Kategoriarkiv: Islay

Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore 23 YO 1989 – Port Cask Matured

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 50.8 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet fruits and mild peat. At first there’s a thick layer of sweet dark fruits with a top layer of nail polish remover. It feels a bit subdued at first and it takes time before everything starts to come through. There’s a mild peatiness with a mix of tobacco smoke, brine and a herbs out on the edges and with time in the glass there are notes of dark chocolate, lavender and some assorted nuts arriving in the center as well. There’s a lemon sourness in the back. This is a nice nose with a lot of small flavours swirling around.

Mouth: It starts out with a mix of tobacco and dark, sweet and sticky fruits. There’s a slightly detectable soapy note in the back together with a mild lemon sourness. With time there’s a hint of vanilla coming through but the sweetness is mostly connected to the fruitiness. It feels quite complex overall with a mix of bitter, sour and sweet sensations. There’s a herbal side as well as a floral, with a lavender note still in there (connected to the soapy note). The peat is sitting around the edges and it’s connected to the whole by the tobacco note. Everything feels slightly dusty.

Finish: There’s a mild and pleasant peppery note which gives a nice power-up in the transition. After it settles the soapy lavender note once again becomes detectable. The fruitiness is brighter now with a mix of dried and tropical fruits as well as the lemon in the back. It still comes through as complex and notes of dark chocolate, walnuts, vanilla, herbs and lavender creates an interesting journey. The oakiness is a bit anonomous even after everything dies down. This is a very good whisky which feels a bit younger than its age. It’s an interesting journey throughout, but the soapy note brings it down a notch.

Additional information
This whisky was distilled in 1989 and bottled in 2013. It was aged in ex-port casks. It’s an unchillfiltered limited release.

If you like my reviews and wish to offer a small donation, please click the ”donate” button below!

Small Donate Button

Bunnahabhain, Islay

Bunnahabhain 18 YO

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 46.3 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark and complex. At first there’s a sharp layer of nail polish remover sitting on top of a dark raisins and overripe plum fruitiness. In the beginning there’s a certain unpleasant vibe to the whole which is hard to pinpoint. A mixed wood note comes through with both pine and oak. After it settles down the nail polish remover disappears and leaves a menthol cloud floating around. After a long wait there are notes of mixed dried fruits and berries, leather and tobacco taking over. There’s also a sweetness hiding behind the fruits. This is a nose which at first feels very weird. The lack of sweetness really makes it sharp and one-dimensional. This changes a lot with time in the glass and when it settles it’s quite nice.

Mouth: It starts out with a pine and oak note surrounding a dark and sweet center. It’s got a nice spicyness to it. The center part brings black coffee, dried fruits and tobacco together with a nice salted caramel note. It’s dark and slightly inaccessible and the absense of sweetness is tangible but after a good 20 minutes in the glass it balances itself out and becomes quite lovely. There are some damp and dusty notes in the background which reflects the age, but the dark and bitter center part is not giving away the limelight easily. It’s quite nutty as well. For those who wait there’s a salty sensation arising from within and the texture is absolutely to die for.

Finish: The spicyness becomes a mild chili heat but never spikes through the transition. The fruitiness is not as dark as before and the start of the finish is really complex and interesting. It’s still a mix of dried fruits, salty butterscotch, black coffee, leather and tobacco. There’s a nice nutty side to it with walnuts leading in to the oakiness. It’s a mellow oak which is slightly dry. This is a great Jekyll and Hyde whisky. Which one you get depends on how long you wait before you approach the glass.

Additional information
This whisky is supposedly ”small batch distilled”. There are ex-sherry casks involved in the aging, but no cask types are disclosed. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

If you like my reviews and wish to offer a small donation, please click the ”donate” button below!

Small Donate Button

Bruichladdich, Islay

Bruichladdich 25 YO Black Art 1994 – Edition 07.1

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 48.4 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
This was tasted at a whisky festival. No tasting notes were recorded. The impression was that this is a dark and rich whisky with a mix of coastal notes, ripe red fruits and a malty sweetness. Old oak, dust and Leatherbound books. It’s a very complex and interesting experience throughout.

Additional information
This whisky is limited to 12000 bottles worldwide. The cask types used aren’t disclosed. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

If you like my reviews and wish to offer a small donation, please click the ”donate” button below!

