Islay Archives - Page 3 of 4

Whisky #212 – Bunnahabhain 25 Year Old Single Malt

August 27, 2014 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

Bunnahabhain 25 Year Old Single Malt (Old Bottling). Islay, Scotland. ABV: 43%. Tasted at The Angel’s Cut, $40.

Colour: Rich wood varnish.

Nose: Soft toffee notes.

Palate: Possibly the most subtle peaty flavours I’ve had in a while. Sweet orange peel flavours too.

Finish: Sweet earthy notes to finish, a very gentle fade. Dry mouthfeel, medium length.

Comments: Definitely one of the more unusual Islays I’ve tried. It really is a great drop, though I’m not sure it’s really worth $40 a nip for the pure drinking pleasure alone; you’re also paying for the relative rarity of the whisky.

Whisky #206 – Blackadder Smoking Islay Raw Cask (Sherry Cask) Cask Strength Single Malt

August 24, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

Blackadder Smoking Islay Raw Cask (Sherry Cask) Cask Strength Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 60.50%. Tasted at home, $180 (bottle).

Colour: Pale gold.

Nose: Meat and molasses cooking on a campfire. A hint of cocoa.

Palate: Jammy flame-grilled meat flavours, plenty of peat and smoke.

Finish: Lots of residual warmth, long finish.

Comments: A cask strength release from a single sherry cask, this is simply stunning. The best Islay whisky I’ve tried so far this year. Words failed me a little when making my tasting notes, mainly because I was enjoying it so much and didn’t want to over-analyse it. Yes at 60.5% it’s a monster, but it doesn’t need to be diluted in my opinion. As the name suggests, it is raw but the influence form the sherry cask means that it’s got some residual sweetness too. Absolutely superb.

Whisky #196 – Bowmore 12 Year Old Single Malt

August 4, 2014 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

Bowmore 12 Year Old Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at home, $70 (bottle).

Colour: Amber; a touch darker than the Bowmore Legend.

Nose: There’s a fair bit of smoke here as you would expect, but it’s not quite as raw or intense as the Legend.

Palate: It tastes a little like dusty bookshelves smell, if that makes sense. I haven’t personally tried to eat a dusty bookshelf, but the taste here is reminiscent of that smell. Earthy yet with plenty of soft smokey peat.

Finish: Smoother than the Legend and the finish seems a fraction shorter too. It’s still quite a long fade, especially the gentle heat.

Comments: The Bowmore 12 and Bowmore Legend are quite similar, but the 12 year old is a bit softer and well rounded; the Legend a little less refined.

Whisky #194 – Ardbeg Galileo 1999 Single Malt

August 3, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Ardbeg Galileo 1999 Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 49.00%. Tasted at The George, $17.

Colour: Orange gold. Much darker than most Ardbeg expressions.

Nose: Soft smoke, honey.

Palate: Honeycomb, dark chocolate, smokey peat but not as intense as I expected.

Finish: Softer, slightly sweeter peat taste which builds. Flavours linger on the tongue.

Comments: Much softer than other Ardbegs. I really enjoyed this one, although as a special release it’s a little harder to get your hands on than your average Ardbeg. My trusty whisky imbibing lieutenant Joel also quite enjoyed it – he found it peaty but not too over the top. Good to see some subtle variation from Ardbeg with this one, as often their releases can be a little too similar for me – cracking whiskies, but just a little similar. The Galileo certainly is one of their better ones that I’ve tried.

Whisky #183 – Lagavulin 16 Year Old Single Malt

July 26, 2014 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

Lagavulin 16 Year Old Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at The Royal, $15.

Colour: Deep coppery amber.

Nose: The scent is instantly recognisable, unmistakably Lagavulin. I can smell it from a metre away. Big peat, lots of smoke. Another sniff reveals some medicinal scents.

Palate: Quite an oily mouthfeel, you really feel the smoke rolling in and enveloping your whole palate. Big flavours, salty smoke dominates.

Finish: Short on heat, very long on flavour and smoke. A touch of residual sweetness too which I don’t recall from the last time I tasted a dram of it (admitted quite a while ago). Probably one of the longest finishes you can get. Still loads of peat.

Comments: About time I tackled some of the more readily available whiskies…my strategy so far this year has been to generally select some of the more unusual whiskies available at each bar, keeping the more common ones up my sleeve. This approach has held me in good stead as I’ve not yet walked into a bar where I’ve had all of their whiskies. I’m glad that I’ve finally gotten around to tasting the Lagavulin 16, it’s always been an old favourite and it didn’t disappoint here upon re-tasting it for the first time in a while.

Whisky #170 – Kilchoman 100% Islay 2nd Edition Single Malt

July 22, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Kilchoman 100% Islay 2nd Edition Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 50.00%. Tasted at Canton Lounge, $16.

