Logan Heritage Review

“Never Judge a Whisky By the Cover”

Country: Scotland

Brand: Logan Heritage
Bottled by: White Horse Distillers, Edinburgh (Diageo)

Type: Blended Whisky
Age: NAS (Said To Be Around 8 Years)

ABV: 40% 
Chill-Filtration: Yes 
Whisky Review # 590
Buying Advice: 😐  Neutral. Not Good enough to sip neat. Okay over Ice. 

Colour: Light Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Young, Light and mainly Sweet. The Alcohol is quite noticeable and so are the Refill Ex-Bourbon casks. The dark colour of this Blend suggests a decent portion of Caramel colouring. I also detect a very faint Peat Smoke but it's clear that the Lagavulin part in this Blend is very limited. In addition, I find Toasted Cereals, Buttered Toast, Toffee, Caramel, light Vanilla, light Heather-Honey, Salted Nuts, Dried Fruits, Cooked Vegetables, Green Apple and hints of Ginger, Cinnamon and Leather. There are no real off-notes but the Grain Alcohol tends to dominate the relatively weak Malt Aromas.     
      

Palate: Young, Light and quite Sweet. The delivery is on the Thin side. I find Toasted Cereals, Caramel, Sugar, light Vanilla, Grain Alcohol, very Light Smoke, Refill Wood, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Licorice, Green Apples and Light Honey. On the Palate it's clear that the Heritage Blend does not have the same quality as the discontinued Logan 12 Years that I reviewed earlier.

Finish: Short and Sweet with Toasted Cereals, Refill Wood, Grain Alcohol, Sugar, Licorice, Nut Shells, Pepper, Ginger and slightly Sour Green Apples. A whiff of Smoke. Medium-Dry towards the end. 

I added a little Water and on the Nose some Floral Soap Aromas develop. Palate and Finish become too Thin. 

Rating: 78  

Nose: 20 - Taste: 19.5 - Finish: 19 - Overall: 19.5

General Remarks:

The Logan Blend was first introduced in 1903 and was named after James Logan, a one time Scotch Whisky blender. The Logan Heritage was launched in 2014 in Portugal by Master Blender Caroline Martin to celebrate the 111th Birthday of the Brand Name. At the same time it replaced the Logan 12 Years Old Blend. Logan is said to use 24 Grain- and Malt Whiskies for this Blend including Lagavulin (Islay) and Glen Elgin and Craigellachie (Speyside). The Heritage Blend is not very expensive and usually sells in the 20-30 US Dollar range (January 2017).

Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Okay

Conclusion: It's a real pity that Diageo discontinued the Logan 12 Years as it was a simple but quite enjoyable, highly drinkable and sufficiently matured Blend at a reasonable price. That's why it had to go of course. It has now been replaced by the Heritage, a NAS Blend that can't stand in the shadow of its former big brother. Despite the Classy, though Old-Fashioned presentation and bottle, the Heritage is in fact a relatively cheap Bottom Shelf Blend. There is nothing interesting going on and it's not suited to sip neat. Over Ice this Blend is okay though nothing special. The 12 Years will be sorely missed!

Jan van den Ende                                                                 January 19, 2017

Glen Elgin

MacArthur's Select Review

“Good Fighters, Mediocre Blenders”

Country: Scotland

Brand: MacArthur's Select

Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Bottled By: J. MacArthur & Co. (Interbev Group)
Age: NAS 
Chill-Filtration: Most likely

ABV: 40%
Whisky Review # 558

Colour: Golden (Artificial Colouring might have been applied) 

Nose: Grain Alcohol and Refill (Ex-Bourbon) casks are all over the place. The MacArthur's Blend has a young and light Nose with some Cereals, a little Malt, Toast and Margarine, Nutshells, Straw, Vanilla, Sugar, light Honey, Pear, a bit of Pepper and some Citrus notes (Mandarin). It's all quite simple but I also don't detect annoying off-notes.  