Small Donate Button

Bruichladdich, Islay

Octomore Masterclass_08.2

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 58.4 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is peat and fruits. At first there’s a mix of leathery peat and red berries. Soon an ashy overtone arrives as well as a very complex and funky note in the center. It’s almost an aged cheese note. Underneath lies a sweet vanilla oakiness and on top there’a a medicinal iodine note. The fruitiness ripens over time and the whole turns darker with time in the glass and everything seem to switch places. Even though it’s powerful in every way it does a good job of balancing the flavours. This is a fantastic nose with a lot to offer to the explorer.

Mouth: It starts out with a quick burst of red fresh berries and a touch of honey before the peatiness kicks in. On top it’s an ashy peat and in the center there’s the funky cheese note mixed with leather and raisins. In the back it feels savory and slightly bitter. It’s not as sweet as on the nose and the oakiness is not as prominent. The spicyness is there but it’s a nice and complementary chili kick which never interrupts the other flavours. The whole is rich, extremely flavourful and still manages to be balanced.

Finish: The chili spicyness keeps on increasing in intensity and it happens slowly. A cloud of ashy peat floats by before the complex center once again takes over. It seems like there’s a thousand small little flavour nuggets passing by (fresh apples, dust, coastal notes etc) before it settles with oak, leather and an ever increasing chilibase. It’s still got complexity a long way down the late finish with most of the senses working overtime. As a nice bonus, the oak delivers a nice and nutty end to an eventful journey. This is an amazing whisky which transcends the written word.

Additional information
This is a limited release of 36 000 bottles. It has a healthy 167 ppm and is aged for 8 years. The first 6 years 3 different cask type were used: French Mourvedre, french Sauternes and Austrian sweet wines. The last 2 years it rested in Italian Amarone casks.

Ardbeg, Islay

Ardbeg Almost There

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 54.1 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and peaty. At first there’s a mix of heavy, ashy peat together with vanilla and oak. The emphasis is on the peat. It settles down a bit after a few minutes in the glass. There’s a peppermint freshness on top and an unscented lotion note somewhere in the middle. There’s also a complexity within which comes through as a mix of pears, honey and coastal notes, which give it a salty touch. The peat also delivers a medicinal side with a hint of iodine. The oakiness moves out towards the sides along the way. This is a great, typical ardbeggian nose with a nice peat punch as the main attraction.

Mouth: It starts out with a mild spicy kick and a medicinal note before the ashy peat and oak notes return. The sweetness arrives shortly after with vanilla, honey and now also a liquorice note. The fruitiness is still in there but it’s a background note which doesn’t add too much to the experience. There’s a savory side to it as well. The coastal notes are in there but are not as pronounced as on the nose. It feels slightly less balanced in taste than on the nose.

Finish: The spicyness increases and there’s a chili kick to it. The savory note and a sprinkle of dust stays in the center and the fruity pear note appears once again. The sweet notes flare up but subsides rather quickly and leaves the peatiness in its full glory with ashy, medicinal qualities as well as a salty coastal side. The oakiness is attached to the peaty notes and it takes a good while for it to shine. It’s a nice coconut and vanilla oak which gives it a nice and pleasant late finish. This is a fantastic whisky which sits firmly within the Ardbeg house style. It’s aggressive yet sweet, warm and welcoming.

Additional information
This whisky was distilled in 1998 and bottled in 2007. It’s the third release in a series that lead up to the Renaissance 10 YO. It’s aged in ex-bourbon barrels. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

If you like my reviews and wish to offer a small donation, please click the ”donate” button below!

Small Donate Button

Caol Ila, Islay

Caol Ila 12 YO

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 43 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 2
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is lemon, honey and peat. The nose comes through as a layered experience. The first layer delivers the peat, which is a honey sweet smokiness from burning wood and hay. Not far behind is a layer of fruits, especially lemon and sour green apples. In the third layer, which is a bit further back, there’s dry soil, vanilla and a salty caramel. The vanilla moves up a layer with time in the glass.

Mouth: It starts out very sweet with honey and vanilla. The fruitiness comes forward on the sides, while the peat starts to fight with the sweetness in the middle. The citrus fruits, together with a malty note, bring through sort of an IPA note. They also create a white wine aura surrounding everything. There are still notes of earthy dry soil and a small hint of oak.

