Etikettarkiv: island whisky review

Islands, Talisker

Talisker Port Ruighe

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ABV: 45,8 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is mixed fruits and mild peat. At first there’s a sweet fruity center with an outside layer of mild tobacco peatiness and dried tropical fruits. The background is salty and coastal and comes through with a hint of toffee. With time in the glass the fruitiness moves forward and reveals red berries and apricots. The peatiness shifts towards dry soil with a feint note of cold ashes. The whole thing is sweet and a vanilla notes comes through towards the edges. The sweetness seems connected to everything else and doesn’t produce notes on its own. This is a nice and pleasant nose which offers opportunity to explore but it feels somewhat subdued.

Mouth: It starts out with a salted caramel center with a coating of sweet dark and ripe fruits. The fresher fruits seem to have disappeared at this point. The peatiness is still earthy and keeps a thin note of tobacco and it stays around the edges. The coastal feeling is still found in the background. The different components feel somewhat separarted and resides in their own space of the palate. There’s a black pepper spicyness to it but it’s very mild and it takes a few seconds for it to show up.

Finish: The finish starts with a fresher fruitiness coming through with a mix of dried tropical fruits and a hint of lemon. The finish starts off quite narrow and it takes a few seconds for the peatiness to once again show up as a surrounding layer. The port cask influence are not very noticable in the finish except for a very nice nutty oakiness. The late finish offers a mix of walnuts, a mild black pepper spicyness and a hint of fruitiness. This is a very good whisky with a lot to offer. It lacks a bit of the rowdy and vibrant heritage and the flavour components could use some more time to merge.

Additional information
The Port Ruighe was released in 2013. It’s aged for an undisclosed time in ex-bourbon barrels and then finished in ruby port casks.

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Islands, Talisker

Talisker 25 YO (2013)

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ABV: 45.8 %
Origin: Islands
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 mild pipe tobacco peatiness which soon mixes with vanilla and apricots. With time in the glass everything merges together nicely and expands. There are notes of almonds, honey, lemon and green apples all mixed up into the whole but apricot jam with tobacco remain the main features. There are hints of newly oiled old wooden furniture for those who wait as well. This is an amazing nose which gives more and more as time passes. It’s very well balanced and nicely put together.

Mouth: It starts out with a mix of honey and a big hit of the oiled oak furniture, minerals and apricots. It immidiately gives out a lot of subjective notes of age, like dust and old leather books as well. There’s a nice little spicyness on top, but it’s very round without any sharp edges. After a second or two the leather books are joined by the tobacco notes from the peat. The lemon also returns in the back, but now as a peel note with a bitterness attached to it.

Finish: The transition is slightly more spicy, but it’s a mild increase. It could do with a bit more power overall. At this point the apricot jam has disappeared and been replaced with the lemon peel note. The old oak furniture notes start to take over and takes the tobacco and leather notes with it. The finish really accentuates the notes of age. It’s dusty old oak, oil and lemon peel all the way. In the late finish there’s an umami note arriving in the back. This is a fantastic whisky which delivers on its premisses. It really shows off both the age and the Talisker house style.

Additional information
This whisky was aged in refill casks, which type is not disclosed. The bottle tried is no. 5146/5772.

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Arran, Arran Malt, Islands

The Arran Malt 12 YO Cask Strength Batch 4

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ABV: 53.2 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and sour. At first there’s a vanilla heavy sweetness with oak and honey sitting on top of a quite powerful and thick center part with a lemon backdrop. There’s a nice harmony between everything and it’s very well balanced. After a few seconds a nail polish remover note creeps up from behind. There are notes of coconut and green fruits as well, which mainly resides out on the edges of the glass. This is a great nose which really accentuates the Arran house style.

Mouth: It starts out with a mild honey sweetness. This lasts for about a second before a big hit of everything arrives. It’s a malty mix of lemons, oranges, honey, sweet liquorice with a dusty coating. It’s quite spicy and powerful which adds to the experience. The oakiness peeks through every once in a while. A tiny amount of a black coffee and almond bitterness starts to shine through After a while as well as some milk chocolate.