Taste: A little Sharp and Sugary Sweet with Cereals, Nut Shells, light Grass and Honey, a little Barley, Citrus (Mandarin and Lemon), Caramel, light Toffee, light Orchard Fruit and Pepper.        

Finish: Short, a little Sharp and Sugary-Sweet with quite some Bitter Refill Oak popping up in the end. I find Sugar, Caramel, light Toffee, light Vanilla, Lemon, Mandarin, Pepper, Nutmeg and traces of Cigarette Ashes.  

Added Water does diminish the Grainy Fire somewhat and enhances the Barley. It also becomes very thin though.   

Rating: 72  

Nose: 18.5 - Taste: 18 - Finish: 17.5  - Overall: 18

General Remarks: This blend of Grain - and Malt whiskies was first released in 1877. It is named after the MacArthur clan of Argyllshire in Scotland that fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the war for Scottish independence. It probably contains malt from distilleries like Balblair, Old Pulteney, An Cnoc (Knockdhu) and Speyburn as these also belong to the Interbev Group. Mac Arthur's Select is quite cheap at around US$ 20. I have seen even lower prices on the Internet (September 2016).

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Below Average 

Conclusion: I certainly do not consider myself a Whisky snob and I quite enjoy my JW Black on the rocks on a regular basis. But it's cheap Blends like the one I am tasting today that make me desperate sometimes. Because while I can't find any real Off-Notes, I also can't find any reason why I should consider drinking this neat. And with added Water and/or Ice it becomes quite Thin. So the only reason to really consider MacArthur's is the price. Low prices however can't produce whiskies with great Aromas and Flavour. I keep repeating myself when I say that Bourbon producers do a much better job in this respect. To sum it up, the MacArthur's Select is drinkable but it doesn't offer any pleasure. Therefore, I can't recommend it.

Jan van den Ende                                                             September 14, 2016

Knockdhu (Picture Credit: Scotchwhiskynet)

Old Keeper Review

“Please Keep This Away From Me“

Country: Scotland

Brand: Old Keeper
Region: Distilled and Blended in the Highlands

Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Produced By: Abbeyhill Distilling Co. Ltd, Edinburgh, Scotland 
Age: NAS (3-5 Years)
Chill-Filtration: Yes

ABV: 40%
Whisky Review # 551

Colour: Light Golden (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Young, Sharp, Dusty and not very pleasant. Grain Alcohol and something I can only describe as a mixture of Varnish and Nail Polish are the main drivers. I also find Sugar, Burnt Grass, Refill Oak, Sweaty Feet and traces of rotten Fruit, Bitter Herbs and Vanilla.

Taste: Young, Sharp, Bitter and Sugary Sweet. I find Grain Alcohol, Bitter Herbs, Refill Oak, Burnt Grass, Pepper and a little Honey and Vanilla.       

Finish: Short and Sharp with Alcohol, Bitter Herbs and Pepper leading the way.

Added Water does not improve anything. 

Rating: 65 

Nose: 16 - Taste: 17 - Finish: 15.5 - Overall: 16.5

General Remarks: The Old Keeper is sold in Germany by the Supermarket Chain Aldi (Sud). It´s very cheap with prices between 10 and 15 US Dollars (July 2016). I´m sure it contains at least 70% 3 Year Old Grain Alcohol. It´s not possible to determine any specific Malt Whiskies used in this Blend.

Drinking Experience Neat: Unpleasant

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Borderline drinkable but without providing any satisfaction. 

Conclusion: The only positive aspect of the Old Keeper is its low price. I´ve seen it as low as 7 Euros. Other than that, this Blended Whisky is better left alone. If you are low on cash, Bourbon and Vodka are much better options. It really hurts to know that some Single Malt(s) are used for the Old Keeper!

