Islay

Ardbeg Wee Beastie

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Ardbeg Wee Beastie
5 Years Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

47.4% ABV
$50
Website
Ardbeg Wee Beastie

What the Distillery Says

IT’S A MONSTER OF A DRAM
Ardbeg Wee Beastie is the latest permanent expression to join the Distillery’s Ultimate Range. At just five years old, Wee Beastie is a feisty young creature with a formidable taste.

SOMETHING BIG AND SMOKY…
Our whisky creators set out to make the rawest, smokiest Ardbeg ever. The result is Ardbeg Wee Beastie and this tongue-tingling, beautifully smoky dram is the youngest Ardbeg we’ve ever made.

On the snout, intense aromas of cracked blacked pepper mingle with sappy pine resin and a sharp tang of smoke. Suddenly, an explosive mouthfeel bursts forth with chocolate, creosote and tar. Savoury meats sink into the palate before the long salty mouthcoating finish slinks away… revealing the inner beast of this Islay icon.

Young and intensely smoky, this is a dram untamed by age. Matured in ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, Wee Beastie is perfect for enjoying neat or as the mouth-watering main ingredient in a powerfully smoky cocktail.

Non chill-filtered at 47.4%.

TASTING NOTES
COLOUR: A glint of bright Gold (Auric)
AROMA: The first sniff alerts you to a nearby presence… heightened senses are filled with very bright, fresh herbal notes, with creeping hints of vanilla and pear. Rich Turkish coffee mingles with sappy pine resin, with honey-glazed ham lurking in the background. With water, more herbal top notes like vetiver and fennel captivate and pull you in, while beguiling scents of aniseed, green apple and leather cause you to drop your guard. Out of nowhere, a sharp tang of smoke and a crack of fresh black pepper fire warning shots across the senses.
TASTE: Suddenly, a rich, explosive mouthfeel bursts forth with chocolate, creosote and tar. A powerful blast of eucalyptus thrashes about with antiseptic lozenges and aniseed. The raw, smoky intensity gathers pace, before smoked bacon and savoury meats sink into the palate.
FINISH: The long, salty mouthcoating finish retreats, with hints of cocoa and fudge slinking slowly away.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Peat, creosote, fresh pine, seaweed, smoked pork butt, dried fruit, earthy, mineral notes with a bit of sulfur and hint of coffee.
Palate:  Sweet, grainy with honey, salty peat, creosote, bit of chocolate, earthy notes with pepper spice.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with lingering spices and peat.
Comments:  I like Ardbeg, and am also a sherry fan – so maybe I had unreasonable hopes for this (given its age). Don’t get me wrong – there isn’t anything off putting with this, but the youth is apparent, and the sherry influence is fairly subtle (maybe too subtle). Not bad, but not special either – and given the price point, can’t imagine reaching for this over the standard bearer 10 yr old.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Laphroaig An Cuan Mòr

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Laphroaig An Cuan Mòr
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

48% ABV
$100
Website
Laphroaig An Cuan Mòr

What the Distillery Says

Inspired by the Atlanta upon which the Laphroaig distillery sits, An Cuan Mòr (“Big Ocean”) is composed from a selection of many casks – each batch hand-selected for its exceptional flavour by our Master Distiller.

All have been matured in first fill ex-bourbon barrels in Warehouse No. 1 – just a stone’s throw from breaking waves. This whisky is then carefully re-casked and left to sleep in the finest European Oak. The result is an extraordinary fusion of flavours, from the unmistakable peat of our spirits, to the soft and spicy caramel tones of the American wood, to the big, rich “burnt apricot and raisin” notes that European oak is so famous for. Any cloudiness when mixed with water is normal for a whisky that hasn’t been chill-filtered.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Peat smoke, medicinal, iodine, smoked brisket brushed barbecue sauce and a healthy dose of sea salt, bit of baked goods – a yeasty bread.
Palate:  Sweet, peat with fruit notes, pears, apples, touch of honey before a peaty pepper bite kicks in.
Finish:  Moderately long with peat smoke and subtle fruit.
Comments:  Laphroaig always stands out for me. This has a nice, golden color with a touch of copper – and I like the meaty notes on the nose. Another travel retail exclusive that doesn’t appear to be available currently.  Nothing off putting, but not my favorite from Laphroaig.

Rating: Stands Out

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Laphroaig 16 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Laphroaig 16 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

48% ABV
$90
Website
Laphroaig 16 yr Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
We would like to thank Laphroaig and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Laphroaig® 16 Year Old is an exceptional expression that has been matured for 16 years in ex-bourbon barrels. Over time, the whisky’s smoky flavor softens on the senses and is beautifully married with sweet vanilla notes aging in Americna Oak to deliver a long lasting, smoky sweet and rich flavor. Laphroaig 16 Year Old is best served neat or with a drop of water.

TASTING NOTES
Color: Deep copper
Nose: Sweet leather, oaky spices, with floral notes, roasted chestnuts with rich maple syrup, and a touch of black pepper.
Palate: Sweet with treacle, caramel, Manuka honey and thyme, as well as wood smoke, creosote, lots of floral notes of heather and bergamot, and a chili mouthfeel.
Finish: Long lasting, smoky, sweet with a salted seaweed, medicinal character.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Thick and lovely with seaweed, iodine, leather, peat smoke, tar, and a subtle sweetness underneath.
Palate:  Sweet salted caramel to start, then sharpening with pepper spice, peat, smoke, oregano & thyme dried near the sea.
Finish:  Moderately long, smokey and drying with medicinal notes.
Comments:  This is a lovely dram! Water tamps the sharper edges and brings more sweetness forward, but make no mistake this is squarely in the Laphroaig wheelhouse. I was fortunate enough to have a bottle of Laphroaig 18 yr on hand to compare to, and it was fairly similar (maybe not quite as creamy of a mouthfeel and a tad less refined). Unfortunately that isn’t a standard offering, which is all the more reason I’m excited about this new addition to the lineup. In particular I appreciate the relatively high ABV. While softer than the 10 yr with more nuance, this still brings images of a peat fire by the sea shore. If you’re a fan of Laphroaig, I’d consider this a ‘Must Try’.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Caol Ila Unpeated 18 Yr 2017 Release

