Johnnie Walker The Adventurer Review

“(You’re the) Red Label in Disguise”

Country: Scotland

Brand: Johnnie Walker The Adventurer (Explorer's Club Collection)

Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 40%

Colour: Dark Gold

Nose: Young and Edgy with Grain Alcohol, Nut Shells, Brown Sugar, Salt, Oak, Heather, Malt, Green Apple, Dried Fruit, light Vanilla, Caramel and light Peat Smoke. It reminds me of JW Red although the Adventurer is slightly less Edgy.

Taste: Thin and Watery but again not quite as rough as JW Red. The Peat Smoke is more present here. I also find Grain Alcohol, Salted Nuts, Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Oak, Orange Zest, Toffee, Caramel, Resin, light Licorice and Pepper. 

Finish: Short and Edgy with Grain Alcohol, Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Toffee, Caramel, light Peat Smoke, slightly Bitter Orange Zest, Oak, Salted Almonds, Pepper, Cinnamon and Menthol. 

The Adventurer does not accept added Water. If you like, add a little Ice.

Rating: 77

Nose: 20 – Taste: 19 – Finish: 19 – Overall: 19

General Remarks: The Johnnie Walker Brand is owned since 1997 by the Diageo Group. The Explorer's Club Collection is exclusively sold via Travel Retail and was introduced during 2012 and 2013 to honour the Johnnie Walker Whisky Traders who have always travelled the whole wide world in search of new adventures, experiences, flavours and aromas. The Trade Routes series include The Spice Road, The Gold Route and The Royal Route. Diageo's Master Blenders have tried to create Blends that reflect those voyages, stories and regions. It is likely that The Adventurer was the first of a new series within The Explorer's Club Collection. However a law suite was launched by the existing real life Explorer's Club that included such legendary names as Buzz Aldrin and Sir Ernest Shackleton. The Club funds scientific Research and Education and did not want their name used for commercial purposes without their permission. A judge ruled in favour of the Club in August 2014 which forged Diageo to rethink their strategy with regards to the Explorer's Club Collection. As a result, the Adventurer has become almost a rarity and a collectors item despite its humble ambitions. If you can find it in Travel Retail shops somewhere it would most likely cost you between 25 and 40 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Okay

Conclusion: I wonder why Diageo launched this new JW Expression, be it that it might need to be continued under a different name on account of the law suite. That's probably just as good as the Adventurer does not bring any Adventure whatsoever. It's just a plain Vanilla (or better, plain Caramel) Blended Scotch Whisky that has nothing exciting to offer. It's a slightly refined version of the JW Red at a higher price in my opinion. And that would be in line with the company policy of the last years whereby good Blends like the original Black, Gold and Green are replaced by Double Black, Gold Reserve, Platinum and the Explorer's Club expressions. These new Blends are carefully promoted and packaging and design are really great and aimed at a (mostly) younger public. But in my opinion all this can't hide the fact that these new Blends do not have the same quality as the original expressions and they are marketed at much higher price levels. With enough commercial margins to, at least, increase the ABV to 43% and cut back on the Caramel colouring. And perhaps stop the Chill-Filtering of the most expensive expressions. That way at least the consumer would get something in return as well. The way it is I won't spend my money on Blends like The Adventurer. Or whatever it's name will be in the future! 

Jan van den Ende                                                             February 1, 2015

Glenfiddich Select Cask Review

“Boring NAS Expression”

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenfiddich Select Cask (Cask Collection)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 40 %

Colour: Light Amber

Nose: Young, Malty, Fruity and Sweet with Barley Sugar, Nuts, Buttered Toast, Dried Fruits, Vanilla, Toffee, Hay, light Sherry, light Honey, Toasted Oak, Apple, Pear, Berries, Orange - and Lemon Zest, light Spices and a hint of Milky Way bars. Some Floral tones after a while. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. It's not bad but although it does show some Aromas, I find it quite boring.   

Palate: Light, Young and Sweet with Apple, Pear, Berries, Malt, Lemon Zest, Toffee, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Hay, light Honey, Raisins, Pepper, Cinnamon, Oak and Nutmeg.

Finish: On the short side with Vanilla, Toffee, Buttered Toast, Nuts, Dried Fruits, Orange- and Lemon Zest, Berries, Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon and a little Menthol.