Jan van den Ende                                                                   July 18, 2016

Label 5 Classic Black Review

“On the Border”

Country: Scotland

Brand: Label 5 Classic Black

Type: Blended Whisky

Produced By: Glen Turner Company, Bathgate, Scotland 
Age: NAS

ABV: 40%

Colour: Light Gold (Artificially Coloured) 

Nose: Light, Sweet and Young with Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Grain Alcohol, Toast and Margarine, Dough, Refill Oak, Straw, Forest Soil in Autumn, Toffee, slightly Sour Apples, Brown Sugar, Nut Shells, Cooked Vegetables/Potatoes, light Floral tones and a little Ginger. There is a very faint hint of Woodsmoke. The Alcohol is quite noticeable. There are no real Off-Notes but neither do I find interesting Aromas.

Taste: Thin and Sugary Sweet. The Young Grain Alcohol is all over the place. I find Sugared Breakfast Cereals, a little Malt, Straw, Toffee, light Vanilla, Dirty Earth, Tea, Green Apple, Lemon, Pepper and Ginger.      

Finish: Short and Sugary Sweet. Slightly Bitter in the end. I find Grain Alcohol, Malted Cereals, Brown Sugar, Refill Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Lemon, Dirt, Rusty Iron and a distant hint of Factory Smoke.

With a little Water, the Label 5 becomes very Thin but also a little Cleaner and less Rough. You might consider adding a few drops in this case. Or better, serve it over Ice or use it in Cocktails. 

Rating: 70  

Nose: 18 - Taste: 17.5 - Finish: 17 - Overall: 17.5 

General Remarks: La Martiniquaise, located in France, was founded in 1934 by Jean Cayard and developed into an importer and distributor of Spirits like Rum, Cognac, Kirsch, Calvados, Madeira, Port and, since 1969, whisky. Initially, the whisky was bought in Scotland from third parties and blended and bottled in France. But in 1981 a Scottish subsidiary (Glen Turner) was founded but only started operations in 2004 when a Maturation/Bottling facility was constructed in Bathgate (West Lothian). In 2008, the Group bought the Glen Moray distillery from Glenmorangie and a new Grain Distillery was developed in Bathgate with production starting in 2011. Label 5 Blended Whisky was launched in 1969 and is the world's 9th Best Selling Scotch Whisky (May 2016). The core range also includes the 12 Years Extra Premium, the 18 Years Extra Rare and the Gold Heritage. Glen Moray and other Speyside Malts form the heart of the Label 5 Blend while the Grain Whisky is of course produced at the Grain distillery Glen Turner. Label 5 is really cheap and sells at between 18 and 25 US Dollars (May 2016).

Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Okay

Conclusion: Label 5 is one of the best selling Whiskies in the world. This shows that many Whisky consumers are driven by price and use the product as a basis for their cocktails or sip it on the rocks. In that case Label 5 is indeed a good option as it's very cheap in most places and without real noticeable off-notes. If you're looking for interesting Aromas and Flavours however, you should look elsewhere. It's almost impossible to detect the Glen Moray that must be buried somewhere in this Young Grain Alcohol. And that was, as Lou Bega sang a while ago: "Ladies and Gentlemen, Label Number 5"!

Jan van den Ende                                                                      May 26, 2016

Teacher's Highland Cream Review

“Not Hot For Teacher’s”

What Happened Earlier!

On January 18, 2012 and again on September 27, 2013 I tasted the following version of Teacher's Highland Cream:

Country: Distilled, Aged and Blended in Scotland. Mixed with water and bottled in Brazil by Allied Domecq Brazil.

Brand: Teacher’s Highland Cream (Wm. Teacher & Sons Ltd.)

