Islay Malt with the Whisky Squad

Posted on | July 1, 2010 | No Comments

It’s that time if the month again where 12-14 people come together and drink whisky and talk stuff, about stuff!

This is session four and we decided that before expanding our dramming outside the UK we should get friendly with Scotch. We’ve so far looked at a mixed bag from SMWS, Island malts and the range of the Diageo flavour map (which could be improved greatly).

That brings us to today and the holy grail of Scotland; Islay!

We’re sampling four drams tonight, but saving Ardbeg for one of the trinity (saying that we have the new distillery only bottling of Lagavulin in the range to be tasted).

Islay, for those who haven’t yet had an opportunity to go is a fantastic place (see Whisky Israel picture/twitter post of the sunset today!). Every year the Distilleries on this little Island on the west coast of Scotland open their doors and welcome whisky fans from around the world. Each distillery has their own day and launch a special bottle for that year.
The Feis Ile 2011 is May 21st-28th, but book now to guarantee the ferry and b&b!

Tasting notes to follow later…

…Okay I’m at the tube waiting for the Hammersmith and City line back to Westbourne Park.

We sampled seven drams in the end tonight with Billy from Billy’s Booze blog supplying one of the whiskies on offer.

So, in order the opener was:

Master of Malt (MoM) Islay

As Andy put it this is one to keep you satisfied as I wittier on!

Age: 12yo

Abv: 40%

Nose: This has a fantastic nose of pineapple and the smoke isn’t over powering, but enough to evoke beach bonfires and hog roasts!

Palette: A medium level of peat and fruit balance with lots of green wood smoke and sweet.

Body: Slightly thin for my taste ( I love Ardbeg) . However, as an intro or light aperitif can see this being a top dram!

Finish: short – medium

MoM Bowmore

Age: 26 yo

Abv: 53.4%

Nose: We all agreed that this dram had a sweetness and light smoke which was difficult to pin point but lay in a yeast or malty aroma unlike other drams.

Palette: Before sampling this we all tried a parma-violets and after tasting agree this was more violet than any other whiskies we’d tried (normally associated with Jim McEwan day Bowmore and Glen Garioch), plus was even more violety than the sweet itself!

Body:  Medium oiliness, but has a strange food richness.

Finish: Medium with lasting sugar spike.

Bunnahabhain 18yo

Age: 18 yo

Abv: 43%

Nose: This has a rich nose of sherry and cake. The ladies in the group thought cheap chocolate brownie and strawberry trifle. Has a citrus cream and hundreds and thousands edge.

Palette: This isn’t one to be slammed in a night! Has a salted butter richness which would make a great buttered whisky cocktail, but is possibly a winter dram.

Body:  Thin and light.

Finish: Medium with a good sherry whiff.

… to come Bruichladdich Peat, Caol Ila 10yo unpeated, Kilchomen 2007 new make and Lagavulin distillery only!

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