Finish: There’s no real impact at first. A mild chili pepper spicyness gently spreads and a mix of peat and lemon fills the mouth. It still has the IPA note in the middle. The vanilla and honey are both toned down. The oak comes through in a good place and it overpowers the peat and the lemon to become the focal point. The oak turns the fruitiness towards assorted tropical fruits. It has a nutty quality to it. It’s a very juicy finish and there’s no astringency. This is not as dramatic as the peat level would have you believe.

Additional information
This is the base level of Caol Ila’s core range. It’s aged in american ex-bourbon barrels for the full maturation. The ppm level is around 35.

Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore Dawn – Port Casked

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 51.5 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and peaty. At first there’s a mix of leathery peat and tobacco. There’s also a thick undefined sweetness. When it starts to settle there’s first a dark fruitiness and then a fresher tropical fruitiness as well. It feels a bit sticky sweet on top but it’s not top heavy. After a while it seems like everything finds it place and it becomes nicely balanced. The sweetness is now vanilla rich and connected to the fruitiness. Dried tropical fruits like pineapple and mango together with blackberries and raisins are now detectable. This is a great nose which improves greatly with time in the glass.

Mouth: It starts out with the peatiness first. It’s still a leather and tobacco peat and it is a very pleasant combination. There’s a mild spicyness hovering above which gives it a nice aura. After a second or two the fruitiness starts to shine through. It’s a dusty mix of lemons and dried dark fruits. There’s also vanilla and a hint of scented soap somewhere in between. The balance found on the nose isn’t really there anymore and the character has slightly shifted. There is a complex note within which seems to be connected to the peat.

Finish: It starts out with the soapy note which isn’t all that great. A bitter and sour lemon peel note builds up in the background while the peat moves out towards the edges. It still carries the mild spicyness along but it doesn’t spike through the transition. Some baking spices floats around and a hint of the tropical fruitiness can be found just when the oakiness starts to break through. The oakiness is very nice and has a lot of character. It’s coming through in a big manner but it unfortunatly carries the soapy note along through the late finish. This is a decent whisky with a great nose.

Additional information
This is an older release from Bowmore. It’s aged in ex-bourbon barrels for an undisclosed amount of time and then finished in Ruby Port casks.

Islay, Klichoman

Kilchoman Machir Bay

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 46 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and peaty. At first there’s a big dollop of an ash and dry soil peatiness. When it settles a sweet honey and vanilla layer starts to fight for attention and pushes the peatiness out towards the edges. Underneath the big flavours a fresh and sour fruitiness peeks through. It’s lemon and a hint of sour apples. It feels young and lively but it doesn’t present any metallic or ethanol harshness. This is a simple yet effective nose with a high emphasis on the peat.

Mouth: It starts out with a sweet outside layer together with a quite medicinal and dry iodine note with a sprinkle of salt somewhere within. After a few seconds vanilla arrives in the center and with time it evolves more towards a butterscotch note. It’s a lot less sweet compared to the nose. The ashy side of the peat is residing in the back together with a savory note. The sour fruitiness is still found in the back but it comes through together with a small metallic note and a zesty bitterness. For those who wait a nice chili spicyness builds up over time.

Finish: The finish is a straight line continuation from the mouth. There’s still the dry medicinal notes on the edges, a savory peat in the back together with a zesty bitter lemon. The chili spicyness is nice and spreads out over the palate but never gets spiky or unpleasant. The butterscotch notes are first to disappear and soon it’s only the medicinal peat and a quite anonymous and boring oakiness left. This is a good whisky in many ways but it feels a bit unfinished and young which is good for the peatiness but bad for the rest of the dram.

Additional information
The Machir Bay is the Kilchoman core range signature malt. It’s a vatting between ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry . It leans heavily towards the ex-bourbon. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

Islay, Lagavulin

Lagavulin 12 YO Special Release 2020

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 56.4 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and peaty. A big hit of ashy and vegetal peat, with the ashy notes on the outside and the vegetal notes in the center, is the first thing to come through. There’s a vanilla and oak sweetness in the center which contrasts the rowdy exterior. There is a coastal side to it as well with notes of the ocean and just a hint of seaweed. It feels young but settles nicely in the glass. There isn’t much of a journey to talk about in this one, it stays nearly the same throughout. The maltiness do move forward a bit and a tiny hint of lemon breaks through now and again. This is a solid nose but it could offer a broader variety in sensations.