Type: Blended Whisky

Age: Unspecified but probably between 3 and 8 Years

Alcohol: 40%

This is what I thought about it:

"I really don’t know if, and if yes, what happened with this whisky between it being distilled in Scotland and bottled in Brazil. Is only water added to the mixture received from Scotland? Because I find it hard to believe that I am drinking the same whisky that is highly praised in so many parts of the world. Or did I get a bad - or falsified bottle or something? I tasted a second bottle in September 2013. I wasn't that horrified this time, slightly adjusted the Tasting Notes and increased the Final score to 63 points. Still well below average of course. Not a Blend I can recommend, at least not the way it's marketed in Brazil"

Bad Stuff! But now I've been able to secure a sample of the Original Teacher's (New Label) via Masters of Malt in London. This version of course was bottled at origin in Scotland. I am really looking forward to taste this one so here we go:

================================================

Country: Scotland

Brand: Teacher’s Highland Cream (2015 Packaging - Wm. Teacher & Sons Ltd)

Type: Blended Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 40%

Colour: Pale Gold (Artificially Coloured) 

Nose: Grain Alcohol and Refill Wood are my first impressions. A faint hint of Smoke in the background. I also find Toast and Margarine, Straw, a little Malt,   

Peanuts, Toffee and a touch of Lemon and Green Apple. There is a little off note as well. It's not easy to describe but it's something between Cooked Vegetables, Plastic and Sweaty Feet. Overall, Teacher's is Thin and slightly Edgy on the Nose. Still, it's by far not as bad as the "Brazilian" version. After 15 minutes I find a light Leather Aroma as well.

Taste: Very Thin and Sugary Sweet with Grain Alcohol, Toffee, Caramel, Straw, Refill Oak, Licorice, Pepper, light Menthol and hints of Peanuts and Leather.  

Finish: Short and Sugary Sweet at first but with a little Hot Bitterness that pops up towards the end. I find Grain Alcohol, Sugar lumps, Toffee, Refill Oak, light Menthol, Licorice, a faint Smoke and hints of Leather and Candle Wax.

Added Water completely kills this Blend.  

Rating: 70 

Nose: 18 - Taste: 17 - Finish: 17,5 - Overall: 17,5

General Remarks: Teacher’s Highland Cream was elaborated for the first time in 1863 by William Teacher. It is said to have a Malt content of around 45%, very high for a blended whisky. At its heart is the peated Ardmore Highland Single Malt. Glendronach used to be another important ingredient but it's not anymore. Could that be the reason that many people complain that the quality of the Blend suffered greatly over the last few years and even more apparently since the new packaging was introduced in 2015? Certainly something the company needs to look in to if it doesn't want to lose market share.

Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average 

Conclusion: I was really looking forward to Nosing and Tasting the Teacher's Highland Cream as it used to be praised by many Whisky fans while at the same time I was appalled by the lack of nice Aromas and Flavours in the so called Brazilian version. The sample I nosed and tasted today was not as bad as the Brazilian version but also not as good as it apparently was a few years ago. It is very cheap of course so you can't expect a great whisky. But my advise to Teacher's would be to look for a worthy replacement of the lost Glendronach component, even if that would mean that the price would go up a bit. That's much better than endangering the Brand's good name by including perhaps less expensive Malts in the formula. In the meantime I would really love to taste a Teacher's Highland Cream from say 10 years ago to be able to make a final comparison. If someone has a sample to spare please let me know!  

Jan van den Ende                                                                   May 16, 2016

Stills at Ardmore

Teacher's Clan Review

“Clan Beats Highland Cream”

Country: Scotland

Region: Highlands

Brand: Teacher’s Clan (Wm. Teacher & Sons Ltd - Ardmore Scotland UK)

Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 40%

Colour: Dark Gold (Artificially Coloured: Caramel INS E 150-A).

Nose: Light and Simple with Cereals, a bit of Malt, Refill Oak, Caramel, Toffee, light Vanilla, Treacle, Sweet Red Apple, Nut Shells, light Honey, light Spices, light Peat (Smoke) and hints of Citrus Peel, White Wine, Leather, Sugar and Cocoa Powder. It's Sweet but in an inoffensive way. The Alcohol is quite noticeable. After a while in the Glass I find some Cooked Vegetables and Potatoes as well. On the Nose, the Clan is not exciting but neither do I find really annoying off-notes.  

