Category: whiskys

I picked up this bottle from Duty Free whilst on my honeymoon thinking it would be a great little drop for a special occasion. So with that in mind I waited for a nice winters night and popped open the cork in anticipation of what lay in that golden hue of liquid. Dalwhinnie is part of Diageo’s classic range and hails from the Highland village in Scotland called Dalwhinnie. Founded in 1898 it’s definitely got some history behind it and with that in mind I knew it was a whisky I had to try. I didn’t particularly feel the need to start with any age so I went with the 15yo as a good starting point.

Alcohol Content: 43%
Bottling Status: Available
Country of Origin: Scotland
Barreling: Single Malt Scotch Whisky using Ex Bourbon Casks

Nose: Initially on the nose is smells wonderful and full of citrus and honey following on with hints of wood, fruity fragrances and some smoke. It really smelt great and had a lot of sweet and natural nuances like pine that made me think of a warm bonfire in the woods.

Palate: Here is where this whisky really falls flat for me. The taste starts with strong spice, pinewood, citrus and some hints of smoke but it is very thin and uninteresting unfortunately for a 15yo. I was expecting my mouth to burst with the various flavours I experienced on the nose but it really fell flat and I have to admit my heart sank a little. I was expecting a lot more from a 15yo single malt but alas sometimes the expectation is too much.

Finish: Medium finish, but nothing to leave you wanting more sadly.

Drinking Tips: I drank this neat BUT because it fell flat for me I felt it needed to be drunk after dinner with a sweet dessert. I enjoyed it with a few pieces of baklava and it was a lot more enjoyable for me personally but your experience may differ.

On a side note, I have read and heard many differing opinions on the Dalwhinnie 15yo and for everyone they will experience something different so even though it didn’t live up to my expectations, you may find yourself enjoying it tremendously. You’ll never know unless you try!

I was first introduced to the Glenlivet 12yo a number of years ago and it has been a constant mainstay in my whisky cabinet ever since. This specific expression…

I was first introduced to the Glenlivet 12yo a number of years ago and it has been a constant mainstay in my whisky cabinet ever since. This specific expression is part of their Classic Single Malt range and is known for its smooth and welcoming character. Definitely true to its character it has a very complex palate for a 12 year old whisky and that is definitely noticeable from start to finish.

Some interesting craft facts regarding the Glenlivet 12yo is that it is matured in a variety of different casks including American and European oak that adds another layer to the whisky. As a result, vanilla is most noticeable throughout and boy does it make an impact from the pop of the cork to the last sip of your dram. But before we get too carried away let’s get to the good stuff!

Alcohol Content: 40%Bottling Status:

Available Country of Origin: Scotland

Barreling: Single Malt Scotch Whisky using American and European oak casks

Nose: Fragrant and sweet with a hint of smoke and peat, you can definitely sense all the delicious honey and vanilla notes that come through from the barreling and tease your nose with such complexity that it’s hard not to just sit there sniffing all day without even taking a sip (Yes that does make it sound like we are drug addicts).

Palate: As soon as that delicious honey and vanilla nose hits your tongue you will instantly feel the connection and get smoothness that only a baby ass can provide. The palate is extremely complex yet smooth from start to finish. At first you get a hit vanilla and honey but with an undertone of smoke. This follows on with subtle hints of raisins and toffee, such an enjoyable mix of flavors!

Finish: The finish is looooong and smoooooth with all the goodness a good whisky should provide. Thoroughly enjoyable on any occasion. Drinking Tips: This whisky is a definite must for those who enjoy a whisky that is flexible and great for every occasion. Be it before dinner, after dinner or just a quick midweek dram after a long hard day, this bad boy will instantly make you feel better. For me, straight is great but if the occasion calls for it, an old fashion goes down amazingly well and still lets you enjoy the subtlety that this expression provides without killing the experience.

If the title isn’t enough indication of what is about to come, then I feel you should stop now because you must be going crazy! What we have today is indeed a very special whisky that is probably the most unknown yet surprisingly sexy and tasty blended whisky we have tried to date. The Grand Old Parr 12 yo hails from Scotland and is owned by the men and women over at Diageo.