Finish: The transition is warm and spicy. It’s a slow increase not a spike and it lasts for a long time. The continuation of flavours is logical and the balance between sweet and sour is superb. There are some baking spices popping up somewhere along the way which is a very nice surprise. It’s a very long and rewarding finish and it takes a while before the oakiness starts to take over. It’s a nice oakiness with a touch of assorted nuts within. This is an amazing whisky with a lot to offer to both the drinker and the explorer. It’s extremely well balanced and delivers very approachable flavours.

Additional information
This whisky was bottled in 09/14. Cask type is not stated. 15 000 bottles were released. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Islands, Talisker

Talisker 10 YO

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ABV: 45.8 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and peaty. A mild peatiness and some seasalt are the first things to come through. There are leather and black liquorice together with a fruity backdrop of apples and a squeeze of lime. Honey and vanilla act as fillers and sits in the gap between the peat and the fruits. A medicinal note comes forward after a while as well as a savory one. It’s nicely balanced and quite pleasant on the nose.

Mouth: A slightly bitter start, with a bit of spicyness to it, is followed by a very pronounced medicinal iodine note. The peat is not as present on the palate as on the nose but it’s still easily detectable. Now it leans even more towards the leather note. Both the spicyness and the bitterness continously move forward over time. There’s also a sweeter side to it with honey, vanilla and a complement in some salted caramel. There’s dry oak and it’s slightly astringent. The fruitiness is basically hidden by everything else but there’s still a lime note in the back.

Finish: There’s an initial dip in flavour before it picks up speed again. The bitterness comes first and then the medicial note follows. It soon moves over to a dusty oakiness that kind of lacks character. The savory note returns and sits in the center of the palate together with honey and baked apples. It’s still a bit spicy and astringent. The peat notes return in the tail together with the oak. A nice surprise pops up and black liquorice suddenly appears a long way down the line.

Additional information
This is a part of Diageo’s ”The classic malts of Scotland” series. It has around 20 ppm. It’s aged in reconstructed american ex-bourbon oak barrels. The reconstructed casks are made into a larger size than the original barrels.

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Islands, Ledaig, Tobermory

Ledaig 19 YO – 1998 PX Cask Finish

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ABV: 55.7 %
Origin: Islands
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 sweet minty layer and a vanilla note mixed with a warm campfire peatiness. In the background there are coastal notes with a hint of salty air and seaweed. In between there are nuts, leather and a sticky liqeuer sweetness. It’s not overly sweet though, and the nose is very rich, pleasant and extremely well balanced. With some time in the glass everything sort of joins together. It’s a very unorthodox mix of flavours which works very well together. There’s a darker, gritty note showing up in the back with dried fruits attached to it, but the main focus stays on the sweet and minty wood fire peatiness. This is a fantastic and original nose.

Mouth: It starts out with a fresher fruitiness in the back with some assorted tropical fruits. The sweet and minty peatiness sits up front together with vanilla and honey. In between there are sweet dried fruits, leather and pipe tobacco. It’s salty and rowdy and it’s quite mineral rich. It’s not as sweet as on the nose but it’s got more complexity to it. It feels savory in the back and after a few seconds it becomes peppery as well. It still feels very original and interesting and it’s very lively for its age.

Finish: The center part with dried fruits, leather and tobacco really steps forward in the transition. The minty layer and the peppery spicyness just keep their levels and there are no sharp edges. There are notes of heather and honey sitting together with the warm peatiness out on the edges. The center part is still mineral rich and there’s still a savory note in the back. The finish is long and rewarding and it takes a long time before any flavour gives way. When the oakiness start to break through, it starts out directly from the peatiness and spreads inwards. It’s a nice, nutty oakiness with a sprinkle of dust and for the first time there are notes of age shining through. This is an amazing and original whisky with so many notes floating around that it’s impossible to catch them all.

Additional information
This whisky was distilled in 1998 and bottled 2018. It was aged in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in ex-PX sherry casks. It’s a limited release. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Highland Park, Islands

Highland Park 15 YO Viking Heart

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ABV: 44 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet fruits and floral peat. At first there’s a floral peatiness with notes of heather, tobacco and rubber. There’s also a top layer of red, sweet and sticky fruitiness with fresh sugared berries and baked apples. This layer increases with time in the glass. The whole is very mild and easy to access from the start. Underneath lies a malty mix with vanilla and honey, as well as mixed herbs and cinnamon. This is a great nose which feels slightly top heavy.