Taste: Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Toffee, Caramel, very light Peat (Smoke), Malt, light Vanilla, Cocoa Powder, Refill Oak, light Licorice and Pepper. Quite Edgy!  

Finish: Edgy and Hot but quite Short. Sugary Sweet at first but with a little Bitterness towards the end. I find Sugared Cereals, Caramel, Refill Oak, light Licorice, Pepper, Menthol and a very distant hint of Peat Smoke. The Alcohol stings a little.

I added some Water and to my surprise the Nose becomes more Floral. I believe to find some Heather-Honey notes as well. On the Palate and in the Finish, the Smoke and Licorice notes become more distinct. It gets a little Watery of course but you can carefully add a few drops at a time.

Rating: 74.5 

Nose: 20 - Taste: 18.5 - Finish: 17.5 - Overall: 18.5

General Remarks: The Brazilian version of Teacher's Highland Cream elaborated by Pernod Ricard Brasil is Market Leader in the North East of Brazil. You can find my Review elsewhere on the site. It's not a Blend I recommend! In 2013, a new Blend was launched reaching out for the higher end of this specific market. It was named Teacher's Clan and initially it was only available in the North East of Brazil. In the meantime however you can find it in other Brazilian regions as well. I bought my bottle in a supermarket here in Sao Paulo. The Clan differs from the regular local Highland Cream in that it is totally produced and bottled in Scotland. It consists of solid Grain Whisky as well as Malt Whisky from the Ardmore distillery. The lightly peated Ardmore Spirit used in this Blend matures in 200 L. Ex-Bourbon Casks after which some of the better barrels are selected for double maturation in 120 L. Quarter Casks. Teacher's Clan sells at around 35 US Dollars (December 2015).   

Drinking Experience Neat: Slightly below Average

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Okay. I would advise you to mix in some peated Malt Whisky (1/5).

Conclusion: Teacher's Clan is way better than the horrible Brazilian version of the Highland Cream. Still, the Clan is your average bottom shelf Blend. You can drink it but it doesn't provide any interesting Flavours and Aromas. A little Ice helps but doesn't solve this issue. I bought this bottle out of curiosity and I will finish it by mixing in some peated Malt Whisky. I won't buy another bottle of Teacher's Clan though despite the fact that it's reasonably priced for Brazilian standards!

Jan van den Ende                                                              December 3, 2015

The Stills at Ardmore

Ballantine's Finest 2015 Review

“My Funny Ballantine”

Country: Scotland

Brand: Ballantine’s Finest

Type: Blended Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol: 40%

Colour: Pale Gold

Nose: Young, Light and Thin. A little Sweet Fruit like Red Apples or Peach. I also find Sugared Breakfast Cereals, light Honey, Toffee, Caramel, Butterscotch, light Citrus Peel, some Dried Fruits and Nuts, Floral notes like Heather, Grass and Straw and a faint hint of Smoke. The Alcohol is not integrated and stings every once in a while. I nosed this in 2011 as well and I must confess I like it a little better this time.  

Taste: Thin and Watery Delivery with Toasted Cereals, Charred Refill Oak, light Vanilla, Sugar, Toffee, Butterscotch, Grass, Straw, Apple, Licorice and Pepper.

Finish: Short and Sugary Sweet with Toffee, Caramel, Butterscotch, Pop Corn, Nuts, light Vanilla, Grass, Charred Oak, Licorice and Pepper.

Rating: 74.5 

Nose: 19.5 – Taste: 18.5 – Finish: 18 – Overall: 18.5

Miltonduff

General Remarks: This Blended Whisky was created in 1910 by the Ballantine's Family. Miltonduff and Glenburgie are the main Single Malts in this blend but there are said to be around 50 Whiskies in all present here, including 4 Grain Whiskies. It's one of the best selling Blends in the world. It's quite cheap at around 30 US Dollars (July 2015).