What’s interesting about this particular whisky is that it is not a common shelf item and was reserved mainly for overseas markets like Japan and South America, making it a rare find indeed. According to the Whisky Exchange it is now a discontinued line so each dram counts now so you should all feel very special knowing we cracked open this bad boy to taste just for all you readers (and for our own personal enjoyment of course!). Now onto the tasting!!!

Alcohol Content: 40%

Bottling Status: Discontinued

Age: 12yo

Country of Origin: Scotland

Barreling: Blended Scotch Whisky

Nose: The nose on the Grand Old Parr 12 yo is quite interesting and is very flavorful. There are definitely hints of raisins and dried fruits with some hints of caramel and peat but my amateur nose may be trying to smell what isn’t there.

Palate: On the tongue is where this whisky really shines. It’s full of flavor and has an instant vanilla and caramel taste with some peat thrown in for good measure. Although it is a little spicy it does not have a lot of burn and one way of describing the palate is clean which for a blended whisky was a big surprise to me!

The Finish: The finish for me was spicy and very woody but not overpowering. The taste really sits in your mouth and doesn’t get killed off by a lot of burn so it’s definitely a whisky that you can enjoy without forgetting what the taste is right after you’ve finished your dram.

Drinking Tips: For me personally, I really enjoyed this straight without any need for anything else. If you really need to you can try it on the rocks or with just a splash of water to try and bring out those subtle notes that you may discover but I honestly believe this whisky is great on its own and thoroughly enjoyable on a cold winters night to keep you nice and toasty warm.

Jameson was first introduced to me by my father, and has always been a constant member of our whisky family at home. Hailing from Ireland it was a whiskey…

Jameson was first introduced to me by my father, and has always been a constant member of our whisky family at home. Hailing from Ireland it was a whiskey I never truly understood or knew much about, mainly due to my love of single malt whisky and this being a blended whiskey. After much contemplation I came to the conclusion that I couldn’t truly become a whisky aficionado by limiting myself to only single malt Scottish whisky, so with that in mind, I grabbed a glass of Jameson Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey and my journey began.

Firstly you may notice a big typo occurring throughout this article and this was done on purpose because as some of you may know whisky traditionally is the name of the Scottish variety and used by the Scots. Whiskey with an e is an Irish and American term for describing the same beverage but to differentiate themselves from the Scots they decided to rename it whiskey with an e. Am I boring you yet? Hopefully not because it has been the cause of much debate amongst people who don’t really understand exactly why the difference occurs and many still believe that spelling whisky without an e is a spelling error and begin to correct you (A double facepalm moment indeed).

Now with the little history lesson out of the way, let’s get down to business with this Jameson (Get your minds out of the gutter you disgusting people).

Alcohol Content: 40%

Bottling Status: Available

Age: 12yo

Country of Origin: Ireland

Barrelling: Blended Scotch Whiskey

Nose: On the nose the Jameson has strong wooden spicy notes with hints of floral and some sweetness, but I can’t quite tell if its more vanilla or honey.

Palate: The palate is surprisingly thick and sweet with a less intensive smoky flavour but with a bunch of sweetness again. I can definitely taste the vanilla on the palate and there is also a hint of nuts that surprisingly didn’t put me off from the initial floral and sweet notes.

The Finish: The finish isn’t too but stays in your mouth just long enough for you to enjoy all the subtle nuances of this particular expression.

Drinking Tips: This particular whiskey is actually quite a surprisingly good whiskey. I’ve been fortunate in that so far the blended whiskey’s that I have sampled and tasted have all been surprisingly good and haven’t left me with a bad taste in my mouth (Always a plus for anyone who hates having a bad taste in their mouth, and again get your minds out of the gutter!). Personally, I enjoyed this whiskey most as a Ginger & Lime on a hot summer’s day as a refreshing drink more than a drink to keep me warm in winter. Great for Sunday afternoon BBQs with family and friends.