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I suppose world whisky is somewhat modern today. Bearded mixologists, who by some means all appear to be clones, are lauding whiskies from Taiwan to Tasmania. Individuals are cage preventing to win the newest Japanese launch. However one nation that’s seldom on folks’s horny whisky listing is South Africa.
South Africa is best identified for its uneven political previous, diamonds, cricket – and, by way of booze, the wine trade. Actually not whisky. There have been a handful of whisky manufacturers to emerge from the nation. Not loads of these South African whiskies have made it to the UK both, and little or no of it ever crosses my radar. However the Three Ships vary, which comes from the James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington, is probably the most notable South African whisky, and it’s made on the James Sedgwick Distillery.
James Sedgwick Distillery
The James Sedgwick Distillery was created nicely over a century in the past, and named after a well-known sea-captain who was a pioneer businessman throughout the area. J Sedgwick & Firm was arrange as a tobacco and alcohol service provider and his sons later took over his companies. It was they who created an precise distillery in 1886, which was then a brandy operation earlier than transferring into whisky only a few many years in the past. The distillery itself was constructed on the banks of the Berg River in Wellington, and is taken into account now thought of to be a diamond within the African distilling world.
It wasn’t all the time like that, nonetheless. The distillery’s fame has largely been earned over the previous couple of many years by their sixth distillery supervisor, Andy Watts – a one-time professional cricketer who skilled as a whisky-making guru. These whisky manufacturers – the one grain Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky (which I clumsily reviewed 4 years in the past) and the one malt Three Ships – have blossomed underneath Andy’s stewardship, profitable quite a few worldwide awards.
So I used to be excited to attempt one of many restricted Three Ships single malt releases.
Three Ships Aged 10 Years – PX End
This explicit Three Ships whisky made it into my grubby, whisky-stained arms courtesy of WhiskyBrother Marc. He stated this whisky was excellent and was personally sending samples out to folks. Can’t say no to that, can I?
The Three Ships 10 12 months Previous Single Cask PX End is the primary whisky of their new Masters Assortment. The whisky was distilled in 2005, initially matured for 8 years and 10 months in American oak, with a small amount then chosen to spend one other 14 months in an ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry cask. 800 bottles have been produced – all of the whisky was non-chill filtered and bottled at 46.2% ABV.
The whisky is just not simply out there on this nation. You’ll be able to possibly get it from the WhiskyBrother retailer in South Afria, although, if you happen to occur to be passing by. The change charges is available in at roughly £42/US$73. There’s all the time the prospect it’ll seem at an internet public sale as nicely.
Tasting notes
Color: russet.
On the nostril: tropical fruits in syrup. Heat strawberry jam. Recent apricots. Somewhat maltiness as soon as the fruits go. After which it strikes into outdated wooden: cellars, pencil packing containers. A waft of incense – however not the type one may count on from Japanese oak; one thing else like pine incense.
Within the mouth: redcurrants, blackcurrants. Raspberry sauce. Golden syrup. Heather honey. Mead – maybe a touch of dry cider. Exceptionally autumnal. Just a few touches of wooden: ginger, sandalwood. Pineapples. A variety of that outdated wooden high quality is coming again – which is uncommon for one thing this age. Mango. A medium texture, ever so barely waxy. Very good black pepper end. It’s like an unique, outdated sherry-cask Scotch.
It’s a superb whisky, and one which feels a lot older than ten years. £42 although? That’s an unbelievable worth for a whisky of this high quality. It’s nearly indecent. This actually is a really well-made, characterful, fascinating dram, and for that worth it is best to do all the pieces in your powers to trace it down.
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