The Glenfiddich Girls at the Reception in May 2014

I added a couple of drops of water and you get more Malt and Orchard Fruit on the Nose. It becomes Clean and Crisp, not unlike the 12 Years. But Palate and Finish do not accept the added Water very well. You can add some Water for Nosing purposes but better sip it Neat.

Rating: 81 

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 19.5 - Overall: 20.5

Glenfiddich in May 2014 during our Short Visit

General Remarks: The Glenfiddich (Gaelic for Valley of the Deer) Distillery was founded in 1886 by William Grant and is located in Dufftown. It's still owned by the Grant Family today and Glenfiddich is the world's best selling Single Malt. In 2013 the Distillery launched its first NAS Series. The "Cask Selection" consists of three Single Malts, all of them exclusively available in Global Travel Retail. They are the Select Cask, the Reserve Cask and the Vintage Cask. To create the Select Cask, the current Malt Master Brian Kinsman selected special casks (Ex-Bourbon, Ex-Sherry and Ex Red Wine) and married those casks in the famous Glenfiddich Solera Vat. The Select Cask costs around 50 US Dollars (2015) 

Drinking Experience Neat: Good 

Conclusion: You might argue that this Glenfiddich starts on the wrong foot. It's NAS and Travel Retail only. Not necessarily a guarantee for Top Notch Quality Single Malt. And indeed I have to admit that I'm not impressed with the Select Cask. When I make a comparison between the standard 12 Years and the Select Cask, I find the 12 Years Simple but also Crisp, Clean and Fruity. The Select Cask has the signature Pear as well but otherwise smells and tastes a bit young but already tired at the same time. It's not bad but awfully boring. I can not really recommend this. Better stay with the 12 Years!    

Jan van den Ende                                                             January 30, 2015

Glenfiddich 15 Years Solera Review

Country: Scotland

Region: Highland/Speyside

Brand: Glenfiddich (Solera)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 15 Years

ABV: 40 %

Colour: Amber/Copper. I suspect above average addition of E-150.

Nose: Typical Speyside Nose with Sherry, Malt, light Oak, Vanilla, Buttered Toast with Honey, Icing Sugar, Toffee/Caramel, Dried Fruits like Raisins and Apricots, Apricot Marmalade and hints of Cooked Fruits like Apples, Cherries and Pears and Fresh Fruit (Peaches). It's okay but somehow I had expected more. A bit simple for a 15 year old Single Malt. But that's to be expected when bottled at 40% only I suppose. What a pity! 

Palate: Sweet, smooth pleasant and dangerously drinkable. I get Sherry, Honey, Butterscotch, Pepper, Cinnamon, Malt, Toffee/Caramel, Orange Marmalade, Licorice and Fruit Cake.

Finish: Fairly short with Pepper, Cinnamon, Oak, Fruit Candies, Honey, Nuts, Malt, Licorice, Cocoa Powder, Grappa and a touch of Mint.

I added a couple of drops of water and you get more Malt, Honey and Peach on the Nose. Bit more of (slightly bitter) Oak on the Palate and in the Finish. Better sip this neat!

Rating: 84.5 

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 20,5 - Overall: 21

General Remarks: The Glenfiddich (Gaelic for Valley of the Deer) Distillery was founded in 1886 by William Grant. It's still owned by the Grant Family today and Glenfiddich is the world's best selling Single Malt. The 15 Years expression matures in Ex-Sherry, Ex-Bourbon and New Oak casks. Batches of them are then married in a huge Solera Vat, made at the Distillery from Oregon Pine and unique in the Scotch Whisky Industry. This Vat is always kept at least half full and the method is used to create a more complex whisky. The 15 Years costs between 35 and 50 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: There are two ways of looking at the Glenfiddich 15 in my opinion. On the one hand it's a great starter for newbies in Whisky land. It's sweet, pleasant  and highly drinkable. A perfect gift for beginning whisky drinkers as well. You can't go wrong with it. And it's relatively cheap! Good value for money no doubt. It's also a step up from the 12 Years. On the other hand, I was a bit disappointed by the Glenfiddich 15 personally. It's certainly a well crafted whisky but I had expected more. I can see why it's a crowd pleaser but in my opinion it lacks character and race. The Distillery is really playing for safe here. Understandable from a market leader point of view but regrettable if you (like me) believe that character, adventure and challenge make Single Malt whisky such an interesting spirit. 

Jan van den Ende              February 13, 2013          Update: January 27, 2015