Mouth: It starts out very mild. First out is the vanilla sweetness which are soon followed by the floral peat and the fruitiness. There’s a lemon note which soon becomes slightly bitter and cesty. It’s not as sweet and sticky as on the nose and it feels a bit more balanced at this point. There’s still a lot of fragrant spices and herbs within and there’s a nice mix of sensations going on.

Finish: The transition increases the intensity at first, but not too much. It’s a nice and needed power boost. The peat lingers around the edges while the fruitiness now feels more fresh and tropical. The lemon zest is still residing in the back while a spicy and herbal oakiness start to take over. This is the first time the age makes itself known. It’s a very nice and aromatic oakiness with signs of some age to it. This is a good whisky with a lot to offer for both the explorer and the drinker, yet it lacks a bit of power and presence.

Additional information
This whisky was aged in sherry seasoned european and american oak casks as well as refill casks. It has natural colour.

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Highland Park, Islands

Highland Park Cask Strength – Release No.3

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ABV: 64.1 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Sample added to queue. Tasting notes pending.

See the queue here.

Additional information
This whisky was aged in first-fill seasoned american and european oak casks as well as refill casks. This release has a higher peat content than the previous releases. It has natural colour.

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Arran, Islands

Arran Quarter Cask – The Bothy

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ABV: 56.2 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 2
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and spicy. At first there’s a sweet honey and vanilla layer with oak spices on top. The oakiness is present from the start which brings coconut to the mix as well. Underneath is a zesty lemon note and after a while it’s joined by a mix of yellow fruits like mangos and peaches. The sweetness and the spicy oak is the main event though and it lacks a bit of balance overall. There’s not much complexity to it. It does settle a bit with time in the glass. This is a very nice nose, but the oak is a bit too protruding.

Mouth: It starts out with a spicy oakiness around the edges and a nice fruit mix in the back. The sweetness with vanilla, coconut and honey sits in the center. There’s a savory note in the back and somewhere in the middle a gritty note floats around and makes the whole a lot more interesting and adds complexity to the experience. The fruits are more sour and a bit bitter at this point, with lemon zest as the main note. The spicyness increases over time and adds a nice power-up.

Finish: The fruitiness comes crashing in and delivers a very nice mix of tropical fruits. It’s still mangos, lemons and peaches and now they get to shine for a couple of seconds before the oakiness takes over once again. It’s still packed with oak spices and coconut. It’s not as sweet as before and the main focus is on the oak. It once again becomes unbalanced and the late finish is a woodshop oakiness which comes through as a bit dry. It’s not bad at all, but it obscures the fantastic flavours behind it. After a while the coconut returns as well. This is a very good whisky and you get what the label suggests; A fantastic distillate overrun by small casks.

Additional information
This whisky was aged first fill ex-bourbon barrels and then finished in american oak quarter casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Arran, Arran Malt, Islands

Arran 10 YO

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and sour. At first there’s a nice and rich honey, malt and vanilla layer up front with sour lemons and oranges underneath. There’s a nice top note of a fresh cooling mint even though the whole thing comes through as dense and slightly dusty. It’s very complex and the background is made up by several notes like charcoal, sour dough bread and a hint of iodine. This is a fantastic nose with a lot of things to discover. It feels very homogenous even though there are a lot of things floating around within.

Mouth: It starts out with a sweet honey and vanilla mix in the center with the citrus fruits residing out on the edges. It’s still malty and textured and the sweet and sour contrast works together and makes it both dense and refreshing at the same time. The complex mix of flavours are still found within. Charcoal, salt and sour dough bread especially. The oakiness starts to make itself known at this point and adds another dimension to the array of flavours.

Finish: The transition seems very logical and everything sort of melts together and after a second or two it creates a lemon and honey cake. It’s got a dessert-like quality to it. It’s still a bit dusty and there’s still a bit of charcoal left behind. The oakiness adds some tropical fruit notes on top as well as a dry, yet fresh, oaky layer in the background. When most of the flavours starts to fade out the oak, the sour lemon and the tropical fruits stay behind. This is a fantastic whisky with an almost perfect balance between contrasting flavours and sensations.

