Etikettarkiv: Islay whisky review

Bruichladdich, Islay

Bruichladdich Islay Waves – The Rhinns Edition

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

Tasting notes
Nose: This is honey sweet with warm peat notes. The peat brings gentle notes of leather and a warm burning woodfire. The sweet layer consists of vanilla, honey and a small hint of caramel. In the back there’s a very clean distillate note with just a small hint of lemon and heather.

Mouth: At first a small hint of the leather pass by before a very nice spicyness takes control. There are honey and tobacco notes together with some dry soil, dust and a touch of seasalt. The lemon note is still found in the back and some sweet liquorice move forward with time in the glass. The texture is quite thick and oily.

Finish: The leather and a quite savory, meaty note take lead. There are some overly ripe fruits coming through somewhere in the back. It’s now more salty with an ashy note and it stays that way for a while before moving over to the fashionably late oakiness. The oak is fresh and slightly dry. It stays for a long time and the earthy part of the peatiness return late in the finish. This is a well made, very sippable dram.

Additional information
This version of Bruichladdich was released in 2012 and is aged in american ex-bourbon barrels and ex-wine casks. The PPM level is 15. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Ardbeg, Islay

Ardbeg Uigeadail

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ABV: 54.1 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet och peaty. Sweet savory smokiness from a recently put out campfire mixed with green fruits, vanilla, honey, plums, raisins and a quite tangy overtone. There’s a note that reminds me of being on an early morning sea shore walk.

Mouth: Sweet and quite spicy, turns to brine, ashy smoke flavours, vanilla and ripe red fruits. The sherry casks are dominant and gives plums, raisins and a hint of liquorice.

Finish: The smokiness takes a turn to the ashy side after swallowing. It’s a mouth watering finish with a sweet yet slightly bitter oakiness as the main flavour. Walnuts and dark chocolate can be detected after a few seconds. The finish is long and very satisfying. Very well balanced.

Additional information
Uigeadail is the lake from where Ardbeg takes the water to produce whisky. This expression is a vat between whisky aged in ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry butts. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Caol Ila, Islay

Caol Ila Distiller’s Edition 2006/2017

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

Tasting notes
Nose: This is peat and fruits. At first there’s a varm and sweet herbal and earthy peatiness with hay as a main direction. Inside there’s a mix of honey, green grapes, green apples and yellow pears. There’s a perfumey note on top and a funky complex note within. The moscatel finish really comes through the heavy peat. This is a great nose with a lot to explore. It feels balanced overall.

Mouth: It starts out very mild with a fruity mix and a sour tang in the back There’s a dusty oak note, it’s malty and there is a sweet chili-like rounded off spicyness. The peat covers the palate but lets the other flavours shine in the middle. There are ashes, warm campfire smoke and hay within. There are also ripe grape notes contrasting the otherwise bright fruitiness.

Finish: The transition is spicy but there’s not enough power in it to excel. It’s dry soil with white wine, a smokiness (like burning yellow grass) and a dusty note. The funky ripe note makes a reappearance but leaves just as fast. The oak brings tropical fruitiness but really never takes over. There’s a slight oak note with a peaty cover left in the mouth when the rest of the flavours fade. This is a great whisky. It could have been really amazing if it had a bit more power.

Additional information
All whiskies in Diageo’s ”The classic malts of Scotland” series are accompanied by a special Distiller’s Edition. This version of Caol Ila is finished in ex-Moscatel wine casks.

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Islay, Laphroaig

Laphroaig Four Oak

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

Tasting notes
Nose: This is peaty and medicinal. At first, this is a burning log fire. Behind the heavy layer of peat there are notes of a salty seashore breeze and a medicinal iodine. Strong notes of vanilla together with a sweetness moves forward. It gets ashy with time in the glass. Assorted ripe red berries are found in the background somewhat integrated into the wall of flavours. This is a decent nose which suffers slightly due to low ABV.

Mouth: A lemon note rushes by and sweetness spreads out. It doesn’t take long before it turns very peaty and medicinal though. The fruitiness is still found, but it’s covered by vanilla and honey. A more earthy and grassy peatiness also comes through. The oak starts to move forward with a tiny bitterness. The note of honey is still very noticable and there is a savory note somewhere in the middle. A spicyness slowly builds up over time.

