Bains Single Grain South African Whisky, 70 cl

Product Information

Not technically a whisky food pairing, however something I make regularly. I love coffee; I love ice cream. Add some Knob Creek Bourbon, and you have magic. Perfect for a grown-up dessert in summer. Best of all, it is easy to make, without too much fuss. Looking online, I also found a High West Double Syrah Finish and the Mythology Syrah Finish whiskey. However, this is one of the only grain whisky releases aged in Shiraz, and that makes this whisky genuinely unique. It was love at first taste. I knew that this was what, for me, perfect whisky tasted like. Unfortunately, it took a year or so before it was released as a distillery bottling.

Sipping the Shiraz Cask is like sitting down for an hour with Albert Einstein. You dress formally, listen more than speak, and come away dazed but overwhelmed by the brilliance. The Shiraz Cask is a whisky to savour and appreciate. The Bain’s Symphony is the 8th bottle of Bain’s release in my collection. They first released the Bain’s 15 yo whisky, and it is probably one of the best drams I have ever tasted. This was followed by the 18 yo series with a Fino Cask, Oloroso and a PX cask. Earlier in 2021, a Shiraz Cask finish landed and then a 21 yo Double Wood whisky. We decided to offer guests a unique experience. Everyone appreciates a really good whisky. Add food and you have an extraordinary taste experience,” says Simon.

This cookie is set by Rubicon Project to control synchronization of user identification and exchange of user data between various ad services. I wanted to make a single grain whisky and after some tests I chose maize, and so the only thing left to play with was the wood.”

The first time I tasted the Bain’s 15 yo whisky was about five years ago at The Only Whisky Show when Andy Watts had some in a beautiful decanter hidden underneath the table at his Three Ships stand.Today I look at my favourite whisky food pairings that I have tried over the last couple of years. I capture my whisky tastings in a pretty notebook. I love the act of scribbling notes, pictures and drawing emotions on paper. Sometimes a whisky creates such strong feelings that it is easier to draw an emotive face on paper than to write down the emotion words. Old school, I know. John loves technology, and he captures his thoughts via speech recognition software. It has the classical Bain’s notes of toasted oak, vanilla and banana, but all the notes are elevated. It is basically a Bain’s on steroids! The extra time in the barrel and the higher ABV makes a massive difference between the Bain’s and the Symphony. The Symphony is more complex, with bolder flavours and texture. It is perfect! Just perfect!

The whisky from the distillery pays tribute to Andrew Geddes Bain. He was the pioneering pass builder who planned and built Bain’s Kloof Pass. The Pass connected Wellington to the inland Cape areas and is one of the most scenic routes in the Cape. The cross-dual dishes were selected in such a way that they don’t only match one particular whisky – try them with the various whiskies and decide for yourself which pairing strikes gold,” Simon adds. The parent company for Bain’s is Distell, which also has brands such as Amarula, Savanna and Hunter’s Dry. In 2013 it bought Scotch whisky producer, Burn Stewart Distillers. I did however look at the level of my bottle about two weeks after buying it and it was nearly empty. That was enough to convince me, it is divine and not a skewed rating based on my love for JSD.The sweetness and spice of the Bain’s enhanced the earthy notes of the Camembert. The richness of the cheese softens with the Bain’s, and you want to try the Bain’s whisky food pairing again and again. Coffee Bourbon Ice Cream NOSE: As I opened the bottle, the red wine nearly overpowers everything else. After the glass stood for a few minutes, the more traditional Bains tropical fruit and sweetness came through. Hints of oak, vanilla and red fruits with pepper. Africa’s first commercial whisky distillery is now open to the public for tours and whisky pairings

We went away on holiday, and I took some whisky with us. I have been loving the Bain’s 15 yo and was keen to try the Bain’s Shiraz Cask finish 10 yo whisky. It has enough peat to be typically Islay, but not so much that it would frighten a non-peat lover. The Ardbeg is robust enough to stand up to the Garlic and Rosemary flavour and the richness of the lamb. The peat and smoke in the Ardbeg enhanced the lamb’s earthiness and made it simply delicious. Bain’s Whisky and Camembert Cheese The whisky is then revattted into a fresh set of casks for an additional 18 to 36 months of maturation, with this double maturation process ensuring “maximum extraction of flavours” resulting in a finish of spice and toffee, according to the producer. The whisky pays tribute to Andrew Geddes Bain, who conquered the Cape Mountains and built the Beyerskloof Pass, which connected Wellington in the Western Cape to the interior of South Africa in 1853.It needs no water and is perfectly drinkable, just like it is. More creamy vanilla and pepper come to the front if you want to add a few drops of water. Medium body and perfect for summer. PALATE: The first sip has loads of drying red wine and tannins. Big and bold and a bit overwhelming. The alcohol doesn’t burn, but you know you are drinking a high ABV dram. I first tasted the regular release of Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky a few years ago as part of an international whisky tasting that I co-organised. Bain’s is from South Africa and so it added not just another country, but another continent to the line-up. It had other things going for it too, as it was well reviewed, balanced the budget for the tasting, and seemed to be a good opening dram because it is a low ABV single grain.