Kilchoman Maury Cask Matured

Kilchoman Maury Cask Matured

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Dark amber bronze
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Figs, raisins, brown paper, black tea, dark chocolate, cooked rice, dates, hints of peat. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, mouth coating, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, figs, butterscotch, black teac peat, smoke, dates, hints of dark chocolate, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Long. Autumn leaves, dates, butterscotch, smoke, hints of fish sauce. 

Comments: 

A rather good Kilchoman, plenty of sweet notes complementing the distillery character of gentle smoke and dates. There’s some earthiness as well, especially on the finish. Excellent dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardbeg Dolce

Ardbeg Dolce

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Golden bronze
47.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sea salt, dried apricots, pears, smoke, peat, golden syrup, driftwood smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty bitter. Peat, driftwood smoke, pears, lemon zest, golden syrup, nutmeg, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Long. Golden syrup, oakum, sea salt, peat, smoke. 

Comments: 

Salty, bitter but not as sweet as regular Ardbeg. It’s missing the chocolatey note that I find, instead it’s got golden syrup and nutmeg, rather like smoky bread and butter pudding. Absolutely delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardnahoe 5yo Feis Ile 2024

Ardnahoe 5yo Feis Ile 2024

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Bright gold
59.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Driftwood smoke, peat, moss, autumn leaves, tobacco leaf, malted grains, hints of white pepper. With water, orange juice, gooseberries, peat, hints of pencil erasers. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Orange juice, pears, peat, smoke, moss, autumn leaves, malted grains, germolene, hints of white pepper. With water, orange juice, limes, hints of white pepper, peat. 
Finish: Long. Peat, autumn leaves, white pepper, pears, driftwood smoke. 

Comments: 

Lots of savoury saline smoke, laden with earthy flavours such as fallen leaves and moss. There’s also pears and some sweet citrus, it’s very fragrant. Ardnahoe is really quite delicious.

Verdict:

I like this.

Bruichladdich 10yo Old Skool

Bruichladdich 10yo Old Skool

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Dark gold 

50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, cream, malted grains, barley sugar, white pepper, hints of pencil erasers. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Lemon zest, yoghurt, white pepper, fresh baked bread, sea salt, hints of rolled oats. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, yoghurt, cream, white pepper, rolled oats. 

Comments: 

Quite lactic, although doesn’t have the butyric note that Bruichladdich sometimes has. Quite lemony too, plenty of salty cereal. Not too peated, in fact it’s quite hard to discern.

Verdict:

I like this.

Bowmore 1992

Bowmore 1992

Caledonian Selection, Liquid Gold
Single malt - Islay
Bright gold
62% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, smoke, pineapples, lemon sweets, autumn leaves, burning leaves, hints of charcoal ash. With water, burning leaves, pear drops, pineapples, smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, thick, hot. 

Tasting:  Sour sweet. Pineapples, pear drops, lemon sweets, smoke, charcoal ash, peat, tarry rope. With water, peat, charcoal ash, lemon sweets, hints of peanuts. 
Finish: Long. Honey, smoke, pineapples, pears, peat. 

Comments: 

Smoked barbecued fruit, something I always find in 90s and 00s Bowmore. Lots of ashy smoke too, like it’s been left on the barbecue too long. Water brings out more ashiness. A perfect Burns Night dram. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kidalton 22yo

Kidalton 22yo

Vintage Reserve, Milroys of Soho
Single malt - Islay
Amber gold
53.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, smoke, passionfruit, mangoes, malted grains, apple juice. With water, lemon zest, germolene, apple juice, coffee. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, hot, mouth coating.  
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Mangoes, smoke, peat, apple juice, malted grains, lemon zest. With water, lemon zest, sea salt, smoke, apple juice. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, smoke, coffee, dark chocolate, peat. 

Comments: 

Not your usual Ardbeg, doesn’t have the deep chocolate and coffee notes. Instead it’s quite fruity, with plenty of tropical fruits including mangoes and passionfruit. Water brings out a saltiness.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Pe5

Pe5

Elements of Islay, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Islay
Pale gold 
57.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Creosote, lemon juice, tarry rope, fish sauce, dates, angelica root, smoke, hints of star anise. With water, dates, leather, acacia honey, hints of star anise. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly oily, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Creosote, peat, smoke, soot, dates, sea salt, magic marker, star anise, hints of acacia honey. With water, leather, soot, dates, lemon juice. 
Finish: Medium. Creosote, soot, peat, smoke, lemon juice, magic marker. 