Mouth: It starts out with a a sour lemon note in the the back and a black pepper spicyness up front. In between, the peat and the vanilla are joined by a beer-like maltiness. It almost feels like an IPA with an ashy peat layer surrounding it. All the flavours seem to move forward and increase in intensity as a whole. It’s not as vegetal and coastal in taste as on the nose. The lemon note in the back sort of shift towards other cirtus fruits like grapes and oranges, but never as much as needed to keep the notes in focus.

Finish: The spicyness sort of rolls through the palate as the citrus notes fills the background. It takes a few seconds before the beery maltiness returns in the middle. The vanilla is still in there but it’s less detectable in the finish. The peat is now a top note and it’s once again more of a vegetal peatiness. The oak arrives at this point, mostly because the other flavours start to subside. It’s a so-and-so oakiness which neither impresses or deminishes the overall journey. This is a very good whisky. It’s a lot more interesting in taste than on the nose though.

Additional information
This whisky was distilled in 2007 and aged in refill ex-bourbon barrels for the whole maturation period.

Finlaggan, Islay

Finlaggan Batch Strength

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 50 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and very peaty. At first there’s a big hit of wet and fresh peat. It soon gets an ashy layer surrounding it as well. There’s a sweet core with malt, toasted vanilla and honey but it gets downplayed by the peatiness. It feels young and spirity and quite lively. A thin note of assorted apples can be found far in the background but it takes quite the hunt to find it. This is a young, straight forward nose with a nice mix of peat and sweetness.

Mouth: It starts out with toasted oak, vanilla and honey in the center and an ashy and wet, earthy peat in an outside layer. A spicyness is slowly crawling up in the back of the palate. The toasted oak gets more pronounced with time as well as the honey sweetness. There’s a chalky texture to it after a while. The fruitiness is nowhere to be seen at this point except a sour note coming through from the back.

Finish: A mild peppermint cloud spreads out over the palate before the center part with toasted oak, vanilla, honey and the same earty and ashy peatiness returns early in the finish. When it starts to fade, toasted cocnut flakes comes through as well as the sour note from the back. It’s soon all about the virgin oak casks though. It’s fresh and toasted oakiness and a hint of peat. It almost gets unpleasant after a while. It becomes slightly astringent as well. This is a great whisky but it feels a bit unbalanced and chewy.

Additional information
The Finlaggan is made from whisky coming out of two southern islay distilleries. It has a PPM value of 40 and it’s aged in first fill ex-bourbon barrels for ~5-6 years. It’s unchillfiltered.

Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore The Devil’s Casks Limited Release III – Double the Devil

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 56.7 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark and fruity. At first there’s a mild menthol layer sitting on top of a very homogenous fruity, sweet and peaty base and center. It feels very mild and approachable and there’s a nice array of flavours and complexity. The fruitiness is a mix of dried tropical fruits and darker black and red berries. The sweetness is mainly attached to the fruitiness but there are both honey and vanilla notes to be found. The peat is very much a leather and tobacco peatiness which feels a bit subdued behind the fruitiness but creates a nice frame. The whole feels quite young behind the heavy cask influence. This is a great nose which is nicely balanced between the casks and the house style.

Mouth: It starts out with a peat kick with tobacco, leather and a slightly herbal note. It mainly shows up on top but also on the outside edges. It feels a bit hot and the spicyness is producing an immidiate impact on the palate. The sweetness sits on the outside and the fruitiness and a black coffee note resides in the center. The fruitiness is still tropical and darker fruits and berries all mixed up in one big fruit bowl. Everything do seem to be a bit shallow at this point and it feels like it’s lacking some depth.

Finish: The spicyness continues at the same pace but the darker fruit note with raisins, overripe plums and a splash of coffee takes over and hides the tropical fruits at the start of the finish. It takes a while before the tropical fruitiness once again shows up as well as the sweet vanilla notes. There’s still not a big depth to this whisky. It takes a long time for the oak to be a part of this whisky and when it does, it’s nice enough but way too anonymous. This is a great whisky but it feels a bit rushed. It still produces very nice flavour combinations all in all.