Colour: Through the red lantern tinted glass, it’s pale gold. I think.

Nose: Much sweeter than I was expecting from an Islay, but also some smokey peat coming through. It’s a big nose, but not big as in the typical Islay smoky ash scents. Some subtle medicinal feints as well.

Palate: Big robust peatiness, charred woody flavours too. Quite meaty too.

Finish: A dry finish; long on the flavour, more of a typical Islay smokey finish.

Comments: At only 3 years old, this is a very young whisky. In fact, it’s the minimum length of maturation time before you can legally call it “whisky” in Britain. Despite this, it has an amazing depth of flavour, surprisingly complex.

Interestingly, the barley for this dram is both grown and malted by the distillery (which isn’t all that common), hence the tag “100% Islay”.

Whisky #167 – Laphroaig 10 Year Old Single Malt

July 21, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Laphroaig 10 Year Old Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at The Royal, $12.50.

Colour: Translucent yellow. Sounds a bit boring, but it’s not really gold, pale straw or any other shimmering hue – it’s just a yellowish colour.

Nose: Bam, lots of peat. Bit of camphor too, maybe some popcorn too. But not as strong with the alcohol feints as I remember from when I last tried it a year or so ago.

Palate: The peat obviously dominates, but it’s still a smooth smoky entry. Some charred meaty flavours, like a flame cooked steak.

Finish: Incredibly long smokey finish. Some dry vanilla & cocoa flavours in the fade.

Comments: Being almost half way through the year, I thought it would be appropriate to start choosing some of the malts more commonly available at your average bar. Up until now my strategy has been to select the more unusual whiskies at each bar, as it will be difficult to find more uncommon whiskies as the year progresses. I’ve also got the Australian Whisky Tasting Championship coming up in Sydney next month so I need to get some tasting practice done on the more common single malts!

Regardless of its availability, the Laphroaig 10 is a great drop, a fantastic example of the Islay style and a stock entry-level Islay single malt that wouldn’t look out of place of any whisky collection. If you’re looking to build a collection I wouldn’t say get this AND the Ardbeg 10 as they share similarities, but both are cracking value; very drinkable and both great examples of the Islay style.

Whisky #155 – Kilchoman Machir Bay Single Malt

July 16, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Kilchoman Machir Bay Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at Print Hall.

Colour: Pale straw.

Nose: Sweet peat. Not a sexy alluring kind of peat, but there are some sweet notes.

Palate: Smooth entry, but has neither the peatiness nor the meatiness of the really great Islay malts.

Finish: Heat & peat linger, but nothing too exceptional to report.

Comments: Tastes like a sweeter Ardbeg 10. Not bad, but wouldn’t rush out to buy a bottle. Kilchoman is a very young distillery having been founded only in 2005, so we shouldn’t be too harsh on them. I’m excited by what I’ve tried so far (see also the Kilchoman Loch Gorm & Kilchoman Single Bourbon Cask 5 year old), but feel that perhaps they’re releasing their malts a little too soon so as to begin to see a return on their investment, rather than waiting a few extra years that might see the whisky’s flavours develop a little more.

Whisky #148 – Ardbeg Auriverdes Limited Edition Single Malt

July 11, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Ardbeg Auriverdes Limited Edition Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 49.90%. Tasted at Helvetica, $29.

Colour: Golden.

Nose: Not as peaty as I was expecting for an Ardbeg! Still plenty of smoke, but also leather and some surprising sweet notes. Some typical Ardbeg notes in there though, but much more subtle than say the 10 year.

Palate: ‘Cool smoke’ is how I’d describe it. It doesn’t have the heat of other Ardbegs, plus that very subtle sweetness pokes its head through.

Finish: Quite similar to the 10 year in terms of the finish flavours, but the Auriverdes is definitely a lot softer.

Comments: It’s great to see Arbeg mixing things up a bit with the Auriverdes release for World Ardbeg Day. Too many expressions in the Ardbeg stable are overly similar – sure there’s some subtle differences but in many cases I find the distinction too subtle, especially for such a big peaty, flavoursome whisky.

The Auriverdes has some unmistakable Ardbeg qualities, but for me it’s just not that special, particularly when you consider a bottle of it will set you back $200 AUD. It’s ok, but a little disappointing given this is intended to be a special release to commemorate Ardbeg Day.

Whisky #145 – SMWS 3.194 Surf and Turf BBQ

July 9, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

SMWS 3.194 Surf and Turf BBQ. 14 year old single cask from Bowmore distillery. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 58.3%. Tasted at home, 100mL tasting bottle as part of SMWS new members’ welcome pack.

Colour: Deep, brilliant, burnished copper. So bright.

Nose: Strong alcohol fumes abound. Slowly dissipating with some time in the glass to reveal some toffee, butter & burnt orange scents. A hint of smoke too.