Comments: 

Quite bitter and savoury, with complex layers of flavour. Water brings out some sweetness, alongside a big wave of soot. A rather chemical dram but well aged with huge complexity.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Bowmore 7yo

Bowmore 7yo

Living Souls
Single malt - Islay
Golden
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, lemon zest, lemon juice, meringues, tobacco leaf, peat, soot, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour. Lemon zest, smoke, lemon sweets, peat, tobacco leaf, vanilla, shortcrust pastry. 
Finish: Medium. Tobacco leaf, peat, smoke, soot, shortcrust pastry, lemon sweets. 

Comments: 

A light, quite refreshing Bowmore, with restrained fruit and a lot of smoke. There are adore lemon sweets than pineapples, and a little pastry especially on the tongue.

Verdict:

I like this.

Ardbeg 15yo 2008/2024

Ardbeg 15yo 2008/2024

Single Cask, Royal Mile Whiskies
Single malt - Islay
Pale amber
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, ice cream soda, lemon zest, leather, germolene, white chocolate. With water, germolene, lemon zest, cocoa nibs. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, loosens, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. White chocolate, smoke, peat, lemon zest, diesel exhaust, white grapes, honey. With water, lemon zest, white chocolate, smoke, cocoa nibs. 
Finish: Short. Diesel exhaust, smoke, lemon zest, germolene, ice cream soda. 

Comments: 

Chocolatey and smoky, a rather classic combination of flavours for Ardbeg. But the chocolate is white and the smoke is car exhaust, specifically diesel. Interesting and intense.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardnahoe Bholsa

Ardnahoe Bholsa

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Orange gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, orange juice, peaches, watermelons, peat, smoke, peanuts, autumn leaves, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Orange juice, watermelons, coffee, peaches, peat, smoke, germolene, pear drops, autumn leaves. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, orange juice, pears, peat, germolene. 

Comments: 

Citrusy and sweet, the peat is gentle with this one, although still there. It’s a delicious dram. I really enjoy Ardnahoe, it’s a great distillery and is a magical addition to an island that already makes great whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardnahoe 5yo Feis Isle 2024

Ardnahoe 5yo Feis Isle 2024

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Pale green gold
59.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, lemon sweets, sea salt, peat, green tea, fresh cut grass, hints of white grapes. With water, white grapes, magic marker, autumn leaves. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Lemon sweets, white grapes, peat, smoke, green tea, leather, apricot jam, photocopy paper. With water, white grapes, apricot jam, honey, peat. 
Finish: Medium. Smoke, peat, autumn leaves, leather, hints of apricot jam. 

Comments: 

Excellent Islay whisky. There’s sweetness underneath the smoke and peat, and also more than a little apricot jamminess. Water brings that fruitiness to the fore, but it doesn’t need very much.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Caol Ila 8yo Bourbon Cask

Caol Ila 8yo Bourbon Cask

Collector Series, Caskshare 
Single malt - Islay
Pale silver yellow
60.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, peat, yoghurt, lemon juice, tobacco leaf, soy sauce, hints of sour cream. With water, sea salt, sour cream, peat, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Peat, pears, lemon juice, soy sauce, ginseng, black pepper, hints of smoke, hints of grapefruit. With water, sour cream, lemon juice, peat, hints of yoghurt. 
Finish: Short. Farmyard, diesel exhaust, black pepper, ginseng, peat. 

Comments: 

Cask CA.16.01. A gentle, not very smoky Caol Ila, with plenty of peat, lactic notes and citrus notes. Not quite as salty as some others I’ve had, but a decent dram nonetheless.

Verdict:

I like this.

Ardbeg Heavy Vapours

Ardbeg Heavy Vapours

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Pale green gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, peppermint, chocolate, smoke, peat, sea salt, hints of honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, warm, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Peppermint, lemon zest, smoke, tyre rubber, peat, malted grains, chocolate, sea salt, hints of oats. 
Finish: Medium. Peat, chocolate, black pepper, lemon zest, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Ardbeg is smoky chocolate to me, but this one has a big hit of peppermint and lemon. It’s also slightly salty, and that enhances the other flavours. A very good dram indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ardnahoe Infinite Loch

Ardnahoe Infinite Loch

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Buttercups
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanut butter, driftwood smoke, peat, tobacco leaf, fresh cut grass, hints of cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peanut butter, peat, driftwood smoke, cloves, chocolate, butter, hints of red grapes. 
Finish: Short. Smoke, leather, peat, peanut butter, honey. 