Additional information
This 10 YO is part of the Arran core range. There’s no information to be found about the cask type(s). It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Arran, Arran Malt, Islands

Arran Amarone Cask Finish

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ABV: 50 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark and sweet. At first there’s a honey and vanilla sweetness with a dark fruitiness sitting just behind. There’s a mix of sugared blackberries, black grapes and a twist of lemon. On top there’s a cloud of mild menthol. With time in the glass it becomes a bit sweeter with toffee and a hard to pinpoint floral note floating around in the back. It continuously changes but never strays from the main path. This is a great nose with a lot of things to Discover.

Mouth: It starts out with a big hit of honey sweetness and dark berries. It’s very rich and textured from the get-go. There’s also a bitter lemon note as well as a gritty layer in the back with notes of wood, sulfur and rubber. After a while there’s a tropical fruitiness emerging from the back which slowly moves towards the center. There’s a complexity to the whole thing and it feels very three-dimensional. All of the sensations are coming through to a various degree.

Finish: The finish starts out with the red wine dark fruitiness in the back and it sort of grows bigger and bigger in a forward motion. The sweetness ,the menthol and a sprinkle of dusty earth notes come through as well. It takes a few seconds before the gritty notes and the tropical fruitiness once again join in. The bitter lemon is still residing in the back. The oakiness arrives late and never takes over. It just seem to create another layer of complexity. This is a fantastic whisky with an array of complex flavours floating around.

Additional information
This is part of the Arran Wine Cask Finish series. It’s aged for around 8 years in traditional ex-bourbon barrels and then finished in Amarone red wine casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour

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Arran, Arran Malt, Islands

Arran Small Batch – Heavily Peated Sherry Casks

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ABV: 50 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 3
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark fruits and peat. At first there’s a layer of sweet dark fruits with raisins, overripe plums and coffee liqeuer. On top lies a thin fresh oakiness and underneath lies a peat note and a sweet and sour mix of fresher fruits. Soon the peat starts to merge with the dark fruits and it’s creating tobacco and leather notes within. When it’s settled it becomes sweeter and vanilla and honey are added to the mix. This is a great nose. It’s young and lively but offers a pretty good balance between the flavour components.

Mouth: It starts out with a sour note in the back and a dark fruits and coffee mix up front. It’s quite spicy from the start. It hasn’t got a sweet character. The peat is creating a somewhat weird layer around the edges together with the sour note, which now is coming through as bitter lemon peel. It’s a lot brighter compared to the nose and the Arran house style shines through clearly. There’s a lot of sensations peaking at the same time and it’s a bit hard to navigate through it.

Finish: The spicyness flare up through the transition while the sweet vanilla and dark fruits move towards the edges. Left in the middle is a mix of fresher assorted fruits and sour bitter lemon. The peat is in there as well but it’s not the main attraction. A savory note pops up in the back together with the oakiness. It’s a very fresh and uninteresting oak which lacks a bit of character. This is a very good whisky but it lacks a bit of structure and balance. It’s just a big pile of flavours stacked upon each other. It still makes it a great experience overall.

Additional information
This whisky is a Sweden exclusive release. It’s aged for at least 7 years in heavily saturated ex-Oloroso sherry casks. It’s nicknamed ”The Crazy Swede”. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Arran, Islands

Arran Sauternes Cask Finish

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ABV: 50 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 2
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and sour. At first there’s a thick layer of sweetness with honey, vanilla and sweet, green grapes sitting on top of a mix of fresh lemon and tropical fruits. There are pineapple, mango and passion fruit notes within the fruitiness. It feels rich and there’s a spicyness somewhere out towards the edges and it comes from a fairly fresh oakiness. There’s also a salty caramel floating around somewhere on top. This is a very nice nose. It’s not complex and it’s a bit too sweet, but it still feels decently balanced.

Mouth: It Starts out with sweet green grapes and gooseberries and a sweet honey and vanilla richness. Behind the sweetness there’s lemon in the back, now with a bit of zesty bitterness. The tropical fruits can still be found as well. There’s a slight dustiness, some malt and a pinch of salt in the center. It very much has a white wine aura from the finishing casks. After a while a quite complex mix of savory and sour starts to arise in the background and it has a gritty note attached to it. A mild spicyness builds up around the edges for those who wait.

Finish: The spicyness slowly intensifies and it doesn’t take long before the whole array of flavours follow. The tropical fruits gets to shine but they do have the lemon zest in the background as back-up. The front of the palate consists of the honey and vanilla sweetness, but it feels slightly more generic at this point. It’s a long finish and when the flavours start to fade the oak, lemon and spicyness stays behind and gives it a very nice send of. The oak is competent and brings a nice coconut flavour to the late finish. This is a great whisky. It’s a little bit too sweet but overall gives a nice journey throughout.