Finish: A mild burst of spicyness quickly pass by and then the medicinal peat and the oakiness takes over again. The oakiness is dry but not astringent and it brings more of the vanilla and a hint of walnuts. There’s no fruitiness nor honey found in the late finish but the savory note comes through once again. The peaty notes stay for a long time after everything else has subsided. This is a decent whisky which could be a lot better with a more powerful impact.

Additional information
This travel retail exclusive expression was released in 2017. The maturation is done in four different cask types; Ex-bourbon barrels, quarter casks, virgin oak casks and european hogsheads. It has about 40 ppm.

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Islay, Laphroaig

Laphroaig Cairdeas Master Edition Feis Ile 2010

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ABV: 57.3 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is medicinal and peaty. At first there’s a mix of iodine, dry soil, campfire smoke and honey. When it settles there’s a slight fresh fruitiness starting to emerge. Vanilla and honey continuosly move forward and the whole becomes very balanced between sensations after a while but it’s still rowdy. There’s a lot of small things floating around like lemon, butterscotch and coastal notes as well. This is a great nose with a lot to discover.

Mouth: It starts out with an immidiate dry astringency and a nice spicy touch with a sweet outer shell. There’s a big hit of iodine and coastal notes together with a burnt oakiness with a hint of old wooden furniture. It’s sweet and there’s still a vanilla and honey layer surrounding everything. It’s not fruity at this point and the spicyness is hiding a lot of the intricacy found on the nose. It’s got a rich mouthfeel nontheless. After some time the complexity grows and the notes of old oak becomes more clear.

Finish: The transition is surprisingly soft and it never spikes. The spicyness is still high but it adds to the experience without overpowering everything else. The lemon note is now quite strong in the back. The middle part is accentuating the old wooden furniture with some dust. The sweetness is still surrounding the edges and the medicinal notes float around somewhere in between. The late finish is old oak and peat. There’s a thin, bitter coffee note added in the late finish. It lasts a long time before it fades. This is a fantastic whisky which accents the Laphroaig character really well.

Additional information
This whisky was aged for 11-19 years in ex-bourbon hogsheads. 5000 bottles were released.

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Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore Darkest

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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 balanced mix of dark and dried fruits, tobacco and vanilla. There are baking spices and brown sugar as well as dark chocolate. When it settles the whole becomes slightly sweeter and the fruitiness becomes raisins and overripe plums. There’s an elusive soapy floral note coming through from the back and a thin layer of menthol on top. There’s peat coming through, but it feels so integrated within the whole to be a main event at this point. This is a great nose with a balanced profile, minus the soapy note.

Mouth: It starts out with a tobacco and campfire smoke peatiness with fresh red fruits mixed in. There’s a slight cocoa bitterness coating the mouth while the other flavours try to find their place. It’s less sweet than on the nose and it really makes good on its name on impact. The dark fruits are dominating the center with a mix of raisins and overripe black plums. There’s a tropical fruitiness forming in the back together with the soapy floral note, which persists from the nose.

Finish: The transition is just a continuation of the flavours from the mouth. The low ABV is definitively a factor here, but it still feels rich and flavourful. The cocoa bitterness is still coating the mouth and the center part continuosly becomes brighter and fruitier. It’s a big bag of dried tropical fruits and blackberries. The peat and tobacco notes moves out towards the edges and the oak finally gets a chance to peek through. It’s a nice laid back oakiness with a hint of hazelnuts and tropical fruits. The weird soapy note never goes away. This is a really good whisky with a balanced and well thought out flavour profile. It would have been exceptional without the weird soapy off note though.

Additional information
This whisky is the original NAS version of the Darkest release. It’s aged for 12+ years in a mix of spanish and american oak and then finished for ~2 years in ex-Oloroso sherry casks.

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Islay, Lagavulin

Lagavulin 18 YO Feis Ile 2018

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ABV: 53.9 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and ashy. At first there’s a mix of a very round honey and vanilla sweetness and an ashy peatiness which also has a savory side to it. There’s a fresh oakiness in the back as well as some assorted fruit notes which are too thin to separate at this point. The whole has a nice mix of old and new and feels quite approachable. When it settles there’s a menthol layer on top and a campfire smokiness overall. A thin layer of lemon and raspberries is detectable with time in the glass. It feels slightly brittle and it could use a bit more body for it to really shine. This is a great nose overall though.