Additional information
This is the last release in the Devil’s Casks series. It’s aged in first fill ex-Oloroso and first fill ex-PX sherry casks for an undisclosed amount of time. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore 15 YO Laimrig Batch 2

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 54.4 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark and fruity. At first there’s a mix of heavy dark fruits and vanilla. There are raisins and overripe plums mixed with tobacco and spices. It feels very powerful and rich. After a few seconds notes of oak and baking spices break through as well as a tropical fruitiness. It’s quite sweet overall with honey notes nestled within. It slowly changes and gives new subtle notes over time without compromising the initial character. Notes of leather and lemon pops up as well. This is a great nose. It leans heavily towards the oloroso sherry casks without it being top heavy.

Mouth: It starts out with honey and a swift nod to the tropical fruitiness the leather and the tobacco notes before the dark fruitiness takes over. It’s spicy and a bit dusty which fits the heavy character perfectly. There’s a slight bitterness, maybe a black coffee note, in the back as well as vanilla and a drizzle of honey. The oak shines through every once in a while which creates depth together with the tropical fruits which now resides in the back. It’s a very balanced, yet very powerful experience.

Finish: The finish starts with a dusty and complex center with the dark fruitiness now moving out towards the edges of the palate. This leaves room for the leather, tobacco and the tropical fruitiness to shine through. It still has a very rich and powerful character. It stays like this for quite some time before the oakiness finally breaks through. It’s a nice oakiness but it really never gets to shine. The dark fruits never leave its side. This is an amazing whisky. It’s powerful yet balanced and has a nice journey through and through.

Additional information
This whisky is first aged in undisclosed casks and then finished in ex-sherry casks. This was bottled in 2011 and is limited to 15000 bottles. The bottle reviewed is 05033/15000. It’s unchillfiltered.

If you like my reviews and wish to offer a small donation, please click the ”donate” button below!

Small Donate Button

Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore 12 YO – Enigma

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 40 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 2
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is ripe fruits and leathery peat. At first there’s a big bucket of raisins, overripe plums and liqueur-soaked berries with a tropical fruitiness peeking through from behind. A toned down peatiness creates a surrounding layer of leather and tobacco. The whole thing is very sweet and it’s like the fruits are coated with a tiny layer of vanilla and icing sugar. This is a very pleasant nose.

Mouth: It starts out very mild with a lot of the ripe fruits coming through, but it seems a little fresher than on the nose. Black liquorice start to emerge, and after a few seconds it takes over together with the darker overripe fruits and the raisins. The peatiness is there and it’s still leather and tobacco, but now with a hint of burning wood. It suffers a bit from the low ABV and that hurts the impact.

Finish: At first, vanilla, tropical fruits and red berries arise and expand from the center and out. The peat is still surrounding the edges and it stays there and never becomes the main attraction. The ripe fruitiness then once again takes over, but now with a base of honey. It takes a long time for the oak to show up and there’s a shift in the fruitiness towards the tropical fruits just before it arrives. It’s an anonomous oakiness without character. This could have been a fantastic whisky, but it lacks some power to deliver its best side.

Additional information
This expression was a part of Bowmore’s former travel retail range that was discontinued around 2014. It’s aged in both american ex-bourbon barrels and european ex-sherry casks with a heavy emphasis on the latter.

Ardbeg, Islay

Ardbeg Galileo

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 49 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sticky sweet fruits and peat. At first there’s a sweet and ashy peatiness which has a layer of floral and fruity clouds surrounding it. There are notes of vanilla, liquorice and quite sticky, sweet and ripe berries. There’s also a different side to it with pipe tobacco and walnuts peeking through. When it settles the peat is pushed back by the heavy cask influence and it feels a bit subdued. There are some coastal notes deep within but the main focus lies on the fruitiness. This is a fantastic nose by all means but it strays a bit from its rowdy legacy.

Mouth: It starts out with a slight bitterness in the back and the main sweetness, liquorice and vanilla out on the sides and in the back of the palate. The middle is reserved for a mineral rich medicinal note. It’s not nearly as sweet as on the nose and the fruitiness is noticable but subdued at this point. It is quite spicy which helps it along. After a few seconds a tobacco note arrives in the back together with the bitterness and a feint but slowly increasing mix of lemon and dried dark berries.

Finish: The finish begins with a spike of spicyness and minerality. The mix of lemons, liquorice and ripe berries is now creating a backdrop to the medicinal peat which arrives as soon as the spike dies down. It gets less sweet the further down the line it goes and the main focus is on the medicinal and mineral rich peat, which feels a bit uncharacteristic. The oak arrives late, but when it shows up it’s an excellent addition with a nice coffee and walnut bitterness. It’s a grey weathered oak which fits nicely with the rest of the journey. This is a great whisky which strays a bit from its heritage (it tastes more like a Laphroaig than an Ardbeg).