Additional information
This whisky was aged for around 6 years in ex-bourbon barrels and then finished for 8-12 months in Sauternes wine barriques. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Islands, Thorabaig

Torabhaig Allt Gleann – The Legacy Series

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and peaty. At first there’s a heavy honey and vanilla sweetness and a dry smoke peatiness. Soon there are notes of mixed fruits arriving in the center. It’s mainly apples and grapes but also a thin ripe note from red berries. It’s young and slightly spirity but it feels really well made which creates an added volume and it does not come through as harsh. There are notes of pipe tobacco and dry soil within the peatiness. The whole feels balanced and well thought out. This is a great nose with a very nice character.

Mouth: It starts out with a lemon note in the back and black pepper up front. In between lies a mix of wet peat and the same fruit mix as on the nose. It’s a slightly more pronounced fruitiness and the fresher fruits are more defined. It’s less peaty in taste than on the nose but there are still tangible peat notes, especially around the edges. There are notes of a very young distillate shining through at this point, but it still doesn’t come through as harsh.

Finish: The transition features a nice increase in intensity without being intrusive. When it settles the peatiness flares up and the ripe grape notes return. It feels quite savory at this point. It doesn’t take long before the oakiness returns and it’s a very nice oakiness with a weird but lovely side note of beer. As time passes the oakiness really get defined and it delivers a great late finish.

Additional information
This whisky was mostly aged in first fill ex-bourbon barrels, but ex-sherry and ex-Madeira casks were also used. 2500 bottles were released. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Arran, Arran Malt, Islands

The Arran Malt St. Emilion Grand Cru Classe Wine Cask Finish (2008 Vintage)

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ABV: 50 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is fruity and sweet. At first there’s a mix of red ripe grapes and ripe plums with a fresher blueberry note attached. There’s also vanilla mixed with a sweet and sour maltiness. The fruitiness sort of releases the fresher parts which after a while start to float on top. Underneath everything else there’s a black coffee bitterness and a smidge of milk chocolate. The vanilla moves out on the edges and leaves room for even more fresher fruits with a fleeting glimpse of peaches and mangoes somewhere on top. This is a nice nose. It’s not as well balanced and appealing as other Arrans tends to be though.

Mouth: It starts out with a lemon sourness in the back and a big peppery impact coming from the high ABV. It’s dusty and there’s a dark fruitiness and black coffee spreading out over the palate. There’s no sweetness and it’s a very hard to access arrange of flavours. There’s a nutty oakiness peeking through and the milk chocolate has turned into a bitter dark chocolate. After a while the sweet and sour Arran house style shines through which really makes the experience a lot better.

Finish: The transition is slightly weird, where the spicyness somewhat increases in intensity but the rest is just a mess of flavours which sort of brings out a strange funky taste. It’s quite spirity at this point as well. When all the weirdness subsides there are notes of toffee, ripe fruits and a slightly nutty oakiness with coffee and walnuts. It just feels a bit too bitter and unbalanced. This is a good whisky, but it really doesn’t measure up to the normal quality of Arran Single malts.

Additional information
This whisky was aged in ex-bourbon barrels for 8 years and then finished in grand cru wine casks for 12 months. 6636 bottles were released. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Highland Park, Islands

Highland Park 30 YO (2007 Vintage)

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ABV: 48.1 %
Origin: Islands
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 fruitiness which mostly consists of dark dried fruit notes. They are covered in a thin vanilla layer and a lot of Christmas spices. There’s a thin nail polish remover note on top as well. This whisky really shows some age on the nose and everything within seems connected and integrated. There are notes of heather, old varnished oak furniture, a hint of lemon and just a tiny hint of tropical fruits. It gets fruitier with time in the glass. This is an amazing nose which really reflects the suggested content.

Mouth: It starts out with a dark and bitter background espresso note and a gooseberry and lemon top note with the old varnished oak furniture in between. There’s a nice amount of power and the christmas spices are still in there helping everything along. There’s a complexity to it, and an especially unplacable nutty note really denotes this. The vanilla is gone and so are the tropical fruits. It’s now a sweet dark fruit marmelade which seems to wrap itself around all other flavours. The age is very much present and it’s dusty and slightly damp. It’s very much takes its place and it’s not especially mellow. Good casks are present.