Mouth: It starts out with a bitter espresso note in the back and a big spicy sweetness up front. In between lies notes of age and sherry with old oak, leather and some raisins. Everything comes with a dusty coating. It tastes quite different from the nose and it really doubles down on all flavours except the sweetness. It’s not as sweet as on the nose at first but grows sweeter with time. The ashy side of the peat has almost disappeared and the peat is hiding behind the other notes. The lemon/raspberry notes remain as a thin layer and it’s now closer to the front with some coconut flavour added.

Finish: The transition starts with a spicy kick and it feels warm and powerful. When it settles down there’s a mix of old oak and lemon. It’s dusty overall and feels a bit astringent. The leather and espresso notes reveal themselves once again. The peat is quite hard to pinpoint at this point. The old oak takes over and is joined by a fresher oakiness which isn’t as nice, but adds to the whole. It’s a very oaky late finish with a hint of walnuts peeking through. This is a great whisky which feels like it could be amazing, but it’s slightly off-balanced throughout.

Additional information
This whisky was aged in a mix of refill ex-bourbon, rejuvenated american oak hogsheads and ex bodega european butts. 6000 bottles where released.

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Ardbeg, Islay

Ardbeg Single Cask 7170 (2006) – Exclusive for Sweden

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ABV: 58.6 %
Origin: Islay
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 mineral heavy peatiness with notes of a burning campfire. Underneath lies vanilla, raisins and oak and the whole feels quite hard and unapologetic. When it settles in the glass an unscented lotion note pops up in the center and it really has the Ardbeg character coming through. Honey and black liquorice arrive as well. The peat slowly shifts towards coastal notes with a mix of tar and seaweed. This is a great nose with all the boxes ticked for the peat lover.

Mouth: It starts out with a heavy mix of ashy peat and ABV spicyness. Immidiately a bitterness starts to build up in the back with dark chocolate, raisins and espresso. It’s still rich with minerals and it’s not as sweet as on the nose, but vanilla, liquorice and a bit of honey are still there. The cask influence is more pronounced now with a very mature character overall. The tar and seaweed return after a while together with dry garden soil.

Finish: The transition starts with a surge of raisins, dark chocolate and espresso in the back before the High ABV spicyness and the mineral heavy peat once again come rushing in. After a while it becomes very spicy and it has a lot of power to back up all the flavours. When it starts to fade the unscented lotion note and vanilla return and the finish is extremely long with all the flavours intact. The oakiness sneaks up through the peatiness and it’s almost a surspise when it takes over. It’s not the most characterful oak, but it sits nicely together with the lingering peat notes. This is a great whisky. It’s most certainly not an easy access experience but for the whisky explorer it gives a very nice time indeed.

Additional information
This whisky was first aged for at least 15 years in a second fill ex-Oloroso sherry butt. The bottle tried is 526/590. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Ardbeg, Islay

Ardbeg Renaissance

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ABV: 55.9 %
Origin: Islay
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 an ashy peatiness on top with a sweetness underneath. There are coastal notes from the get-go, but the main peatiness has a mix of campfire smoke, ashes and dry soil. The sweetness consists of vanilla, honey, oak and an unscented lotion note. The ABV spicyness floats on top and creates a peppermint layer. When it settles there’s a squeeze of lemon peeking through which fits nicely as a contrast to the thick and heavy notes already there. This is a great nose. It’s not especially complex but the whole is very flavour- and powerful.

Mouth: It starts out with honey in the center with a bitterness underneath. There’s an immidiate spicy kick with a lot of peppermint top. It’s got a mineral rich peatiness and a burnt wood note within. It feels extremely powerful and the flavours are really pronounced. The coastal notes are gone and the lemon notes are buried deep within. There are notes of vanilla and anise coming through after a while and it really feels like an Ardbeg at this point.

Finish: The peppermint peaks through the transition and underneath the vanilla, honey and unscented lotion returns. The peatiness sort of fills the rest of the palate with a wide arrange of unruly flavours like tar, ocean spray, campfire smoke, minerals and ashes. The bitterness and the lemon note merge into a peel note in the background while the other flavours slowly start to fade. In the late finish the campfire note once again shifts towards burnt oak and it stays that way for a long time. This is an amazing whisky. It’s not the most complex thing in the world but it delivers flavours as subtle as a smack to the face, and it’s just a treat to recieve the punch.