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Caol Ila 18 yr ‘Unpeated Style’
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Natural Cask Strength
Special Release 2017

59.8% ABV
$125 (SRP @ release)
Website
Caol Ila 18 Yr Old Unpeated Style

What the Distillery Says

This unusual limited release 18 year old is the oldest unpeated CAOL ILA ever bottled and was matured in refill American Oak casks. It has a style as
clean and fresh as the pale sky that follows clearing rain, with a bitter-sweet warmth and an appetising salty edge. Crisp, smooth hints of fruit and a wild strawberry sweetness dance boldly across the tongue like flecks of foam over wind-lashed waves.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Cut hay, salted caramel and vanilla, strawberry greens, gentle smoke and a hint of salted sea air; a bit of water brings out more smoke and maritime notes.
Palate:  Rich and thick mouthfeel that starts soft and gradually warms, caramel with berries, apricots, peaches, pears, bit of allspice and smoke pick-up in the middle along with honey malt.
Finish:  Long with a warm and subtle spice nod.
Comments:  Wow – this is delicious! I like Caol Ila, and when I heard ‘unpeated’ I’ll admit that my immediate thought was ‘Folks, if it ain’t broke – don’t fix it’. I was curious how this would be without the peat, and I am so glad to have had a chance to try this. Just a lovely, complex dram that highlights the craftsmanship of the makers. Some might wonder if peated malt is a lower quality (where the peat can cover up some mistakes). This shows that isn’t the case. Takes water well, although drinks like it is closer to 50% than 60%.

Rating: Must Try

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Port Charlotte 10 Yr Old Heavily Peated

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Port Charlotte 10 Yr Old Heavily Peated

50% ABV
$68 – $80
Website
Port Charlotte 10 Yr Heavily Peated

What the Distillery Says

This Port Charlotte 10 year old has been conceived, distilled, matured and bottled on Islay alone. We are a young team with deep-rooted values, and an ambition to make the ultimate “Islay” Islay whisky. A whisky made by people not software; a whisky watched over every day of its maturing life by those who made it; a whisky born of a community with a vision and a mission to kick start a single malt whisky revolution, this Port Charlotte 10 year old is who we are. This is where we’re from.

TASTING NOTES
Nose: The smoke is calmed by the marine, ozone character, time has brought a balance, a harmony in the combination of oak, smoke and spirit. While the smoke is always discernible on the nose it is dry, earthy, peatash in its style and so allows the oak to come forward with waves of golden caramel, fudge, vanilla custard, hints of ginger, nutmeg and clove. There is citrus fruit, coaxed from the glass with a drop of water, gentle lemon meringue and clementine. Breathe deeply and the floral aromas of wild thyme, heather and sea pink bring you to this Atlantic coast.
Palate: On the palate there is a noticeable delicacy and softness in texture and style. Again, the balance of flavour is superb as the smoke wraps loosely around the sweetness drawn from deep within the oak. Coconut, vanilla custard, lemon honey combines with smoked oysters and sun baked salty sand.
Finish: The finish is sublime, smoky sure, but also the soft sweetness of fudge and malted barley, orange, mango and Banoffee pie hinting of the depth and quality of the oak. The many layers interchange on each sip. As the smoke comes and goes so too the notes of the spirit, ripe apple and apricot, beautifully intertwined with malt and oak sweetness and that typical Port Charlotte style dry smoke.
Character: Ageing for 10 years on the shores of Loch Indaal has had a profound effect on this spirit. Like sunshine on a winters day, this Port Charlotte 10 brings clarity and lightens the mood, welcoming and brightening the future.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATION
WHISKY TYPE: HEAVILY PEATED ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
PHENOL LEVEL: 40 PARTS PER MILLION
BARLEY PROVENANCE: 100% SCOTTISH BARLEY FROM INVERNESSHIRE REGION
MATURATION PROFILE:
65% 1ST FILL AMERICAN WHISKEY CASKS
10% 2ND FILL AMERICAN WHISKEY CASKS
25% 2ND FILL FRENCH WINE CASKS
BOTTLING: BOTTLED ONSITE WITH ISLAY SPRING WATER, NON CHILL FILTERED & COLOURING FREE
LIQUID COLOUR: PRIMROSE TO CITRINE
TASTE DESCRIPTOR: BARBECUE SMOKINESS, RICH AND SPICY WITH SWEET MALTY NOTES

What Gary Says

Nose:  Boatloads of peat, medicinal notes of iodine, a briny sea mist with smoke and notes of ginger, honey, milk chocolate, and tropical fruits.
Palate:  Sweet start with vanilla, honey, coconut macaroons, chocolate and bits of caramel before sharpening in the mid palate with some pepper bite (and maybe oregano?); peat threaded throughout.
Finish:  Long and lovely, with honey and smokey peat with ocean breeze.
Comments:  This is squarely in the Islay peaty whisky family; which I happen to really enjoy. It takes a bit of water well, smoothing it out a bit without losing any richness. For fans of peat (Laphroaig, Lagavulin), I think you’ll want to seek this out; I’d recommend going out of your way to try it.

Rating: Must Try

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