Finish: A surge in dried fruits leads the transition and it feels very logial and continues on the same path as before. It’s coffee in the back and christmas spices up front with old varnished oak in between. When everything start to die down the old oak takes the spotlight. The complex nuttiness re-emerges and the late finish is an amazing old, nutty and fragrant oakiness which lasts for a very long time. The gooseberry note is still in there (it’s not as sour as the berries, just the overall character of the taste). This is a great whisky with a lot to offer. It’s not an easy sipper by all means and it really presents itself as an aquired taste overall.

Additional information
This whisky was aged in Spanish ex-sherry casks for the entire aging period. It has natural colour.

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Islands, Jura

Jura 18 YO

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ABV: 44 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark fruits and mild peat. At first, a mix of overripe dark berries and raisins create a top layer above a sweet core of vanilla and honey. There are baking spices and a slight dustiness within. A funky complex note is sitting in the middle of it all which makes this quite interesting even though it seems to lack some flavours from the long maturation. The peat is creating a nice backdrop. It feels like the red wine finish sort of creates a lid on top instead of being integrated with the rest of the content.

Mouth: It starts out with a nice and mild spicyness. The peat comes through as a mild bottom layer with a touch of sulfur, leather and tobacco. The main part is still a sweet honey and vanilla core with the ripe berries and raisins on top. The cinnamon is not detectable anymore. It does a better job in taste than on the nose to create a whole. After a second or to there’s a bitter coffee note coming up from the back. It still feels a bit younger than its age.

Finish: It picks up where it left off and the flavour profile is intact all the way through. There’s still a mix of vanilla and honey together with ripe grapes and raisins. The peat is still very mild and creates a nice surrounding layer of leather and tobacco as the oak starts to show up. It’s a very nice oakiness with a walnut nuttiness and a coffee bitterness to it and the late finish is the first time it feels like its age. This is a great whisky, yet it feels a bit manufactured to cover up less active casks used for the long maturation period.

Additional information
This whisky was released in 2018. It’s matured for 18 years in ex-bourbon barrels and then finished in ex-Premier Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux red wine casks.

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Highland Park, Islands

Highland Park Cask Strength – Release No.2

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ABV: 63.9 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 2
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. At first there’s a big hit from the high ABV spicyness. After a few seconds it mellows out and reveals a mix of dark fruits surrounding a sweet honey and vanilla core. There are raisins and overripe plums with some dark chocolate and earthy notes within. The sweet core has some toffee coming through. There’s also a heathery floral side to it. The high ABV creates a medicinal character which gives the whole another dimension. With time the sherry cask influence increases. This is a great and powerful nose which gives the explorer nice layers to peel off one by one.

Mouth: It starts out with a very spicy ABV kick which affects all parts of the mouth. The front of the palate is now full of fresh lemon while the back part houses the dark fruits, pipe tobacco and dark chocolate. In between lies the floral notes. It is almost too powerful at first impact which makes it somewhat hard to approach even for a seasoned whisky drinker. If water is added there are mixed dried fruits and cinnamon arriving and for those who persevere it becomes very balanced between the different flavour elements.

Finish: The spicyness spreads and creates a nice warm blanket on top. It immidiately becomes darker and the focus lies on the raisins, overripe plums and the dark chocolate. The sweet side is subdued throughout the finish. After a while a very nice damp and dusty oakiness starts to emerge. It evolves into a big hazelnuts and old cellar combination which fits the flavour profile extremely well. The late finish consists of dark chocolate, tobacco and the nutty oakiness and it delivers an extremely long and rewarding finish. This is a great whisky. It’s young and rowdy, but has been given a very nice suit to grow in.

Additional information
This whisky was aged in a mix of both european and american oak ex-sherry casks and a small portion of ex-bourbon barrels for an undisclosed amount of time. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Islands, Jura

Jura The Sound

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ABV: 42.5 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 2/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and spirity. At first there’s a base of vanilla and butterscotch with some darker dried fruits floating around. On top there’s a mix of ethanol and slightly nutty oak. When it starts to settle the baseline becomes more fruity with a mix of fresh berries and a bitter lemon/orange freshness. It has a slightly tart character with a sweet and sour kind of thing going on. It feels young and spirity all the way through which makes everything feel a bit off. This is a decent nose with a nice flavour combination, which is brought down by a lack of age.