Additional information
This whisky was made to celebrate the space experiment between NASA and Ardbeg. It was distilled in 1999 and bottled in 2012. It’s aged in ex-bourbon barrels and sicilian ex-Marsala casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

If you like my reviews and wish to offer a small donation, please click the ”donate” button below!

Small Donate Button

Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore Small Batch

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 40 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is honey, peat and tropical fruits. At first there’s a big bucket of tropical fruits covered in vanilla and honey. It’s surrounded by a layer of tobacco and worn leather. In the background there’s a lemon sourness and a hint of salty ocean air. With time, a savory peat note comes up somewhere in between the layers. This is a very pleasant nose.

Mouth: It starts out sweet and salty. The honey note is up front and the tropical fruits have moved to the back of the palate. It takes a second for the peat to show up and now it’s leaning heavily towards the tobacco side. There’s also a medicinal side to it and it comes through together with the saltiness.

Finish: A big burst of menthol and tropical fruitiness fills the mouth. It’s now a clear mango note. The tobacco peatiness and the medicinal notes comes shortly after. It takes a while before the oak appears and when it does, it’s a quite nice oakiness. It’s wet planks and walnuts and it stays a long time before fading. It’s salty all the way through. This is a good, albeit young, version of Bowmore matured in very good casks. It’s not their best, but it offers a lot of flavour even though it’s low strength.

Additional information
This expression was released in 2014. It’s aged in first and second fill american ex-bourbon oak barrels. It was discontinued in 2017 and replaced by Bowmore No.1.

Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore Legend

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 40 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is lemon fresh and fruity. A layer of peat, mostly leather and smoke from a hot campfire, is sitting in between the fruitiness and the sweetness. The fruitiness is mostly lemon and star fruits and the sweetness is a classic mix of honey and vanilla. There is a thin layer of mint sitting on top. This is mild and easy on the nose.

Mouth: Bitterness hits the mouth directly and then it turns to the peaty notes and they are leaning more towards leather now. It’s salty and the fruitiness is still the same as on the nose but with some pinapple and grapefruits added. There’s a small hint of a dry oakiness in the back. The vanilla and honey is nowhere to be found. It’s still very mild.

Finish: A spike of fruitiness passes by and then the mint and peat takes over. The lemon note stays for a long time and surrounds all the other flavours. The oak starts to push through and brings a big bag of tropical fruits with it. The oak itself is dry and a bit muted. The last part of the finish is all about the fruitiness. This is not especially complex and it’s a bit too mild. It’s still a decent dram though.

Additional information
There’s not much information to be found on this bottling. It’s aged in american ex-bourbon oak casks.

Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore Gold Reef

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 43 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is tropical fruits in a leather pouch. It starts out very fruity with pineapples, mangos and a hint of ripe bananas. The leathery peat notes are subtle and sits with some honey and vanilla in the back. There is a savory, quite complex center behind everything else, which gives it a nice depth. This is very pleasant on the nose.

Mouth: A spicy note sort of slingshots in before the whole thing turns very fruity and quite dusty. It really shows some age with some dusty leather-bound books. The tropical fruits are still the main focal point and they are joined by some ripe red apples and lemon zest. It’s salty and got a small note of seashore residing in the back. It’s very mild and easy on the palate, yet still quite rich and with an oily texture. The oak do show up, but it takes quite the patience to find it and when it finally shows up it comes with a bitter note and a piece of milk chocolate.

Finish: A big burst of tropical fruits sets the pace. There’s smoke coming from a warm burning campfirein the back. It also still got a hint of leather. The oak comes slowly and settles down around the tropical fruits. It’s a very nice oakiness with a small bitter note to it. It’s a dusty, slightly astringent oak with notes of chalk, hazelnuts and old grey wooden planks. The salty note is still in there and the fruitiness stays for a long finish.

Additional information
This was released in 2014 as a travel retail exclusive. It’s primarily aged in first fill american ex-bourbon oak barrels. It was discontinued in 2017.

