Teacher's Highland Cream

Hello Single Malters, today I am reviewing Teacher's highland cream. Expect to get some information on the following- 

1. Reason why I chose this whisky

2. Legacy behind this whisky

3. Vital stats

4. Tasting Notes

5. Occasions best enjoyed

6. Food pairings

7. FAQs 

First things first, I chose this whisky out of the many blends available for these reasons

1. High single malt content from Ardmore distillery. It claims to have a majority of its malt whisky(45%)  from the distillery which is quite rare to find in a blended scotch. 

2. High ABV - 43%. I have not seen many blends that are higher than 40% 

3. Peated- Nice pettiness for a blend. Again except for Johnnie Walter Double Black I do not know of any other blends that are peated. 

The product label explains it best "Highland cream- There is a distinction in every bottle of Teacher's Highland Cream because we add more peated malt. All blended Scotch is a mix of two kinds of whisky-malt and grain, but Teacher's Highland Cream includes a high percentage of peated malt from Ardmore distillery. More peated malt adds flavor and quality. Genuine quality you can taste it, can you can see it in the golden glow of the liquid" Enough said, it is time to enjoy some and let the whisky prove the genuineness behind this story. Enjoy my tasting notes! Cheers 🥃🥃🥃

Vital Stats- Teacher's Highland Cream Blended Scotch Whisky

Price- $29.99 for 1.75ml pictured($16.99 for 750ml bottle) 

Age- NAS(No Age Statement)

ABV- 43%

Region- Highlands

Distillery- Ardmore Distillery, Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Company- Beam Suntory 

Awards won- None found but I give it a Gold medal. 

Tasting info-

Serving glass- Glencairn Whisky Glass

Serving style- Neat

Appearance- Medium Gold

Aroma- Faint peat smoke, oak, vanilla, honey, nice creamy toffee, nutmeg, orange. Not much aroma.

Flavor- Smokey peat is omnipresent from the first sip, light sweetness from oak, citrus, cinnamon.

Body- Full 

Finish- Very interesting, though it starts light the finish is smokey and lingering with some bitterness

SJ's Rating- Top Shelf

It exceeds all expectation in terms of flavor for a cheap blended scotch. Once again flavor beats price. It is quite rare to find this combination in any other competitors higher single malt content, higher ABV & high in peat. It is a bargain deal for smokey lovers & people new to whisky. 

Occasions Best Enjoyed- Casual gathering. I enjoyed playing cards with friends.

Cocktails- None, Enjoy neat, on the rocks or club soda

Food Pairings- Khasi fried, Rice, Veggies, mula ko achaar. Heavy goat meat complimented the peaty flavor of whisky

SJ's Pro tip- Perfect as a light summer drink with ice. Normally peated whisky is suitable for winter but since this is light on the palette, I recommend it for summer time as well.

FAQs

1. Is Teachers's Highland cream whisky good? 

Teacher's Highland cream is an excellent blended scotch whisky. It has higher content of single malt than most blended scotch & peaty flavor 

2. What can I mix with Teacher's Highland Cream? 

Enjoy it neat, on the rocks or with a splash of club soda. 

I enjoyed this relatively new Scotch and the surprisingly awesome flavor for the price. Check it out for yourselves and find out. Cheers 🥃🥃. Enjoy Responsibly. 

Not in the mood to read? Listen to my Single Malt Lives Podcast instead. 

The Shin Mizunara Japanese Malt Whisky

Hello single Malters, want to take your taste buds on a tour to Japan? Reviewing The Shin Mizuanara Japanese Malt Whisky which will do exactly that in the comfort of your own home. . I will share the following in today's blog- 

• My research on the history behind this whisky
• Vital Stats
• Tasting notes
• SJ's Rating
• Occasions best enjoyed & SJ's pro tip
• FAQ's about this fairly new Japanese whisky

When I picked up this bottle, I had no idea what to expect which is part of the fun I have with my reviews. I wanted to try Japanese single malt but did not want to break the bank so selected this one based on a few things 

1. New brand of Japanese whisky

2. High ABV of 48%

3. Non-chill filtration

4. Reasonable price 

What I did not like about it is the plastic bottle cap, it makes it look cheap for a single malt. I highly recommend the makers to use a cork bottle cap and not cheap plastic. Drinking single malt whisky is an experience, don't cut costs on silly things like this. (Picture below says it all)

Reads the product label "Shin Malt Whisky is crafted by master distiller, Mr.Ken Usami who selected best malt whiskies and finish them in casks made of Japan's prized Mizuarna Oak". The interesting thing is it could be sourced from anywhere including Scotland of course. Sounds intriguing already doesn't it. Shin stands for integrity which is one of the core principles of samurai tradition. Now its time to put my judgement to the test by doing the fun part- tasting it :-). Enjoy my tasting notes!

Vital Stats- The Shin Malt Whisky Mizunara

Price- $59.99 for 750ml bottle 

Age- NAS(No Age Statement)

ABV- 48%

Contry of Origin- Japan

Distillery- Shinbou Distillery,Niigata, Japan

Awards won- 2020 Gold, San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Tasting info-

Serving glass- Glencairn Whisky Glass

Serving style- Neat

Appearance- Dark Amber 

Aroma- Japanese Mizuarna Oak, sherry, vanilla, chocolate, coffee, honey, very pleasing

Flavor- Similar to  Glenlivet Nadurra, amazing full of sherry, oak, pepper, spices, honey, cloves

Body- Full

Finish- Smooth, long, warm & lingering

SJ's Rating- Top Shelf

Exactly what I had thought it would be so it met my expectation. High 48% ABV gives it a strong personality and non-chill filtration gives that extra flavor. If you are looking for an exotic change of pace from the regular Scotch , this is perfect. 