Additional information
This whisky was distilled in 1998 and bottled in 2008. It was the last release in the ”Young Ardbeg Series”. 21000 bottles were released. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Ardbeg, Islay

Ardbeg 13 YO – Fermutation Committee Release

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ABV: 49.4 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is peat and green fruits. At first there’s a powerful and mineral rich peatiness with notes of campfire smoke, ash and iodine. Underneath lies a sweet layer of oak, vanilla and unscented lotion mixed with a salty maritime note. When it settles in the glass it becomes a bit fruitier with green apples, lemons and gooseberries. It’s cereal rich and feels very well put together. There’s a minty fresh layer floating around on top and small notes of nuts and green banana seems to come through in the center. This is a fantastic and interesting nose with a lot to discover underneath the peat punch.

Mouth: It starts out with a savory note in the back and the mineral rich peatiness up front together with coastal notes. The ashy campfire smoke comes though out on the edges together with a quite spicy black pepper. The fruitiness sits in the center surrounded by the vanilla, some honey and the unscented lotion note. It’s not as fruity as on the nose and it’s a lot more zesty with a bitter tang in the back of the palate. The gooseberries are still in there. The whole comes through as rich and slightly dry.

Finish: The finish starts out with a surge in the mineral rich peat and the ABV spicyness. When it settles the campfire and ashy notes return. They stay towards the edges and gives room for the fruity and zesty notes in the center. It becomes more ashy and fruity as the finish progresses. The vanilla is still in there but it just acts as a nice filler between other sensations. It’s dry and slightly astringent throughout and when it starts to fade there’s just a beautiful mix of laid back nutty oak, gooseberries and ashy peat. This is a fantastic whisky and one of the better committee releases as of late.

Additional information
This whisky was distilled in 2007 and aged in ex-bourbon barrels. 8000 bottles were filled in 2021 and released in 2022. The fermentation period was prolonged for this release. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Bunnahabhain, Islay

Bunnahabhain 12 YO

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ABV: 46.3 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is salted caramel, red fruits and vanilla oak. From the start there’s a fruity front of raspberries and a salt and vanilla base. The oakiness is found somewhere in between and it’s very much present from the start. It has a tiny pine note attached to it, as well as some anise. After a few seconds a sweet caramel and honey note builds up in the middle together with some sweet oranges. There is also a backdrop with ocean air and a hint of oil and seaweed. This is a very interesting nose.

Mouth: It starts out sweet, salty and slightly bitter. It’s also peppery and there’s an immidiate astringency. There are grapefruits and oranges a-plenty and the raspberries get pushed back into the background. The vanilla and caramel are still in there, but not as pronounced as on the nose. The sweetness is mainly honey driven. There’s a speck of dust and the oily note is still acting as a backdrop. Overall, it’s quite hot and intense.

Finish: The salty caramel takes a step forward and creates a fruity dessert together with grapefruits, oranges, raspberries and just a hint of tropical fruits. The intensity rises slowly but steadily in the first part of the finish. When the oak arrives it brings an espresso note and it sort of transforms the fruitiness towards a more sour experience. It’s grey, weathered, dry oak planks. In the late finish there’s a smokiness coming through. This is a great expression, but it really demands your attention.

Additional information
This expression is distilled in small batches and aged in a mix of ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Caol Ila, Islay

Caol Ila 25 YO

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ABV: 43 %
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 sooty peat with a fresher hay note within. The whole feels dry and mineral rich at first. When the peatiness settles there’s room for a honey sweetness and just a hint of marzipan and sponge cake underneath. An apple and pear fruitiness is in there as well as orange marmelade. There’s a ginger note floating around as well. Everything is quite laid back and mellow. This is a very nice nose. It feels a bit younger than the stated age though.

Mouth: It starts out with a mix of ginger and peat and it’s quite spicy even though it has low ABV. It’s lemon peel in the back, mineraly peat on the edges and a slightly spirity, aromatic and very sweet center with honey and vanilla. It feels way younger than its age at this point. There is some old oak notes floating around and there’s a hint of cooking spices attached to it, but at this point this isn’t the greatest experience. It feels pointy and unbalanced and nothing feels like it’s sitting in the right place. There’s a savory note arriving in the back for those who wait.