Independent bottlers, Islay, Port Ellen, Signatory Vintage

Port Ellen 1979 (Signatory Vintage)

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 43 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. At first there’s a rather pointy and fresh fruitiness up front with a mild vanilla surrounding it. It’s fresh orchard fruits as well as assorted dried berries. In the background there’s a slight paint thinner note which becomes more medicinal as time passes in the glass. There’a also a light peatiness and a touch of salt and sulfur sitting beneath the fruitiness. This is a great and accessible nose with a complexity to keep the explorers occupied for a good while.

Mouth: It starts out with vanilla and a hint of coconut in the center and a very complex mix of medicinal peat, minerals and rubber on the outside. After a few seconds there’s almost a mix of white wine and pilsner coming through which at first comes off as a bit weird but when it merges with the vanilla becomes rather interesting. It’s less fruity and more peaty than on the nose but the fruitiness in there now comes through as orange peel. The whole thing has a sprinkle of dust on top.

Finish: A mild peppermint cloud spreads across the palate as the other flavours try to settle on which one should go first. The white wine and beer notes moves up a bit as well as the vanilla and orange peel. The fruitiness is now residing on the edges of the palate. The peat notes have once again taken a big step back and never really affects the palate in much in the finish. This makes the oakiness come through clearer. It’s a nice oakiness but it kind of brings up the paint thinner note once again. There are some assorted nuts and a hint of orange peel left in the late finish. This is a great whisky with a pretty quirky character. This makes it more fun to explore but less of a balanced High quality dram.

Additional information
This is aged for 22 years in a refill ex-sherry cask (Butt no. 5536). This is bottle no. 612/738. It has natural colour.

Ardbeg, Islay

Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur’s Choice – Ardbeg 1995

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 40 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is fruity and ashy. At first there’s a mineral rich and ashy peatiness covering the edges of the glass. On the inside there’s a fresh fruitiness, vanilla and liquorice. It’s quite mild and easy on the nose. In the background there are coastal notes. With time the ashy notes subsides as the peat slowly evolves into a distant woodfire note. A darker red fruitiness can then be found in the outer edge. This is a rather uncomplicated yet pleasant nose.

Mouth: It starts out with a sweet and slightly bitter outside layer and a fruity and mineral rich center. It’s very mild and gentle even though there’s a peatiness peeking through from behind. It’s salty and the sherry casks are producing a hint of dark fruits and sulfur. The bitter notes increase in intensity over time as well as the sweetness. There’s an old and grey oakiness with a hint of dust on top shining through as well.

Finish: The finish starts out with a mild peppermint on top and the dark sweet fruits surrounding the edges. The bitterness have moved back into the background and sits together with the old oakiness. The center is filled with minerals and seasalt. It gets less sweet as the finish moves along. The sweetness stays a long time and accompanies the oak through the late finish. When all else disappears the ashy note is once again revealed. This is a great whisky, but it lacks some of the telltales of its heritage.

Additional information
This whisky was distilled in 1995 and bottled in 2005 making it 10 YO. It’s aged in refill ex-sherry casks.

If you like my reviews and wish to offer a small donation, please click the ”donate” button below!

Small Donate Button

Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore Black Rock

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 40 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 2
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark and fruity. At first there are tropical fruits mixed with raisins and dark chocolate. Honey, vanilla and black liquorice sits in the back and create a nice rich backdrop. A brigther note of red berries with some raspberries sort of comes and goes on top of the dark fruitiness. The peat manifests as a leather note and sits in between the layers of sweetness. The focus lies on the heavy sherry overlay.

Mouth: At first honey, red berries and a slight bitterness turn up. It then slowly changes into black liquorice, vanilla and raisins. There’s a lemon note surrounding the other flavours. The oakiness comes through together with leather and tropical fruits. It’s a nice oakiness with a slight bitterness that sits well with the other flavours.

Finish: A thin note of menthol passes by before moving directly into a big bowl of assorted tropical fruits. The oakiness comes through as well as the darker sherry notes and the leather, but the main focus is all about the pineapples and mangos and a slight hint of grapefruits. There’s a chalk note sitting on top of the oak in the finish and the oak is somewhat dry and bitter with some coffee and hazelnuts. There’s no astringency until after a few sips. This is very good for an entry level NAS travel retail release.

Additional information
Black Rock is the entry level of the travel retail exclusive range released in 2014. It’s primarily aged in ex-sherry casks. It was discontinued in 2017.