Would you buy this again? On the tongue it starts off a bit sweet and then the spicy notes take affect mid-palate which exposes the smoke and peat. Margaret of Valois, also known as Queen Margot, was the daughter of Henry II of France and Catherine de Medicis. Thus began the ill-fated career of Margaret of Valois, also known as Queen Margot. Her sister, Elisabeth of Valois, would become the third wife of King Philip II of Spain, and her brother Francis II, married Mary, Queen of Scots. I've heard Queen Margot 6 Year old is "good", but this one was a far cry from "okay". Medium length finish, fruit and toffee lingers. The result is a luxurious flavor that's light in the foreground, with sweet mouth-watering depth developing on the palate. But, I won't have another dram of it. Conditions, A JOURNEY THROUGH THE WORLD OF WHISKIES, ONE THE PLOT: This 1994 film based on the Alexandre Dumas novel of the same name are set on the events surrounding the marriage of Catherine de Medici's Catholic daughter Marguerite (Margot) to Protestant Henri de Bourbon. The touch of honey in this infused bourbon is perfect – not too strong or too subtle – and its warming bourbon tones allow the honey sweetness to shine, making it great for sipping on its own straight from the fridge. When you raise a glass of this whisky, you're raising a glass to the ancient ways of our island. St. Leger's honey-sweet, pear-like character is remarkable for its lightness and delicacy in style and flavour. Let's not be finicky about E150 and non-chill filtration, ok. No. Overall impression and score: it was fun to try this one, and for £14 I've satisfied my curiosity. Color: Gin clear. Actually, slightly reminiscent of that typical pot still nose (may the Irish forgive me). On August 18, 1572, the 19 year old Marguerite married Henry de Bourbon, who had become King of Navarre on the death of his mother. Using only superior ingredients, he aged his whisky to distinction in premium white oak barrels - and over 150 years later, J.P. Wiser's whisky is still made using traditional recipes to ensure that the final product lives up to the standards set out by J.P. Wiser many generations ago. Would you buy this again? Catherine decides to make an overture of goodwill by offering up her daughter Margot in marriage to Henri de Bourbon, a prominent Huguenot and King of Navarre, although she also schemes to bring about the notorious St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of 1572, when thousands of Protestants are slaughtered. Malt. A second nosing gives Glenmorangie 10. Actually, not that bad viscosity, but there's not much taste to it. La Reine Margot . Add to this characters whose emotional whims flutter uncontrollably: Margot the Queen, finding herself alone on her wedding night, having rebuffed her just-married husband, suddenly finds her lustful urges overwhelming, and searches the streets of Paris to pick a random one-night fling. @RianC Yeah... a bit like going to the dentist. She was one of the most educated, cultured, beautiful, fashionable women of her time, a “pearl of de Valois,” but also a victim of misogynist propaganda that portrayed her as nymphomaniac and incestuous La Reine Margot (Queen Margot) and downplayed the importance of her actions in the political sphere and the courage, nobility and class of her conduct. Old Weller Antique is bottled at 107 proof, offering a complex taste and bold finish. Color: Gin clear. @paddockjudge I’m also a fan of Ballantine’s. @RikS - No, the price argument vis-a-vis £25 for a malt such as Aberlour 10, HP 12 and especially Old Pulteney 12 against a blend at or around £20 is a good one to make. J.P. Wiser's ambition was simple - to produce the highest quality whisky that pleased the eye, nose, and tongue. It may prove good to have this bottle in the case there's a BBQ marinade that requires whisky, or maybe a cake recipe. I'm not sure if it won its award recently or a few years ago but I would like to try it alongside some of my go-to blends to see how it holds up. And, for the record, I'm in no way opposed to blends (be they blended malts or with grain) but hope to think I'll judge only by taste so if I find something I like... That said, I suppose the one caveat would be that I often nowadays like my drinks 46% and above, and with a strong character... and there seem not too many blends that tick those boxes. Pretty young, but nothing solventy and thankfully an absence of any cleaning products. Although Henry's mother opposed the marriage, many of her nobles supported it, and