Finish: The transition is a continuation of the existing spicyness and the old oak, which is now increasing in intensity. It’s finally really showing its age with a lot of dusty oak notes and a hint of leather. The peat is still residing at the edges and never really feels like a part of the whole. The sweetness fades quickly and the late finish is all about a nice old bookcase and some lemon peel notes. This is a good whisky, but it really doesn’t deliver as a high end expensive islay whisky should. It’s all over the place, and it lacks power and complexity.

Additional information
This core range was aged for mostly in ex-bourbon barrels with some ex-sherry casks added as well.

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Islay, Laphroaig

Laphroaig 10 YO Cask Strength Batch 015

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ABV: 56.5 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and peaty. At first there’s a sweet vanilla and menthol layer sitting on top of a hot burning campfire. When it starts to settle the whole becomes more medicinal, but the sweetness and the menthol remain on top. There are iodine and tar notes sitting in the center together with a hint of green sour apples. It’s quite mellow despite the heavy peatiness and the high ABV, which makes it very balanced in regards to the sweetness and the rowdy peat notes. Dry soil, liquorice and fresh oak is part of the main character as well. This is a great nose. It’s not very complex, but it delivers a lot of nice flavours.

Mouth: It starts out with a medicinal and mineral rich peatiness building up in the back while the sweetness and warm campfire notes stay at the edges. There’s a spicyness slowly increasing in power and when it reaches its peak becomes a nice powerful effect. It’s not as sweet as on the nose but there’s a nice little tropical fruitiness peeking through in the back. Otherwise there’s still iodine, dry soil and vanilla floating around and they never seem to reside anywhere for a long period of time. This makes it very nice to explore.

Finish: The spicyness increases through the tranisiton and hides most of the flavours. When it slowly disappears it gives room to a nice oakiness which has tiny tropical fruitiness attached to it. There’s a lemon note in the back and an anis root note up front. There’s also a slightly nutty quality to the oakiness, but it’s mostly a grey old oakiness coming through. The finish is still mineral rich with the dry soil note ever present. This is a fantastic whisky which gives a rowdy impression, but it’s a very balanced and flavourful. It’s a brute, but a sophisticated one.

Additional information
This whisky was aged in ex-bourbon barrels. It was bottled in december 2021. This is a limited release. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Bruichladdich, Islay, Port Charlotte

Port Charlotte 16 YO Feis Ile 2020

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ABV: 55.8 %
Origin: Campbeltown
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 mineral rich peatiness with a base of honey and vanilla. There’s a minty overlay and a fruitiness in the back. A hint of nail polish remover floats on top at first, but settles as the whole gets sweeter after some time in the glass. The fruitiness is sweet and bright but stays in the back. It’s lemon and sweet ripe grapes. A rounded and mellow oakiness is also found. Everything feels very integrated and well composed. This is a very nice nose with a lot of small things to discover, but has a big character.

Mouth: It starts out with a sweet and sour initial impact with a peppery overlay and a hint of black liquorice. The peat comes next and it resides at the edges of the palate. The whole is mineraly and slightly medicinal, but the heavy and gritty notes are nicely balanced with the sweetness and the fruitiness. It’s still a honey, vanilla and sweet grapes mix with a twist of lemon in the back. It feels quite oily and rich and after a while there’s a dry soil note floating around as well.

Finish: The transition offers a slight increase in intensity but just sort of continues along the same path as before. The peat spreads inwards a bit more and the fruitiness stays in the background. It comes a bit more ripe than before and the lemon note is overrun at this point. The peat paves way for the oakiness, which seems to emerge from within the peat, first as a campfire, then as a fresh woodshop oakiness. The late finish is nice, with the peat and oak sticking around for a bit. The oak is a bit uninteresting in the end though. This is a great, well put together whisky. It somewhat feels like a thug in a fancy suit.

Additional information
This whisky was made with three different cask combinations: Refill hogsheads/first fill ex-bourbon, first fill ex-bourbon/ex-Sauternes and ex-sherry/ex-bourbon/Virgin Oak. 3000 bottles were released. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Islay, Klichoman

Kilchoman Sweden Small Batch Release No. 3

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ABV: 48.2 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and ashy. At first there’s a mild and sweet center core with a soft berry fruitiness, vanilla and oak. On the outside there’s a layer of peat with ashy notes towards the edges and savory ones nearer the middle part. When it settles a very young and spirity distillate shines through and the the top layer gets more accentuated with ashes, peat, vanilla and oak. The sherry notes are quite subdued but mixes nicely with the other notes. This is a good nose which comes through as a bit too young to be great.