Comments: 

Smoky and herbal, lots of nutty notes in the background. Cloves make an appearance, but it’s not easy to discern under all that smoke. A complex, layered dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Caol Ila 4yo

Caol Ila 4yo

Soho Selection, Milroy’s of Soho
Single malt - Islay
Amber
61.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Driftwood smoke, malted grains, peat, leather, lemon sweets, fresh baked bread, soy sauce. With water, lemon sweets, peat, germolene. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Malted grains, peat, leather, fresh baked bread, soy sauce, ginseng, black tea, hints of black pepper. With water, lemon sweets, soy sauce, germolene. 
Finish: Medium. Peat, leather, soy sauce, cloves, raisins. 

Comments: 

Smoky and savoury, like most Caol Ila. The peat hasn’t been mellowed by age here, it’s in your face and bitter. There’s a lot of cereal in this, less of the lemony salty sweet flavour that is a key characteristic of Caol Ila for me.

Verdict:

I like this.

Bunnahabhain 10yo

Bunnahabhain 10yo

Soho Selection, Milroy’s of Soho
Single malt - Islay
Golden
50.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, smoke, peat, germolene, sea salt, tarry rope, hints of lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, oily, turns syrupy. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Raisins, germolene, slate, tarry rope, malted grains, smoke, ginseng. 
Finish: Medium. Slate, wet stones, tarry rope, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Peated Bunna! This one is medicinal and minerally, lots of sea and lemon. The peat is rather gentle, and isn’t aggressive. Very drinkable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Ardnahoe 5yo Inaugural Release

Ardnahoe 5yo Inaugural Release

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Buttercups 
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon sweets, peat, autumn leaves, fresh cut grass, lemon zest, smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Sea salt, germolene, fresh cut grass, autumn leaves, smoke, lemon zest, yoghurt, hints of dried apricots. 
Finish: Long. Smoke, peat, ginseng, lemon sweets. 

Comments: 

Islay’s newest distillery, and I’m sure that’s not the last time I will type that sentence. It’s very gentle and well integrated, lemony, slightly lactic and a little fruity. The smoke and peat are very gentle. Very promising. 

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 53.241 (Caol Ila 6yo 2011/2017)

SMWS 53.241 (Caol Ila 6yo 2011/2017)

2017, SMWS
Single malt - Islay
Very pale pink
60.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: New plastic, malt vinegar, autumn leaves, smoke, sea salt, vanilla, coconut cream. With water, lemon zest, lemon sweets, sultanas, hints of soy sauce. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, static, astringent, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Peat, malted grains, malt vinegar, leather, smoke, lemon zest, vanilla, coconut cream, hints of sultanas. With water, sultanas, autumn leaves, smoke, lemon zest. 
Finish: Medium. Smoke, diesel exhaust, lemon zest, peat, leather. 

Comments: 

Complex and chemical, lots of creamy sweetness abounds, with a citrusy bite. All this is wreathed in huge amounts of smoke and diesel exhaust. Very complicated whisky, unusual for such a young dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Lagavulin 10yo Feis Ile 2024

Lagavulin 10yo Feis Ile 2024

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Pale yellow
56.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh cut grass, lemon sweets, cream, apricot jam, autumn leaves, leather, hints of driftwood smoke. With water, lemon sweets, chillies, shortcrust pastry. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Soy sauce, leather, peat, apricot jam, driftwood smoke, honey, shortcrust pastry, black pepper. With water, chillies, lemon sweets, driftwood smoke, leather. 
Finish: Short. Driftwood smoke, peat, apricot jam, honey, hints of black pepper. 

Comments: 

A rather fruity Lagavulin, with a distinctive toasted fruit taste, like someone burned an apricot tart before serving it. Or maybe smoked it. A very enjoyable, savoury and surprisingly tart dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Oc5

Oc5

Elements of Islay, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Islay
Pale green gold
59.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, peanuts, cotton sheets, peat, leather, autumn leaves, pineapples, hints of vitamin C tablets. With water, magic marker, pineapples, peat, vitamin C tablets. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, expands, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Magic marker, cotton sheets, smoke, peat, creosote, peanuts, wet stones, fresh baked bread, white wine. With water, white wine, magic marker, lemon sweets, hints of cardamom. 
Finish: Short. White wine, lemon sweets, peanuts, pineapples, creosote. 

Comments: 

Very sooty, chemical Octomore. It’s rather lightly, and has fragrant, almost sweet notes that are quite unexpected. Some cereal and herbal notes appear with water. Complicated, not an approachable dram, but very rewarding. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.