I am not a big drinker so when I received the invite to @JoburgStyleMag reader event with @BainsWhisky I knew I had to bring along a guest who’s palate is a lot more adept to whiskey than mine. Who better to join me than my scotch loving Dad. Although Bain’s Whisky (note the spelling is not whiskey which is American but rather it is spelt correctly as this whisky comes from SA) is not a scotch, Dad was the perfect person to try this whisky that was voted as the best grain whisky in the world in 2013. A major accomplishment and proudly South African.
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Rand Lords was the perfect venue for this majestic brand of whisky with the full 360 degree view of the Johannesburg city skyline on the 22nd floor of the South Point Towers. We were treated to an informative presentation given by whisky lover and expert Andy Watts who tantalized our taste buds with the promise of vanilla and toffee notes. A blend that is gentle on the palate with the perfect amount of sweetness achieved by using American Oak Casks infused with Lignin and Lanolin to achieve a totally natural sweet taste. Take the sweetness and oiliness of Jack Daniels fused with the smoothness of Jameson, add at least three years maturation time and the result is a light, palatable, sweet, smooth, pleasant surprise that is Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky.
The secret behind Bain’s Whisky is where it is produced. In Wellington, 45 minutes from Cape Town on the banks of the Berg River. We learnt that the climate of the Cape make this a perfect place to distill whisky as the alcohol dissipates at a quicker rate than our Scottish counterparts who live in a cold climate.
Who knew that the legs of the whisky are not referring to appendages that can run away with us but rather how thick or thin the viscosity of the whisky is. Whisky can be judged by its aroma, its colour and its legs but most importantly it should be paired with complimentary food items to really capture its essence. Bain’s Whisky pairs well with cashew nuts, cajun flavorings, smoked chicken and salmon. We were delighted to enjoy food pairings that complimented the taste of Bain’s.
Whether you like your Whisky on the rocks, straight or with a chaser, according to the experts there is no wrong way to enjoy your whisky however when doing a tasting, it is best to serve the whisky with the same amount of ambient temperature water to ensure the aromas’s are released and the maximum flavor can be enjoyed.
My judge for the evening ended off by stating that he would indeed buy this whisky and found it to be very soft and pleasant on the palate. Enjoy your Bain’s with ginger ale for a lighter refreshing drink or on the rocks as a night cap. Either way, an impressive blend that continues to make SA proud.
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I am pleased to announce that since drafting this post, my Dad has purchased a lovely gift set of Bain’s Whisky for my husbands birthday gift and my husband has taken a strong liking to the whisky as well. This is definitely a lovely gift to give and since Fathers day is fast approaching, don’t youthis stylish square bottle and great tasting whisky would be a lovely way to spoil our SA Dads.
Till Next Time
Xoxo
Porcelain Rouge 