Palate: Freshly ground black pepper. Chewy; very meaty, with a smokey almost charcoal taste. It really does taste a little similar to a steak flame cooked on a BBQ.

Finish: Salty smoked aftertaste, long finish.

Comments: I not picking up the seafood flavours that the SWMS abundantly describe, but the meaty BBQ flavours are definitely there. Wow. Not your typic Islay – the smoke is ever-present but it takes a back seat to the complex flavour profile. Really enjoying this one! In fact I’m really loving the Scotch Malt Whisky Society releases generally; they’re all unique, full flavoured and offer huge amounts of character that gradually reveal more layers with every sip.

Whisky #133 – Ardbeg Ardbog Cask Strength Single Malt

June 29, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Ardbeg Ardbog Cask Strength Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 52.10%. Tasted at Helvetica, $0 courtesy of a guy named Eamon who was keen to hear about the Whisky a Day project.

Colour: Dark coppery cherry sherry.

Nose: Smokey creaming soda. Lots of peat smoke like most Ardbegs, hint of cherry.

Palate: Creamy salted caramel with a hefty dose of smoke, but its not overpowering.

Finish: Ah, that’s more like your typical Ardbeg. Long heat & peat finish, but some of those sweet creamy cherry flavours just manage to poke through.

Comments: Great to taste an Ardbeg with some variety. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always loved Ardbeg and think it’s cracking value for money (if not one of the best value for money whiskies on the market), but some of their expressions are a bit too similar. Released for World Ardbeg Day in 2013, the Ardbeg Ardbog was great; the heat & smoke were toned down and some other sweet flavours came through. Good drop.

Whisky #118 – Ardbeg Blasda Single Malt

June 24, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Ardbeg Blasda Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Tiger Lils, $11.

Colour: Translucent straw.

Nose: Peat, plenty of it. A hint of band aids after a bit of time in the glass.

Palate: Surprisingly smooth entry for an Ardbeg, feels like some soft smoke gently rolling in through your mouth.

Finish: Bit of a tingle at the front of the tongue. Peppery aftertaste.

Comments: An experimental offering from Ardbeg, they’ve deliberately tried to make it lightly peated (unlike every other Ardbeg I’ve ever tasted). Despite this, there is still a fair whack of peat. So while it’s not quite your typical Ardbeg, it’s not quite like anything else either, sort of a half-way house. Not bad, but it’s a little thin and doesn’t seem to really know what it’s striving to be…is it trying to be Ardbeg’s attempt at being very un-Ardbg-like, or is it trying to be something different? Either way, it seems to fall a little short. Quite drinkable, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to track it down.

Whiskies #106-115: Scotch Malt Whisky Society Autumn Tasting Extravaganza

June 23, 2014 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

Scotch Malt Whisky Society Autumn Tasting Extravaganza. Parmelia Hilton, $70.

I joined the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) at the start of the year for a few main reasons. Firstly, as another way to expand my whisky horizons and give me exposure to a range of unusual whiskies that I hadn’t heard much about (much less seen available to buy anywhere). A good way to really start to rack up the number of different malts that I knew I’d need to successfully complete the Whisky a Day challenge.

Secondly, I was intrigued by this mysterious “society” – would they have a secret handshake? Would it be a stuffy old man’s club where everyone stands around twirling their moustache and wearing a tweed jacket? As it turns out, no – they’re just a bunch of friendly folks who are really into their whisky. A huge range of ages and mix of guys and girls, everyone is really down to earth and passionate about tasting and talking about whisky.

Anyway, a crash course in the SMWS. They do their own bottlings, whereby they go to a distillery and choose a single cask from which they produce a limited run (e.g. ~200 bottles) of a unique malt. The whisky is given a numerical code, denoting the distillery and the individual cask. For example, whisky “96.7” below identifies it as being from distillery number 96, and it is the 7th single cask bottling the SMWS has released from this distillery. They’ve also got some quirky tasting notes on the label to describe the flavours and aromas that the SMWS tasting panel has come up with.

So onto the tastings. The standout favourite of the day for me was “121.65 – A Well-Oiled Baseball Glove”. As with my experience at Whisky Live 2014, I didn’t want to spend the whole evening furiously making tasting notes. Tasting 10 whiskies in all, I kept the notes to a minimum and simply enjoyed the experience. If you are intrigued and want to know more about a particular whisky you’ll just have to join the SMWS and try it for yourself!

96.7 – For a Sweet Tooth. 7 year old SMWS bottling from Glendronach Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 59.3%.

Very pale colour. Chewy toffee on the nose. Not as sweet as I was expecting given the description on the label. Warmth builds & slowly fills the mouth.