Mouth: It starts out with a bitter note in the back and a toffee sweetness up front. It takes a while but a fruitiness do appear around the edges and it consists mainly of oranges. It still feels young and there’s a bad ethanol note floating around. The bitterness merges with the fruitiness to create orange peel. Everything feels a bit chemical and fake at this point and it’s not a nice experience at all. The bitterness has a coffee note somewhere within and the oakiness peaks through but it doesn’t help.

Finish: The transition produces a slight, much needed, spicyness but it comes with the off notes as well. When they disappear it opens upp and produces a very nice orange peel and hazelnut finish. It becomes pleasantly fruity and a quite nice oakiness starts to take over. It’s slightly dusty and nutty and creates a nice balance to the bitter notes and the fruitiness. Luckily, the finish is the best part of the journey. This is not the best of whiskies. It’s a good enough whisky to have when the dram isn’t the main event, but it doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.

Additional information
This whisky is a travel retail exclusive. It was first aged in ex-bourbon barrels and then finished in ex-PX casks.

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Highland Park, Islands

Highland Park 16 YO – Twisted Tattoo

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ABV: 46,7 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and aromatic. At first there’s a thick honey and liquorice sweetness. There’s a thin outside layer of red berries, fresh fruits and a very mild peat. It feels very warm and welcoming and it feels rich and textured. With time in the glass the red berries takes a bigger role but they still reside on the edges. Cinnamon, vanilla and toffee appear together with the sweet notes in the center. A thin floral top note start to come through and after a while a hint fresh oranges and peaches join in. This is a very nice and welcoming nose with a lot to explore.

Mouth: It starts out with sweet liquorice and vanilla center. Ripe red grapes, blackberries and black coffee form a thick outer layer. There’s also a thin cloud of peat floating around but it’s not dominant at all. A black pepper spicyness arrive in a hastily manner, but it settles quite quickly. The oak becomes noticable and it comes with a hint of dust. There’s a transition from sweet and fresh to a darker bitter character happening which feels quite interesting.

Finish: At first there’s a second or two with a fresh fruitiness. Orange peel, red berries and fruits sits up front before it turns back towards the darker notes and the bitterness. A slightly astringent and dusty oak with coffee and hazelnuts comes through together with cinnamon and black pepper. The finish is rich and aromatic and it feels well balanced. There’s a hint of the peat left when all else settles but it’s easy to forget since it’s so far out of focus. This is a great whisky but it’s a bit hard to access the nice complexity behind the somewhat shallow exterior. Behind the sweet and warm front lies a nice array of flavours.

Additional information
This 16 YO Highland Park was aged in a mix of first fill Spanish Rioja red wine casks and american ex-bourbon barrels. It has natural colour.

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Islands, Talisker

Talisker Distiller’s Edition 2010/2020

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ABV: 45.8 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is fruity and peaty. At first, there’s a mix of darker red berries and dried fruits. Behind there’s a layer of vanilla and honey with some salt and dry soil. Even further back there are some brighter fruits like green apples. The peatiness is creating a an outside layer of tobacco and woodfire smoke. A medicinal note comes through after some time in the glass.

Mouth: At first there’s a syrypy sweetness together with a touch of black pepper. The darker fruit notes are up front and after a second or two the peatiness starts to build up once again. The tobacco is present as well as the coastal salty notes. There’s some vanilla coming through as well as salted caramel. There’s a thin note of tropical fruitiness peeking through as well.

Finish: Black pepper together with the coastal notes lead way into the finish. There’s a quite noticable saltiness and it’s still got an earthy feel to it. The sherry is now a bit toned down and the fruitiness is much brighter than before with dried apricots and dried red berries. After some time the oak comes through. It’s a mild oakiness accompanied by the coastal notes all the way to the end. In the late finish the tobacco notes reappear as well as some walnuts. This is a great whisky with a nice fruity twist to an otherwise rowdy experience.

Additional information
This is basically the Talisker 10 YO finished for about a year in ex-Amaroso sherry casks. It has around 20 ppm. It’s aged for 10 years in reconstructed american ex-bourbon oak barrels before the finishing period.

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