Mouth: It starts out with a heavy peatiness with a mix of ashes and minerals attached to it. It feels really young and spirity at this point. There’s a sweet and soft fruitiness with red berries and a slight nuttiness, but it’s not enough to hide a harsh spirit note. There’s a bitter note in the back and the peatiness increases in intensity throughout and a savory note is floating around which really doesn’t make any sense.

Finish: There’s a nice amount of spicyness showing up through the transition. The middle part becomes larger and now presents a mix of vanilla, honey, gentle fruits and earthy peat. The outside stays the same as before with the ashy notes on the edges. A floral note is hiding somewhere in between. The late finish is not the most interesting part. It’s the same notes fading out and they leave peat and oak behind. It’s a nice enough oak. This is a good whisky. It’s too young and not very balanced, but offer a nice peat punch whenever one needs it.

Additional information
This whisky was aged in a mix of ex-bourbon, ex-Oloroso and ex-PX casks for an undisclosed amount of time. Batch size was 1260 bottles. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Islay, Laphroaig

Laphroaig 25 YO (2019)

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ABV: 51.4 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is fresh fruits and peat. At first there’s a fresh fruitiness with green apples and a hint of tropical fruits. There’s a nice, mild peatiness with a tobacco character and just a tiny amount of iodine. Every note seems to be intertwined and it fits together nicely. After a good while in the glass there’s a lemon and elderflower freshness arriving, as well as the ambience of a dusty old cellar. A sweet side completes the whole. It consists of milk chocolate, vanilla and honey. A lot more fleeting and illusive notes pass by throughout. This is a fantastic nose which feels complex and extremely balanced.

Mouth: It starts out with a honey sweetness up front while a nice spicyness gently spreads out over the palate. A tropical fruitiness starts at the edges and moves in towards the center where green apples and lemons meet up. The peat is integrated in both the sweetness and the fruitiness and brings iodine and minerals to the mix. At this point it feels fresh and lively for its age but there are notes of age in the back with some dusty old bookshelves. It’s a sweet and sour character overall.

Finish: The transition feels logical and there are no surges or dips in flavour. The tropical fruitiness and the lemon note are really taking charge up front while the peatiness lingers out on the edges. It’s almost a sweet white wine character in the early finish. When it starts to fade the fruitiness hangs on, and so does the peat, while the oakiness starts to emerge from the back. It merges with the fruitiness and brings some notes of age with it. It’s a slightly nutty and dusty oakiness which seems to fit perfectly with everything else. This is a fantastic whisky. It’s extremely balanced and brings with it a wide arrange of sensations and flavours.

Additional information
This whisky was aged in ex-bourbon casks and it’s a cask strength release. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore 15 YO

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

Tasting notes
Nose: This is a big bowl of assorted fruits with a baseline of tobacco, leather and smoke from a hot, burning campfire. There are tropical fruits, red berries and darker notes with ripe plums and raisins. The sweetness comes as white chocolate and vanilla surrounding the fruits. This is extremely pleasant and well balanced on the nose.

Mouth: Lemon sour approach with the leather and tobacco notes up front. It comes with some spicyness and a tiny amount of coffee bitterness. The ripe plums together with the tropical fruits are pushing forwards together with a speck of dust tagging along. It’s not as sweet as the nose would suggest. The oak can be noticed in the background. It’s not dry nor astringent, but brings the bitter tone to the mix. There’s also a salty caramel note laying as a thin layer on top of everything.

Finish: The darker sherry notes move forward together with the now refined tobacco notes. The tropical fruitiness comes as a wave rolling through together with some spicyness just before the oak finish takes over. The oak comes with espresso and the chocolate has now switched from white to dark. It’s a long finish which rewards the flavour seeker. All the fruitiness can be found over and over again all the way to the end.

Additional information
This Bowmore is supposed to be the same as the ”15 YO – Darkest”. It’s matured for 12 years in ex-bourbon barrels and finished for 3 years in Oloroso sherry casks.