the marriage was arranged. In France a religious war is raging. Her father arranged her marriage to Protestant Henri de Bourbon, her distant cousin and the King of Navarre in an attempt to pacify the … The plot is a tangled mess--the Huguenots vs Catholics in 17th century France. Hand-made using traditional methods and ingredients, this golden amber whisky is fragrant with honey, vanilla and cloves on the nose. Rating: 17 / 100. The nose isn't unpleasant, nor particularly interesting. It has a smooth lingering smoke and spice finish. A JOURNEY THROUGH THE I'll get me coat. Some malt sweetness. Something Special 15 Years old is a variant of Something Special Whisky brand, it is a mix of around 35 malt and granule whiskies from Speyside and Islay aged minimum 15 years in casks of French and American oak. As a nod to them, and to our island home, still dotted with ancient stones and markings, we called this expression Superstition. It tastes like water... with a dash of ethanol for the alcohol.... mixed up with some whisky-esters for 'taste'. She was the third daughter of King Henry II of France and his Florentine wife, Catherine de Medici . The mid-palate is pretty sweetish but then gives way to a slightly bitter oakiness. @RianC Thank you, I'll certainly keep an eye open for that one! It isn't good... leaves you with two options I suppose: 1) have another sip and try to hide the finish with a new mouthful, 2) wishing you hadn't drunk it at all (fear not, I'm opting for the latter). St. Leger & Co. Ltd. Honours this rich tradition with an exquisitely blended, smooth tasting Scotch Whisky of truly classical quality. Catherine of Medici maintains her behind-the-scenes power by ordering assaults, poisonings, and instigations to incest. In the late-1800s, John Philip Wiser, or J.P. as he was fondly known, set out in Canada at a deliberate and steady pace to build a company that was known for its quality, craftsmanship, and premium products. There really is, and Lidl’s press release brought attention to it. Marguerite was forced to marry Henry de Bourbon, the son of Jeanne d'Albret, the Protestant Queen of Navarre, in a marriage that was designed to reunite family ties and create harmony between Catholics and Huguenots. Margaret of Valois was born on May 14, 1553, at the Palace of St. Germain-en-Laye. I don’t mind Ballantine’s, in fact I like it... a lot. Islanders were a superstitious lot in the past. So, I was curious to return to this one to see if leaving it air for a few months would create any surprising miracles!? Maybe not as bad as one might have imagined or feared... but certainly not a place one would ever rush back to, or revisit if avoidable. It's blended, bottled (as you'd expect) at 40% and "oak aged" for 8 years. INSIGHT AT A TIME, Copyright @ 2020 The Whiskypedia | All rights reserved, Add to Alas, this 145-minute version, newly redubbed "Queen Margot," failed to catch on in the U.S. and Miramax basically abandoned it in order to pin all their end-of-year awards hopes on "Pulp Fiction." Rating: 20 / 100. the Glenmorangies and HP12 readily on sale here for around £25 (I think the Queen M was around £20...) I don't think I can think of many redeeming arguments... :). Out of interest, do you ever drink blends of a more budget nature? Born from over a century of experience, Buchanan's Deluxe Aged 12 Years Blended Scotch Whisky is guaranteed to heighten any celebration. Green apple peels. Smooth and clean on the palate with a hint of spice on the finish, it's a well-balanced introduction to the Wiser's line. Our luxury whisky is crafted to the highest quality for a vibrant character. St. Leger Scotch Whisky is produced with only the highest quality pure single malt whiskies which comprise forty percent of the blend, resulting in a well-balanced whisky with the Spirit of a Single Malt. So began a long tradition of Canadian whisky making. Matured for 12 years, our deluxe blend offers a lighter profile compared to denser whiskies. Swing features an elevated amount of Speyside malts, balanced by malts from the northern Highlands and Islay. While this Queen Margot whisky did indeed win at the World Whisky Awards, its medal is a far cry from an outright declaration of ‘best Scotch in the world’. General description. Conditions. Margaret of Valois was born on 14 May 1553, at the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the seventh child and third daughter of Henry II and Catherine de' Medici. @RikS - Thanks for 'taking one for the team' as they say! The finish is short, at least whatever pleasure was there... and then gives way to that bitter oakiness that comes in spades. Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Terms & I think I'd rather have any of those to this... And with e.g. All for about $25 on sale. @RikS - I was gifted a bottle of this last week. . Cart, Your If you ever get the chance, I'd recommend Adelphi's Blend the 'Private Reserve'. Account, http://www.whiskyboys.com/2016/06/03/lidl-queen-margot-blended-scotch-whisky/, Terms & And well, it's priced £14. Some bourbon. Green apple peels. In order to impose peace a forced wedding is arranged between Margot de Valois, sister of the immature Catholic King Charles IX, and the Hugenot King Henri of Navarre. If anything, it's thinned out even more and effectively disintegrated completely. Still, I like the taste of a good blended Scotch - I think being a bourbon drinker there's something about the corn element in with the malt that works for me. Created by Chivas Brothers master blender Colin Scott, Chivas Brothers Royal Citation was a non-age-statement, premium Scotch blend from whiskies matured in five different types of cask – charred new oak barrels, ex-Bourbon barrels, remade Bourbon hogsheads, remade Scotch hogsheads and Sherry butts. Please drink responsibly. With the perfect balance between smooth and complex, every sip of Buchanan’s offers a standard of excellence that is sure to leave a brilliant impression on your taste buds. Score when adjusted for pricing: 25/100. Sandahpanda says on December 31, 2018. Along with mentioning the award that Queen Margot had won, it also pointed out the whiskies which it had beaten to the top spot in the under-12-year-old blended Scotch whisky category, a field that included Dewar’s 12 Year Old and Johnnie Walker Black Label. It's certainly a recognizable member of the Weller label, with its own unique characteristics to compliment the high proof. I guess I'll always have a soft spot for cheap blends but I have come across some that were undrinkable neat ... @Nozinan - On last time's evidence, yes, 100%! Catherine decides to make an overture of goodwill by offering up Margot in marriage to prominent Huguenot and King of Navarre, Henri de Bourbon, which is … Thorntons Special toffee, loads of vanilla, light oak. WORLD OF WHISKIES,ONE INSIGHT AT A TIME. If the nose was ok and the palate wasn't too bad - if bland and nondescript - then the finish is certainly the weakest point. The fruit is now been drizzled with a little honey, more penny caramel toffee’s, hints of the barley, the oak is a bit more evident. Henry de Bourbon was born in Pau, the capital of the joint Kingdom of Navarre with the sovereign principality of Béarn. As our most iconic blend, this award-winning whisky is perfect on its own or in a mixed drink. Final Unweighted Score: 10/100. Although I remember chugging my way through a few bottles in Asia when surreptitious swigs from the bottle on night buses helped alleviate the lack of comfort! With notes of citric fruits and honey, our 80 proof whisky features a sweet, smooth flavor with orange and chocolate notes. No. It will likely be a Lidl while before I try this one then . Lots of gentle, heathery peat, light smoke, and bursting with ripe pear notes. Some bourbon. Although baptised as a Catholic, Henry was raised as a Protestant by his mother, who had declared Calvinism the religion of Navarre. Lidl's Queen Margot is mellowed for eight years in oak casks, which gives it a "rich sweetness," a "warm, lingering finish," and notes of "dried apricot and … Actually, slightly reminiscent of that typical pot still nose (may the Irish forgive me). And, were you to leave the glass stand for an hour, I bet you the above imaginary three components would nicely segregate into visible layers in your Glencairn, like oil and water. An excellent blend, in my opinion, of course. Since 1776, the heritage of The St. Leger Classic has run deep in the history of the United Kingdom. I happened to actually pass a Lidl today, and thought I'd pick up a bottle out of curiosity. La Reine Margot (A.K.A "Queen Margot", "Marguerite de Valois") is the first novel of The Last Valois series written in 1845 by Alexandre Dumas, père.The series next books are La Dame de Monsoreau and Les Quarante-Cinq.. During the reign of Charles IX and the French Wars of Religion, the throne of France had several suitors and every one try their hardest to keep it. Next up on my list: Western Gold Bourbon Whiskey, over on r/bourbon. 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