Occasions of use- Celebrate special occasions like anniversaries, milestones

Cocktails- None, Enjoy neat

Food Pairing- Spicy burrito bowl from Chipotle complimented the bold strong whisky

SJ's pro tip- Try it on the rocks as well. I found the taste very flavorful after a couple of ice cubes. 

FAQs

Is The Shin Malt Whisky Mizunara good? 

For the price point, it is an absolutely good Japanese blended malt whisky.

Who makes The Shin Malt Whisky? 

The Shinbou Distillery 

What is The Shin Malt Whisky Mizuarna? 

It is a blend of malt whiskies finished in Japanese Mizuarna Oak

Absolutely enjoyed shopping, sipping and reviewing this whisky. Check it out for yourself and find out. Cheers! 🥃🥃🥃Enjoy Responsibly.

Not in the mood to read? Listen to my SingleMaltLives Podcast instead. 

1800 Reposado Tequila

Hello single malters, in today's blog I am reviewing 1800 Reposado tequila. I will share the following today- 

• My research on the history behind this tequila
• Vital Stats
• Tasting notes
• SJ's Rating
• Occasions best enjoyed & SJ's pro tip

The product label proudly claims "1800 Reposado was the first super premium 100% Agave tequila exported to the U.S". The tequila is crafted using 8-12 year old 100% blue Agave and is matured in American and French oak barrels for no less than six months. Now I wonder what magic goes on in the American & French oak barrels and what difference there is in between the two barrels. I did a little bit of digging- Flavor wise French oak barrels are typically more subtle & spicy offering textures of satin & silk. American barrels tend to be stronger in flavor often described as cream soda, vanilla or coconut giving that creamy body. That is enough background, now for the real fun- Enjoy my tasting notes!

Vital Stats- 1800 Reposado Tequila 

Price- $24.99 for 750ml bottle ($2.99 for pictured sampler bottle)

Age- 6 months

ABV- 40%

Country of origin- Mexico

Distillery- Ex Hacienda Las Camichines, Jalisco,MX

Awards Won- None found

Tasting info-

Serving glass- Glencairn Whisky Glass

Serving style- Neat

Appearance- Light golden

Aroma- Blue agave, light oak, hint of honey, vanilla

Flavor- Very light, oak lingers for a bit, vanilla, honey & spicy notes

Body- Medium

Finish- Very short, slightly lingering aftertaste of spices & honey but does not last too long

SJ's Rating- Middle Shelf 

Just what you expect from a reposado, it does the job. Can't expect too much flavor wise as it is not aged as much as an anejo. Decent tequila for the price. 

Food Pairings- Chicken C momos was a match made in heaven. The light spiciness of the tequila complimented the spicy momos. 

Occasions best enjoyed- Tequila flights, casual gatherings

Cocktails- Margarita

SJ's Pro Tip- Excellent value for money and a decent gift

I enjoyed sipping this one & presenting the facts to all the tequila enthusiasts. Hope this is helpful , take a sip(or two) and find out. Cheers! 🥃🥃🥃 Enjoy responsibly 

E & J Brandy X.O

Today I am reviewing E&J Brandy X.O. It goes in my Middle shelf & I will be sharing the following information in my blog

• My research on the history behind this brandy
• Vital Stats
• Tasting notes
• SJ's Rating
• Occasions best enjoyed & SJ's pro tip

E& J brandy is quite a popular American made brandy which got me by surprise. I was not expecting much from it but it turns out the opposite. Marketed as a suave, bold drink it makes a mark with it's attractive bottle. And the most important part , the flavor matches it's bold personality. 

Aged for 2 years in oak barrels, It was launched in 1970 and became an instant classic. According to it's website, E& J's roots stem back to Gallo family tree. Ernst & Julio Gallo , two brothers with passion for brandy and 30+ years of experience crafting fine wine decided to bring a little bit of California magic to the brandy game. After five years of testing and tasting in their Fresno distillery, the duo finally came across E& J's signature smooth process used till this day. 

Enough with the history, lets get to the real deal! Enjoy my tasting notes. 

Vital Stats- E& J Brandy X.O

Price- $12.49 for 750ml($1.29 for sampler bottle)

Age- 7+ years

ABV- 40%

Country/Region- California, USA

Distillery- E & J Distilleries, Modesto, CA

Awards won- Double Gold, 2018 San Diego Spirits Festival

Tasting info-

Serving glass-Glencairn Whisky Glass

Serving style- Neat

Appearance- Beautiful dark amber

Aroma- Fruity, oak, grapes, vanilla, faint chocolate in background, spearmint

Flavor- Very smooth, fruity, some spices, mild botanicals like lavender & hibiscus

Body- Medium

Finish- Slightly lingering, spicy & warm

SJ's Rating- Middle Shelf 

Pretty good brandy for the price. I liked the smoothness & flavor of it. Don't be fooled by it's cheap price. Let flavor be the judge of your palate not your wallet. For the price, it is exceptional and very stylish looking. Amazing value for money, it seems like affordable luxury for everyone. 

Occasions best enjoyed- After dinner 

Cocktails- Lemon juice or Orange juice pairs well with Brandy

Food pairings- Fried goat meat went well with the sweetness of this drink

SJ's Pro tip- Nice digestif after dinner

This was truly a pleasant drink & dinner, enjoyed even more researching and presenting my findings to you. Check it out for yourself and find out. 

Cheers! 🥃🥃🥃 Enjoy Responsibly. Stay safe. 

Not in the mood to read? Listen to my SingleMaltLives Poscast insted.