Bunnahabhain, Islay

Bunnahabhain Mòine

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ABV: 46.3 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 3
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet peat with a hint of fruits. The first thing to come through is wet hay, a warm burning wood fire and mild honey sweetness. In the center there’s a savory note coming through and in the back vanilla and some red apples create a nice solid backdrop. This is not especially complex on the nose. It is nice, but needs quite a bit of time in the glass to open up.

Mouth: The honey sweetness is first to arrive and then the peatiness comes after. It’s still hay and woodsmoke, but now there’s a medicinal note attached to it. The savory note is toned down and the fruitiness is barely noticable. After a second or two a layer of bitterness builds up around the edges.

Finish: A mild spicyness creates a small introduction to a very medicinal peat note. It soon changes back to the warmer notes again with the woodfire and honey still as main flavours. A hint of the vanilla returns and together with the mild bitterness it transcends into a fresh ”wet” oakiness. There’s no astringency and the peat, the honey and the oakiness sits together in a long, very pleasant finish.

Additional information
This was released in 2015. The cask type used isn’t disclosed but smell, taste and colour suggest american ex-bourbon oak barrels. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Bunnahabhain, Islay

Bunnahabhain Mòine Brandy Finish

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ABV: 55.3 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is ashy and fruity. At first there’s an ashy layer sitting on top of a fruity center part mixed with both herbal and coastal peat notes. The fruitiness comes through as mainly ripe grapes and apples. When it starts to settle, vanilla and honey notes add to the center part and a slight dustiness appears in the back together with a floral (almost soapy) note. There’s a nail polish remover note somewhere within as well. This is a very rich and interesting nose with a lot of different roads to explore. It lacks a bit of logic and at times it feels like it’s all over the place.

Mouth: It starts out with a big peat punch with a herbal and wet peatiness growing in the center part while the ashy notes spread with a peppery note in all directions. The peatiness switch character halfway through and becomes very mineral rich. It’s dusty and after a few seconds the ripe grapes appear in the middle of the palate. It’s not especially sweet and it’s a very rough character at this point. There is a liquorice note appearing after a few sips. The floral note is still found in the back but it’s easy to miss behind the big wall of peat.

Finish: The transition is logical without any big spikes or dips. A gentle rise in the pepper spicyness occurs, otherwise the flavours carry over in a nice way. The ashy peat is still floating around on top and it’s still a mineral rich peat in the center with the ripe grapes and an apple or two.. Once the heavy peat settles the floral notes with lavender, coconut and the dustiness start to take over and becomes the main feature until the oakiness start to appear. The oakiness arrives in a nice, slow pace and seem to let the other flavours have their time to shine. It’s a nice old and dusty oakiness with a touch of hazelnuts. This is a great whisky which is really interesting to explore.

Additional information
This is a limited release aged in ex-bourbon barrels and then finished in ex-brandy casks. It was distilled in 2004 and bottled 2017. The bottle no. is 718-4152. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Bruichladdich, Islay

Bruichladdich The Laddie Eight

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ABV: 50 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and savory thick. There’s a baseline of salt, rubber and grease. On top there’s honey, vanilla and a handful of Bassett’s allsorts. There’s a chili spicyness and the oak comes through as newly cut wood. There’s also a floral and herbal side to it. This is a great nose. It’s a very interresting and complex experience.

Mouth: At first there’s a thick layer of honey and chili spicyness with a lemon freshness on the side. A sweet white wine note fills the center of the palate. It’s very thick and got an oily mouthfeel. There’s still a floral side to it and savory notes show up in the back. After a few seconds milk chocolate and salted caramel are detectable.

Finish: The rubbery note comes first, then honey and after that the bassetts allsorts with focus on the liquorice. The floral side shows up as violets, but it sort of comes and goes. It’s very rich and all flavours stay a long time before the oak gets through. It’s a fresh, nice oakiness. It’s not astringent at first but after a few sips it really starts to build up. There’s no bitterness, but it’s got a good amount of saltiness. There is a dust note coming up towards the end. This is a very good whisky with a lot to offer.

Additional information
The Laddie Eight is a travel retail exclusive bottling from Bruichladdich. It was released in 2015-2016 and it’s aged in both american and european oak casks. It has natural colour and it’s unchillfiltered.

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