7 minute read
REVIEWING THE DRAM
POPULIST WHISKIES ARE THOSE WHICH APPEAL TO A
LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE,
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FOR A HOST OF REASONS – AND AT VARIOUS PRICE POINTS AS WELL. PUBLISHER SHAYNE DOWLING REVIEWS
A PERSONAL SELECTION. THE SPIRIT
IN LIFE
Single malt whiskies are fantastic – no mistake. But the whiskies we really enjoy are those we drink more frequently – at the pub after a round of golf, at home with mates with a fire going in the background or just … because we can.
I’ve separated my notes into the blended malts and straight blends. The differentiation between these two categories is that the first are blends of single malts and contain no grain whisky, while the latter are blends of malt and grain whisky.
FIRST UP, THE BLENDED MALTS
Shackleton Compass Box The Spice Tree Johnnie Walker Green 15 year Monkey Shoulder
While not always readily available and also not something most distillers do in great volume, these whiskies are available in South Africa at selected – if not most – TOPS at SPAR outlets. There’s a fairly large price point difference but even the top end isn’t out of whack with what the whisky delivers in terms of enjoyment and reward.
Having been taken off the market in SA for a couple of years, Johnnie Walker Green is back and is their only expression that is a blend of single malts only. It’s a really amazing dram and should be included in any whisky collection.
The Shackleton has been blended to mimic the bottles of Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt left behind by Sir Ernest Shackleton on his 1907 expedition to the South Pole. Three cases of the original 25 taken along by Shackleton were discovered in 2007. Certainly the story alone is enough to make one want to taste this dram.
John Glaser’s Compass Box Spice Tree is the most expensive of this flight and has always been a firm favourite – particularly with its light but rich spicy caramel flavours. With Glaser constantly
pushing the boundaries, the Spice Tree was initially disallowed by the Scottish Whisky control body for its unacceptable maturation method but Compass Box came back with an acceptable cask made with French oak for the heads and American oak for the bodies. The Spice Tree has gone on to win a number of awards and is certainly a wonderful blend. I have saved the Monkey Shoulder for last. This is a really exceptional dram, considering it retails in the region of R370 and is a blend of Glenfiddich, Balvenie (both wonderful malts in their own right) and Kininvie, a distillery on the Balvenie property that makes single malt primarily for all William Grant and Sons’ blends. Monkey Shoulder is named after the arm affliction some of the maltmen got from turning the barley over by hand that meant their arms hung down much like a monkey. This is undoubtedly the dram to have in your cabinet for easy, every day drinking.
BLENDED WHISKIES Three Ships 5 Year Old Chivas Regal Original 12 Year Old Haig Dimple 15 Year Old Johnnie Walker Double Black Grant’s Select Reserve 12 Year Old
These are the blends of both malted barley – or malt whisky – and grain whisky. The use of grain whisky to “bulk” up production is something that’s been done forever. In no way does it mean that the juice is inferior. In fact, ignoring blends (containing grain) is a massive oversight!
Depending on the blend, the percentage of grain to malts, the malt blend and the skill of the distiller and
blender you will find that these drams can be exquisite. We’ve categorised them by price point. The lower price point providing for the majority of whisky sales by a huge margin, this is not to say they’re inferior or lesser – they normally contain a large portion of grain whisky which is also significantly cheaper to produce – and are brought to life by the expensive single malts being added. This creates the expected and dependable flavour profile that we not only enjoy but can more readily afford, more regularly. There are of course some incredible grain only whiskies, like Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky, for example – but that’s a story for another time.
Three Ships 5 Year Old is the ace in the pack. Such a wonderful dram, blended by Sedgwick’s Master Distiller, Andy Watts, it has fooled many a connoisseur. Deliberately smoky with gentle peat notes, the dram picks up a lovely caramel flavour from spending 5 years in American Oak. A smoky, sweet aftertaste that if placed in a blind tasting will leave you scratching your head, wondering what wonderful whisky you’re savouring. Ignore this local gem at your peril!
Chivas Regal 12, the corporate gift or golf day go-to prize. My memories of Chivas were always of it being in the liquor cabinet, revered but unopened: “saving the good-stuff for a special occasion!” was what Pop said. Well, it didn’t take me long to debunk that norm: everyday is a special occasion when you have a decent dram in the cabinet! The Chivas blend is really a masterpiece, a dichotomy of a shy citrus fruit nose and then a lovely sweet, tropical fruit, with rich vanilla and malt, mostly brought on by the Glenkinchie influence, on the palate.
Complex and inviting – certainly not a dram to be left gathering dust – and frankly at the price makes it a standard for the liquor cabinet.
Haig Dimple is like three stripes on your trainers: one look at the distinctive bottle and you know what it is. Haig claims to be the oldest Scotch whisky in the world, and that infamous “pinched” or Dimple bottle ensures it’s instantly recognisable and has certainly stood the test of brand recognition time. But when last did you taste it? Ian Fleming did. In fact he had James Bond drinking it in his early books. Good enough for Jimmy B so I revisited it. A nice citrus and toffee nose and then the initial rough “burn” that quickly reveals the spicy, peppery flavour. Not a long finish but hangs around long enough to ensure you can put the glass down and think a little more about Moneypenny. So as the old ad reckoned: “Don’t be vague, ask for Haig”.
Grant’s Select Reserve is fairly new in the Grant’s line-up. It has a 12 year old age statement with both the grain and malt elements being matured for 12 years in oak casks before blending. Grant’s also has a familiar bottle shape, its triangular geometry dates back to 1957 and is touted as an option to show off the juice’s colour more efficiently. It does have a lovely colour, a nice rich honey, that is carried through to the vanilla nose with a hint of smoke, which is apparent in the finish. Up front there is a hint of stewed fruit, but more pears and quince with a nice vanilla touch on the tail.
Finally, the Johnnie Walker Double Black. Now, Johnnie Walker Black is the world’s biggest selling whisky blend and Johnnie Walker Double Black is its twin brother – not at all identical though. The Double Black doesn’t have an
age statement where Johnnie Black’s liquid is at least 12 years old. They look almost identical but the Double Black has a distinctly darker, smoky, bottle. I mention this as a lot of people ask what the differences are – again the tasting for another day – but I just wanted to highlight some of the more obvious differences. So what’s the juice like? Well frankly it’s really delicious. A dram that is well priced for something a little more special and it delivers on nose and taste.
The Johnnie Walker blends are insanely good! Just consider that there needs to be consistency in colour, nose and flavour profile – every time! The Double Black definitely leans more to a smoky, peaty nose and flavour profile. This is, according to Johnnie Walker Master Blender, Jim Beveridge, probably a more West Coast whisky style, so Caol Ila would be a good example of the flavour style. The nose is definitely smoky with cherry and dark fruits and then the taste; bold but so well rounded and balanced, smoky sweetness that tempers the alcohol bite, finishing with a spicy, peppery and – again – sweet smoke. Altogether a Black Label twin that is different but every bit as good!
A piece such as this should not overlook mainstream blends.
Give that man a …? Yes, a Bell’s. Massively accepted and well-liked for good reason. It has broad popular appeal with its Blair Athol primacy and other components including Glenkinchie and Caol Ila in there.
J&B Rare, Famous Grouse, Ballantine’s, Grant’s, Scottish Leader, Three Ships Select and the equine beast which one can take anywhere, White Horse –are all blended whiskies which never fail to satisfy and fill the consumer with a warm glow of contentment.