3.218 – Opening the Bonnet of a Classic Car. 13 year old SMWS bottling from Bowmore Distillery. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 55.8%.

Apple juice in colour. The nose is smokey, but subtler than other Islays. Palate is meaty with hint of sweetness, like a seared steak.

131.2 – Magic Carpet in a Sweetie Shop.

13 year old SMWS bottling from Hanyu Distillery. Chichibu, Japan. ABV: 55.1%.

Looks more like a port, beautiful colour. Initial scents reminded me of firecrackers, turns out it has a few hints of an Islay dram. Lots of spice, hint of smoke, quite full bodied, sweet notes abound. Medium length.

73.62 – Magical, Mellifluous Marvelosity.

24 year old SMWS bottling from Aultmore Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 57.8%.

Looks like a botrytis semillon in colour, the legs on the glass also give away the relatively high ABV. Heat & peat on the palate, warmth lingers.

28.24 – Curiouser and Curiouser.

23 year old SMWS bottling from Tullibardine Distillery. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 52.2%.

Pale gold. Musty. Like an old book. Bourbon like flavours, gentle. Smooth. Medium finish.

93.58 – A Manly Adventure.

14 year old SMWS bottling from Glen Scotia Distillery. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 60.4%.

Crisp clear straw colour. The nose gives pork spit roast on an open fire. Band aids. Meaty, very chewy. Kind of whisky to put hairs on your chest. Smoke builds, lips tingle long after.

37.55 – Surprising Smoky and Savoury.

12 year old SMWS bottling from Cragganmore Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 56.6%.

Really pale straw. Surprisingly smokey for a Speyside – only then did I realise the SMWS name was “surprisingly smokey”.

121.65 – A Well-Oiled Baseball Glove.

14 year old SMWS bottling from Isle of Arran Distillery. Isle of Arran, Scotland. ABV: 58.3%.

Deep copper. Wow – like it. Muscat notes, it is leathery – the title of this one really is on the money. Like a salted caramel dessert – salty but a sweet aftertaste. Delicious – definitely my favourite dram of the day.

53.198 – Wasabi on a California Roll.

18 year old SMWS bottling from Caol Ila Distillery. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 59.1%.

Like opening a tin of smoked mussels or anchovies. Nice. Smokey, but almost a bit of a metallic aftertaste.

29.145 – Innocent Embrace of Sweetness and Smoke.

22 year old SMWS bottling from Laphroaig Distillery. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 45.3%.

Straw colour. One of the lightest Islays I’ve nosed in terms of smoke. Sweet almost cool smokey sensation on the tongue. Quite unusual, but nice.

Whisky #104 – Bunnahabhain 18 Year Old Single Malt

June 22, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Bunnahabhain 18 Year Old Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 46.30%. $24 – Tasted at Malt Supper Club.

Colour: Deep burnt amber.

Nose: A touch of port.

Palate: Woody, but not your traditional oak kind of flavours. Short flavours, fades to tart dried grapes/sultanas.

Finish: Smooth gentle warmth, doesn’t quite fill the mouth.

Comments: A bit too dry & not enough sweetness for my liking. Ok though.

Whisky #87 – Bowmore Legend Single Malt

June 8, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

Bowmore Legend Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at my place, $0 – courtesy of my mate Gordy.

Colour: Brilliant gold.

Nose: Peat, lots of peat and band-aids.

Palate: Oily mouthfeel, but quickly dries. Clean entry, briny.

Finish: Peppery smoke & heat gradually fills the mouth, medium length flavour, warmth hangs around a little longer.

Comments: Gordy, much like the whisky – legend! Overall though it’s a solid Islay dram, nothing too out of the box though.

Whisky #60: Elements of Islay Pe5 Cask Strength Single Malt

March 23, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Elements of Islay Pe5 Cask Strength Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 57.90%. Tasted at Bad Apples, $47.

Colour: Nright gold.

Nose: Served in a miniature Glencairn glass, which is the first one I’ve drank out of so far. The smaller size allows you to really get your nose in close to the whisky. A complex nose on this one, hard to dissect. And frankly, with such a rare whisky I’m not so sure I want to pull it to pieces, I just want to enjoy it.

Palate: Smooth entry, quickly warms & fills the mouth. Quite creamy. Much more subtle than other Islays I’ve tried.

Finish: I didn’t want it to finish!

Comments: To be honest, I didn’t focus on making too many notes with this tasting – I just wanted to enjoy it. Port Ellen is a defunct distillery, so the rarity of the whisky is the reason for the high price. I’m not sure it’s worth $47 a nip based on flavour alone. The Pe5 is the fifth “Elements of Islay” release of Port Ellen whisky, this one is from a single sherry cask. I’d like to try it again though but next time without putting pressure on myself to try and analyse it and do it justice – I’d just want to relax a little more and really enjoy it.