Three large samples of @BainsWhisky 15yo Single Grain, @ThreeShipsSA 8yo and 10yo. A few tweets and I found out a few lucky whisky tweeters had received a similar parcel from @TheWhiskyMaker, so there was nothing else for it but to share out the samples and arrange a tasting!
First a little information about the distillery...
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| Photo@ Bain's website |
There is only one commercial distillery in South Africa, built in 1886, the James Sedgwick Distillery is located less than an hour north east of Cape Town in the city of Wellington.
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| They have a great animation on their Three Ships website explaining how whisky is made. |
Single Grains - marketed under the Bain's brand and available in the UK, Germany and certain US states. The 15yo is a Duty Free exclusive, due in the UK in the Autumn.
Single Malts - marketed under the Three Ships brand and available only in South Africa.
Blended whisky - marketed under the Three Ships, Harriers and Knights brands again only available in South Africa.
Distell also own Deanston, Tobermory and Bunnahabhain in Scotland - available worldwide!
On this tasting we all had one or more of the three drams Andy had sent out.
Dram: Bain's 15yo Single GrainCharacteristics: 52.5% ABV, natural colour
Distillery Info: The first release in what will be a regular Founder's Collection, the whisky has a beautiful dark amber, golden orange, honey and treacle colour with soft floral notes, spice, tropical fruits, banana and teak aromas on the nose. The sweet butterscotch, raisins and banana loaf flavours coats the mouth with a complex, smooth and delicately lingering taste.
My thoughts: a lovely gark gold in the glass, swirls bead up and fall as slow thin legs. Initial nose vanilla toffee!
Nose: vanilla and oak, the ABV hits you immediately. toffee popcorn, brown sugar, tropical fruit. Yummy!
Palate: thick, creamy and mouth coating, loads of spice initially with banoffee pie and vanilla ice cream coming soon afterwards! After a few more sips I'm getting a slightly sour grapefruit note - usually something I get from an old sherry cask dram.
Finish: lots of oak tannins drying the mouth, a big kick of ginger spice and a little hint of that sour grapefruit again.Yummy!
Other tweeter's thoughts:
Dram: Three Ships 8yo Single Malt, peated to 35ppm and finished for 3 years in an ex-Oloroso cask
Characteristics: 51.8% ABV, natural colour, NCF
Distillery Info: The 3rd in our Master's Collection Release, limited to 1,440 bottles. In true double wood mastery our Master Distiller, Andy Watts, selected only 2 casks for this limited edition whisky. Presented in its most pure form, it is un-chillfiltered, natural in colour and bottled at a higher strength whilst retaining all the rich flavours. The sweet, nutty flavours of our Oloroso Cask Finish adds a richness to the complex malt. The finish is smooth, lingering with dark chocolate, cigar box and spice in the background.
My thoughts: dark gold in the glass, swirls bead up slowly and fall as slow thin legs. Initial nose: strawberry jam!
Nose: a lovely complex nose of fruit, nuts and musty old books. Strawberry jam, and milk chocolate along with a hint of peppery spice.
Palate: thick dark chocolate, a lovely smoky note (although I'm sure this isn't peated? [I was wrong!]) there's a lot of spice and fruit too - pepper, chilli, strawberries, dates. a little drying in the mouth too.
Finish: long, warming, smoky! Some blackcurrant liquorice (thanks @mgilberties) and very drying!
Other tweeter's thoughts:
But we weren't sure if it was peated.....
Andy confirmed it was!
My thoughts: dark gold in the glass, swirls bead up slowly and fall as slow thin legs. Initial nose: strawberry jam!
Nose: a lovely complex nose of fruit, nuts and musty old books. Strawberry jam, and milk chocolate along with a hint of peppery spice.
Palate: thick dark chocolate, a lovely smoky note (although I'm sure this isn't peated? [I was wrong!]) there's a lot of spice and fruit too - pepper, chilli, strawberries, dates. a little drying in the mouth too.
Finish: long, warming, smoky! Some blackcurrant liquorice (thanks @mgilberties) and very drying!
Other tweeter's thoughts:
Andy confirmed it was!
Dram: Three Ships 10yo Single Malt (2006 Vintage), peated to 35ppm
Characteristics: 46.3% ABV, natural colour, NCF
Distillery Info: South Africa’s first single malt whisky was released in 2003 and 3 times thereafter. The 2006 vintage marks the second release of Three Ships Whisky 10 Year Old Single Malt carrying a vintage statement. Crafted from heavily peated barley and aged for a minimum of 10 years in older American Oak casks, resulting in an exceptionally smooth finish.
My thoughts: pale gold in the glass, swirls cling to the glass then form thick slow legs. Initial nose: bonfire smoke!
Nose: peat smoke dominates - this is Islay territory - not medicinal but maybe with a hint of maritime salt? This is some hay or grass (Wessex?) and a faint hint of tropical fruit.
Palate: a watery arrival with a lovely ginger spice and some orchard fruit - the peat smoke from the nose arrives late and isn't overpowering. Maybe the reduced ABV from what we've had earlier is making a difference? With a few more sips the palate is becoming dryer, the smoke more dominant but there is still that wave of orchard fruit - maybe stewed? And a spicy finish.
Finish: a nice long smoky finish with a build up of peppery spice and some fruit. Icing sugar gives a dryness. Lovely!
Other tweeter's thoughts:
Nose: peat smoke dominates - this is Islay territory - not medicinal but maybe with a hint of maritime salt? This is some hay or grass (Wessex?) and a faint hint of tropical fruit.
Palate: a watery arrival with a lovely ginger spice and some orchard fruit - the peat smoke from the nose arrives late and isn't overpowering. Maybe the reduced ABV from what we've had earlier is making a difference? With a few more sips the palate is becoming dryer, the smoke more dominant but there is still that wave of orchard fruit - maybe stewed? And a spicy finish.
Finish: a nice long smoky finish with a build up of peppery spice and some fruit. Icing sugar gives a dryness. Lovely!
Other tweeter's thoughts:
Overall thoughts:
Many thanks to Andy and the team for the drams and my fellow tasters for a great evening: @jwbassman_, @GentlemanGrimm, @SpiritAndWood, @whiskywings, @WessexWhisky, @mgilberties, @WhiskynStuff, @ocdwhisky, @TomsWhisky & @BellairsWray
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