Category Archives: Reviews: Non Single Malt Scotch
Grant’s Ale Cask Finish
Whisky: Grant’s Cask Editions No. 1, Ale Cask Finish NAS, 40%
Producer: William Grant & Sons, Scotland
± £20 ≈ R250 (Unavailable in SA)
Produced by Williams Grant & Sons (owners of Glenfiddich and Balvenie), this blended whisky is finished in ex-Edinburgh Ale casks for around 3 months with the style of ale brewed to Grant’s specifications at the Belhaven Brewery in Scotland. It’s the only blend in the Grant’s range that has no peat influence.
Nose: Lots of malt and fruit in equal quantities, with oranges, pears and a dash of honey. Its a light nose with cereal and grain notes. The malt has a bit of tartness to it.
Taste: Lightness continues on delivery with the cereals notes more pronounced and grass notes creeping in. A bit nutty now as well as an oak bitterness and an oily waxiness. Citrus fruits still here with a hint of banana.
Finish: Bitter and drying with malt, oak spice and honey. A tad on the short side.
My Score: 73
For an entry level blend this is par for course, with a drinkable, good value for money whisky and the added benefit of gaining insight into the result of maturing whisky in ex-ale casks. It’s nothing ground-breaking though, with the finishing period seeming to amplify the malt and cereal notes. It will see you and your company through an enjoyable evening.
Other Scores: JM’11 89
Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt (Shackleton’s Replica)
Whisky: Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt NAS, 47.3%
Producer: Whyte & Mackay, Scotland
R1300 ≈ £101
This blended malt whisky is a replica of the Mackinlay’s whisky, discovered in 2007 buried beneath Ernest Shackleton’s hut near Antarctica since 1909. (See my earlier post for more details.) Included in the blend are malts from Speyside, the Highlands and the Islands, with the oldest malt from the closed Glen Mhor distillery, distilled in their final year of operation in 1983. “Limited” to 50,000 bottles.
Nose: Quite light and sweet to start with unprocessed honey and farm notes. Then it develops into more of an industrial nose with a petrol, paraffin, wood shavings and dust. Also burnt butter and crushed nuts.
Taste: Very creamy. Very soft. Lots of contrast to this with herbal notes, a mix of spices (ginger most evident), sweetness in the form of pears and honey again and a small breeze of smoke. A refined maturity on the palette. Sweet, dry white wine. The entire affair with its range of flavours brings to mind some sort of medieval, medicinal ointment.
Finish: A tad bitter, with some lemon coming through and red apple skin . Dry and long.
My Score: 84
This whisky has a remarkable range of flavours with each being a reflecting point instead of being lost in the blending of it’s constituent parts. Overall its a light and refined blended malt unlike any other I’ve tried. Although very good, remember the price includes the fancy packaging and overall hype of this recreated, once-lost whisky.
Other Scores: DR 92
Michel Couvreur Special Vatting
Whisky: Special Vatting NAS, 45%
Producer: Blended and bottled by Michel Couvreur Whiskies, France
R1000 ≈ £80
Similarly with Michel Couvreur’s Overaged Malt, this blended malt whisky does not have an age statement but is marketed as being a 12yo. The whisky is comprised of three separate, first-fill sherry casks, each one chosen to impart a specific flavour, with the label promising a peat influence as well. As with the entire range it’s non-chill filtered. For more info on Michel Couvreur Whiskies please see my earlier post here.
Nose: Silky, sherry notes with great depth combined with fresh, fruit sweetness. The usual plum notes are here, but alongside blackberries and raspberries creating a really nice young-old combination. A touch of sea air and a dab of wood varnish. No peat per se, but the salty, coastal air is just detectable.
Taste: Gentle spices smoothly simmer while the fruit sweetness is elevated, offering a great mouth coating. Sparing tannins, gets very sweet and slightly syrupy like a thick mixed-fruit jam.
Finish: An endearingly long finish with the sweetness slowly waning.
My Score: 85
This is another excellent whisky from the Michel Couvreur range with a deep and refined sherry profile which reminds me of The Macallan 18yo. It offers a great sherry experience with minimal tannins and astringency, but with a terrific mouthfeel and flavour depth. Michel Couvreur is clearly a man who knows what he wants, and know how to achieve it!
Other Scores: Couldn’t find any.
Disclosure: This was a free sample provided by Patrick from WHISKYdotcoza (thanks again Patrick). This in no way affected my review.
Michel Couvreur Overaged Malt
Whisky: Overaged Malt NAS, 45%
Producer: Blended and bottled by Michel Couvreur Whiskies, France
R500 ≈ £42
Although this blended malt doesn’t carry an age statement, I’ve been informed it’s a 12yo primarily matured in first-fill sherry casks and finished in ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. As with the entire range it’s non-chill filtered. For more info on Michel Couvreur Whiskies please see my earlier post here.
Nose: A wonderful flowery honey, tinned apricots and notes of sweet malt. Almond nougat, fresh cut grass. A hint of brine present as well. Good depth and integration of flavours; excellent start.
Taste: A cooling silkiness matched with a sprinkle of all-spice and nutmeg. Slightly prickly but not the typical alcohol tinge. Beautiful oiliness giving a smooth palette-soothing experience.
Finish: A generous vanilla creaminess washes down your throat with more evident oak now causing a slight dryness. Hints of light roasted coffee.
My Score: 84
Although the story of Michel Couvreur and his whiskies is a curious one, there is nothing curious or unsual about this whisky; you’ll recognise and appreciate these typical Scotch flavours. A good level of complexity with a mouth-watering combination of oiliness and creaminess.
Other Scores: Couldn’t find any.
Disclaimer: This was a free sample provided by Patrick from WHISKYdotcoza (thanks again). This in no way affected my review.
Bernheim Original NAS
Whisky: Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey NAS, 45%
Producer: Heaven Hill Distillery, USA
£52 ≈ R580
For an American whiskey to bear the designation straight wheat whiskey the mash bill, which defines the proportions of the various grains, must be comprised of at least 51% wheat. The remaining components in Bernheim include mainly corn and some barley (including malted barley). Released in 2005, this is still the only straight wheat whisky available. Although carrying no age statement it is known to be bottled after 5 years of cask maturation.
Nose: A thick, freshly toasted, slice of sweet whole-wheat bread. Lightly salted butter, slowly melting on top. And a generous pour of maple syrup over the top. Welcome to Bernheim country!
Taste: Cool and oily on the palette with a complex combination of sweet vanilla and all-spice. Toasted notes remain but less bread and more oak now. The sweetness is both stewed fruit and a berry flambé. A squeeze of citrus.
Finish: Slightly drying with an edge of burnt butter bitterness, but countered with a drop of mint freshness. Satisfyingly long with a conclusion of sweet grains.
My Score: 83
This delectable American is a refreshing, and recommended, change for someone who drinks single malt Scotch 95% of the time. Unfortunately it’s ‘small batch’, which translates into limited distribution and hard-to-find. Why there aren’t more straight wheat whiskies I can’t tell you. (Can anyone tell me?)
Other Scores: JM’09 91.5
