Whisky Assessments

No two whiskies taste the same, with each type, style and place of origin having its ardent supporters - be it the product of a single distillery or a blend. A panel of whisky aficionados under the chairmanship of Dave Hughes was set the (enjoyable) task of blind-tasting the most popular brands in various categories on sale in South Africa and giving their recommendations.WINE's whisky-tasting panel: chairman Dave Hughes (former distiller); Colin Frith, Hon CWM (Picardi); Allan Mullins CWM (Woolworths); David Biggs (journalist); Andrew MacDowall (Creda Press); Angela Lloyd (journalist); Dave Acker (Whitby Distillers, former Three Ships distiller).

Tasting procedures: Whiskies were tasted blind, in categories according to origin and/or price tier - single and pure malts tasted in a separate category.

In preparing for the taste-off, WINE sourced all of the Irish, Canadian, Tennessee, Bourbon and South African whiskies it could find on the South African market. To these were added every pure malt whisky being imported into the country from Scotland, plus the top-selling Scotch blends, plus the de luxe brands. It would be impossible to taste a much greater percentage of the hundreds of whiskies produced - not at one sitting, that is. Omissions included some fine products - as it was, the 53 whiskies sniffed, sipped (and spat) tested the outer limits of the tasters' palate endurance. . .

The tasters found that within each category there are products to be appreciated. That said, however, it was generally agreed that the American products were less complex and much woodier. Dave Acker pointed out a "sweetness" in most of them, not usually found in the Celtic products.

(NOTE: To age whisky means to lose product by evaporation, known as the "Angels Share". This, together with cash tied up in ageing stock for 10 to 20 years, makes well-aged whisky expensive. Not all whisky is good enough for final blending or bottling under the great names. The rejected aged whisky appears on the market at reject prices, so beware when purchasing low-priced whiskies claiming age - the nose and taste can well be made attractive, but drinking will soon show the faults. The moral of the story: if you have a sensitive palate, you have to pay the price for good quality.)
North American

MOST PREFERRED

James E Pepper: Attractive, mealy, fruity nose. Tangy taste with nutty undertones. Well balanced, smooth with spirity but pleasant finish. (Bourbon)

Jim Beam 8-year-old: Fruity, full nose with good amount of toasted American oak. Smooth, warming, comfortable drink. Nice spice in sweet, satisfying finish. (Bourbon)

ALSO ENJOYED

First Watch: All the tasters decided this was Canadian! It is. Clean, grainy nose. Lively, easy, if simple drink.

Canadian Club 6-year-old: Light in all respects. Pleasant, easy, undemanding drink.

Crown Royal: Well-balanced, mature nose with distinct clean oaky character. Delicate and sweetish flavours, good mouth-feel, smooth finish. (Canadian)

Jack Daniel's: Generally pleasing characters with sweet vanilla and spice, and a drier finish than most. Satisfying, mellow, rounded. (Tennessee)

Wild Turkey Rare Breed: Some fruit on the nose with hint of American oak. Good balance, smooth and pleasant but without much flavour. (Bourbon)

Also tasted was Wild Turkey. Considered a good Bourbon, but woody and low on "whiskey" character.

Popular Standard Blends

MOST PREFERRED

Three Ships 5-year-old: Big peaty, iodine, seaweed nose. Well-balanced, tangy, salty, smooth in the mouth. Long, full finish. (South African)

Famous Grouse: Light peat, some malt in light to medium body. Elegant Scotch, refined yet with spirity finish.

Johnnie Walker Red Label: Smoky peat with spicy tones and soft but distinct palate. Easy, mellow, smooth Scotch with long, dry finish.

Bell's: Good, attractive, malt and peat on the nose. Well-balanced Scotch with good mouthfeel, dry malt flavours, firm, yet smooth, long finish.

White Horse: Distinctive peaty and malty elements on nose and palate. Well balanced Scotch, satisfying without being demanding.

ALSO ENJOYED

Three Ships: Sweet, fruity nose with estery overtones. Much the same on the palate with good spice. Clean finish. (South African)

Grant's: Soft, smooth, smoky, mellow and rounded. Good, easy- drinking Scotch.

Ballantine's: Sweet, estery nose, creamy mouth, pleasant and undemanding Scotch.

J&B: Fresh clean nose with fresh, fruity palate. A Scotch with good balance and fairly full in the mouth. Clean finish.

Jameson: Two tasters correctly thought this to be Irish. All mentioned wood with spice. Creamy palate, with warm character. Long, warming finish.

Also tasted was Tullamore Dew. Again, recognised by two tasters as Irish: light character, medium bodied, fruity and easy, if somewhat delicate.
Premium and de luxe blends

MOST PREFERRED

Black Dog: Big forward nose, almost coarse but obviously liked. Butterscotch, hints of honey, toffee and caramel sweetness. Complex Scotch. Mellow and mouthfilling.

Jameson 1780: Herby, oaky nose with some resemblance to old Cognac. Soft on the palate, well balanced, smooth and very attractive. Two tasters suggested, correctly, that it was Irish.

Dimple Haig 15-year-old: Mature, malty, peat and iodine aromas. Smooth and satisfyingly rich in the mouth. Well-balanced and elegant Scotch with great complexity and very long finish.

Johnnie Walker Swing: A number of tasters mentioned a Johnnie Walker superior Scotch. Mature peaty, smoky, malty nose with hints of heather. Like smooth, creamy chocolate in the mouth. Touch of iodine, seaweed and saltiness. Rich, mature and classic.