No need to add Water to this Blend. It's already Thin enough as it comes.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Okay

Conclusion: This Blend gets some fine reviews from people like Jim Murray and I still fail to see why. I must admit that I liked it a bit better now than back in 2011. Maybe my Palate has developed or the Blend changed a bit over the years. Or both. I got a light Smoky note on the Nose that wasn't there in 2011. Or at least I did not notice it at that time. My final score is slightly higher than it was in 2011. The Nose is okay for a Blend in this class but Palate and Finish are quite Thin, Watery and Boring. Even on the rocks I wasn't too impressed with this Blend. I found the Sugar and Licorice rather annoying. So what can I say? At 30 US Dollars a bottle you can not expect to enter into the Whisky Heaven. As indeed you don't with Ballantine's Finest!

Jan van den Ende                                                                       July 15, 2015

Glenburgie

Black Grouse Alpha Edition Review

“ Not Much Of A Man”

Country: Scotland

Brand: Black Grouse Alpha Edition

Blended By: Matthew Gloag & Son Ltd, Perth
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 40%

Colour: Dark Gold

Nose: The light Smoke and dirty Earth are more similar to young Highland Park than to Islay Malts. The Smoke is less dense than I expected. I also find Grain Alcohol, Biscuits, Toasted Refill Oak, Nut Shells, Pencil Shavings, Toffee, Dried Fruits, Straw, Sugar, Honey, light Citrus, Barley, light Spices and hints of Cocoa Powder and Ashes. There is a rather Musty feeling to the Nose and the Alcohol is not fully integrated. It's not bad but I had expected more of the Alpha.

Taste: Thin and Sugary Sweet. I find Dirty Earth, light Smoke, Charred Oak, Grain Alcohol, Biscuits, Toffee, slightly Bitter Almonds, light Licorice, Pepper, Nutmeg, light Menthol, Lemon, light Vanilla, Raisins and Cocoa Powder. There's a slight hint of Macallan Sherry but you have to dig deep to get it.  

Finish: Short, slightly Bitter and Dry toward the end. I find slightly Harsh Grain Alcohol, Toasted Oak, Dirty Earth, Cigarette Ashes, light Pepper, Bitter Almonds, light Citrus, light Menthol and a hint of Bitter Chocolate. 

I added a few drops of Water and the Nose gets some extra Grass and Straw. Palate and Finish become too Thin however. Best enjoy this Blend over ice.

Rating: 79 

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 19.5- Finish: 19.5 - Overall: 19.5

General Remarks: This expression in the Grouse Blended Whisky series was launched for Travel Retail only in 2011 but by the end of 2012 it had become widely available. It is meant to be a better and smokier version of the Black Grouse. This is done by adding higher proportions of longer aged Malts. Black Grouse is owned by the Edrington Group that also also owns Macallan, Glenturret and Highland Park. These whiskies form the heart of the standard Black Grouse and the Alpha edition. Next to these, the Alpha also contains Grain Whisky and Islay Malt. The packaging and presentation are very nice and the Alpha price is reasonable at an average 50 US Dollars (June 2015).

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay.

Conclusion: I had expected a lot more of this Black Grouse Alpha Edition. It's not a lot better than the standard Black Grouse nor a whole lot smokier. It's a normal Middle-Class Blended Whisky. The Grain Alcohol rules and I only notice a light Malt presence. I clearly get Highland Park. The Macallan is there but you have to dig for it. I don't think the Alpha edition is worth the extra buck despite the slick presentation. If you like the Grouse, stay with the Standard Black. Or better, try out the JW Black. You will find it more rewarding as a smoky Blend! 

Jan van den Ende                                                                   June 15, 2015

There's certainly Macallan in this Alpa Edition!