Islay

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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Laphroaig Càirdeas Triple Wood Cask Strength

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Laphroaig Càirdeas Triple Wood Cask Strength
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

59.5% ABV
$80
Website
Laphroaig Cairdeas Triple Wood Cask Strength
We would like to thank Laphroaig and Multiply for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Each year, Laphroaig Distillery Manager, John Campbell, crafts a limited edition malt to celebrate friendship (“Càirdeas” in Gaelic). Those who were lucky enough to attend this year’s Fèis Ìle celebrations had the chance to share a dram of this unique whisky, which is one of the most anticipated Laphroaig offerings each year.
This year’s limited release is a triple maturation. First matured in ex-bourbon barrels, the liquid is next saturated with flavor in smaller quarter casks, and finished in European oak casks that previously housed Oloroso sherry, giving the expression a sweet and smooth finish. It is then barrier filtered and bottled at cask strength to create a punchy dram with Laphroaig’s signature richness of flavor and smoky taste.

TASTING NOTES
COLOUR: Burnished Gold.
NOSE: Polished leather and tobacco leaves with spicy lemon and clementine zest. Subtle notes of golden syrup and rich heather honey, with autumn leaves, hazelnuts, vanilla fudge and a touch of white pepper and nutmeg. Dried camomile flowers and a touch of passion fruits.
BODY: Full bodied.
PALATE: Sweet with rich toffee, with dates, maple syrup, praline and crème caramel. Grilled chestnuts with tarte Tatin, marzipan and strong black pepper. Cedar wood, a touch of furniture polish and beeswax.
FINISH: Sweet, long with caramel and spicy buttery fudge.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Peat, iodine, a smokey campfire, old leather, cigar tobacco, citrus spice notes with subtle floral wisps.
Palate:  Rich with caramel, peat, toffee, apricots, figs, a slightly sharp pepper bite with sea salt and allspice.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with peat, black pepper and dried fruits.
Comments:  I’m a fan of Laphroaig, and this didn’t disappoint. My favorite readily available offering is the 10 yr cask strength, so I couldn’t wait to get this in a side-by-side match up with it. This has more depth on both the nose and palate, with more fruit notes and nuance. I can’t imagine any fans of Laphroaig being disappointed. Like last year’s Cairdeas Fino Cask Finish, they’ve done a nice job of keeping it squarely in the Laphroaig wheelhouse, with just some subtle nudging here and there.

Rating: Stands Out

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Kilchoman Sanaig

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Kilchoman Sanaig

46% ABV
$70 – $75
Website
Kilchoman Sanaig

What the Distillery Says

Sanaig, named after an inlet on Islay’s rugged Atlantic cost, is a vatting of Kilchoman matured in both sherry and bourbon barrels. This sherry cask scotch whisky is matured in a high proportion of oloroso barrels (70%), imparting a balance of dried fruits, dark chocolate and rich peat smoke into the spirit.

CASK TYPE: BOURBON & SHERRY
PEAT LEVEL: 50 PARTS PER MILLION

NOSE: Fragrant heather, raisins, pear and orange peel with waves of stoned fruits, mixed spices and rich peat smoke
PALATE: Over ripe plums, red cherries and hints of citrus give way to rich barbeque peat smoke, toffee, oak and dark chocolate
FINISH: Mouth-coating mixed fruit, caramel, cinnamon and clove with layers of brown sugar, spices, peat smoke and lasting sweetness

What Gary Says

Nose:  Peaty with dark fruit notes, raisins, a bit of sherry, lemon meringue, a hint of bbq sauce, smoked meat and fresh hay.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel at the start, tart cherries, raisins, lemon custard, vanilla, honey, sharpening with some pepper spice.
Finish:  Moderately long with vanilla and peat smoke trailing.
Comments:  This was my favorite of the three Kilchoman whiskies included in the Flaviar tasting box. More fruit notes, more depth – still plenty of peat and smoke but they’re not hogging the spotlight. I would really love to try this with more age.

Rating: Stands Out

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