Johnnie Walker Gold 18-year-old: Super complex nose full of smoky peat, heather and honey. Rich, full flavour, malty sweetness, beautifully balanced and well rounded elegance. A Scotch with long, persistent finish.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label: All mentioned good balance. Elegant, smoky peat. Lovely rich, soft palate, full of character and complexity. Incredibly long finish. Very pleasing and undoubtedly "special" Scotch.

ALSO ENJOYED

Black Bush: Correctly identified as Irish by two tasters. Rich, mature, spicy with tropical tones. Attractive, strong spirity finish.

Johnnie Walker Black Label 12-year-old: Mature, peaty, hints of seaweed and brine. Smoothness and depth of taste with malt, peat and sweet sherry oak. Well-balanced, long powerful finish. Satisfying Scotch.

Chivas Regal 12-year-old: Mature, biscuity character. Light and smooth in the mouth with trace of peatiness, some malty sweetness. Smooth, mellow Scotch. Clean finish.

Ballantine's Gold Seal 12-year-old: Attractive estery, fruity nose with vanillin background. Silky smooth Scotch in the mouth, almost creamy. Warming finish.
Single malts, pure malts, single grains

MOST PREFERRED

Two outstanding Scotch whiskies, preferred not only in this section, but overall:

Lagavulin 16-year-old: Strong, iodine, seaweed aromas with peaty richness, bags of flavour. Beautifully balanced and complex, with explosive finish. Long dry aftertaste. Powerful and demanding, undoubtedly an Islay.

Talisker 10-year-old: Iodine, seaweed, maltiness, generally pungent nose with some fragrance. Malty palate develops well with some pepperiness. Very well balanced with delightful dry, long, warming finish. (Isle of Skye)

Then followed 17 other excellent Scotch whiskies from single distilleries - Laphroaig just missed being included with Lagavulin and Talisker as overall favourites on the day:

Glendower 8-year-old: Generally appealing nose with some fruity, spicy flavours. Fairly full body but with very short finish. (Highland)

Heather Glen 8-year-old: Smoky, tangy nose. Mouth-filling, robust, full malty, yet well balanced. (Highland)

Black Barrel: For those who might decry single grain, no one on the panel recognised this as a grain whisky, although it was described as "lighter of style" and Lloyd wondered if it was a Scotch! Fresh, fruity nose with citrus flavours. Easy to drink. (Scotch, Ayrshire coast)

The Singleton (1976): Powerful nose lots of deep flavours. Almost chewable with sweetish toffee, sherry on the palate, yet with a liqueur-like elegance in the finish. (Speyside)

Glen Ord 12-year-old: Sweet sherry on the nose with good malt and some peat, carrying through to the well-balanced, smooth, full palate. Long, dry, spicy finish. (Highland)

Aberlour 10-year-old: Smoky, light malty nose with heathery hints and some oak. Soft, smooth and mellow in the mouth and supple palate. Stylish. Clean, flowery finish. (Highland)

Cardhu 12-year-old: Attractive, smoky, peaty nose. Satisfying mouthful, soft with complex flavours. Very mellow. Fruity, light, dry aftertaste. (Highland)

Cragganmore 12-year-old: Complex, heathery, malty, smoky, herby nose. Rich, soft and more malt in the mouth. Well balanced herby, floral aftertaste. (Speyside)

Dalwhinnie 15-year-old: Aromatic, floral nose with heather and spice ahead of good malt. Gentle, soft and mellow in the mouth with some orange peel, marmalade tang. Long finish. (Highland)

Laphroaig 10-year-old: Big seaweed, medicinal, phenolic peaty nose with hint of sherry. Fairly full-bodied and robust with some oiliness. Round, velvet, smooth, mellow, elegance but powerful. Identified as an Islay.

Oban 14: Fairly assertive nose with peat and smoke. Rich and smooth in the mouth with some heathery tones. Well-balanced with elegant style. Long smooth finish. (Highland)

Glenkinchie 10-year-old: A Lowland malt. Pleasant, aromatic nose with hay-like scents. Refreshing flavours with some cinnamon spice. Dry finish.

Glenmorangie Madeira Wood Finish: Floral, spicy nose. Honeyed flavour with sweetish character yet with good, long dry finish. Well-balanced. (Highland)

Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish: Peculiar Blanc de Noir colour. Sweet plum and good peat, unusual marzipan and aniseed. (Highland)

Glenmorangie Sherry Wood Finish: Most recognised the sherry influence. Good malt, full palate, slightly sweet, definitely spicy yet with dry finish. (Highland)

Glenmorangie 18-year-old: Full, rich sherry cask aromas. Some nut flavours, very mellow, gentle malt, some spiciness. Good balance. Aromatic finish. (Highland)

Glenmorangie 1972: Peaty but subdued nose. Sweet sherry on the palate with tropical and dried-fruit flavours. Dry aromatic finish with some oaky woodiness. (Highland)

ALSO ENJOYED

Glen Grant: Good peaty nose, more character than the light colour suggests. Dry, herbal finish. (Highland)

Bushmills 10-year-old: Grainy nose, some jasmin perfume. Light character, woody. Fruit. Medicinal, elegant. One taster correctly identified it as three-times distilled Irish.

Glenfiddich: Tangy, woody, malty nose. Good flavours, light but well balanced and easy-drinking. (Highland)

The Macallan 12-year-old: Sweet fruity nose with oak background. Spirity and robust. Powerful finish. (Highland)

Glenmorangie 10-year-old: Sweet, fruity nose. Medium bodied with flowery, sweet notes and hints of malt. Long, smooth finish. (Highland)

Also tasted was The Edradour 10-year-old (Highland). Though highly rated by Acker, who found good peaty overtones, generally considered light, but with mellow, warming finish.

Chartered Accountants Ernst & Young audited the procedures to ensure scoring was fair and accurate.