bold fruitcake, one seasoned with a whiff of smoke coming off the wood-burning oven it was baked in. The dried fruits in the fruitcake bring the sherry side forward strongly, but without smothering the cereals. There is also a certain burnt sugar aspect that gives the whisky a bitter tinge towards the end. One thing Glenfarclas 10 is not doing is following a standard, serialized script, that is for sure.
The finish leaves a light, but still oily and tingly aftercoat. Lingering on the tongue is a peppery, oaky, and murky-sweet flavor, with light and lingering warmth.
The PriceIn the UK, Glenfarclas 10 is listed between £28 and £32. In th U.S., expect a corresponding price tag in the $40 to $45 range.