Islay whiskies are known for their peatiness, although not all the distilleries on the island produce this style - Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain have little or no peat in their standard expressions and Caol Ila produce an unpeated batch every year, while even the famously smoky Ardbeg has an unpeated expression, Blasda. Read More »
Ahh, the sting of seaspray, the tarry rope, the spice, the kippers for breakfast, the comforting reek of peat! Ignore all the hype and treat yourself to three of Diageo's finest - perfect hipflask fuel for a walk down the shore.
A replacement for the highly successful '3D' series, Bruichladdich Peat apparently 'does what it says on the tin' with phenol levels of 35ppm. No age statement, but it is cheaper than the old 3D releases and, shockingly, has escaped from the the distillery without being finished. Doubly unique 'Laddie!
The first ongoing release of Bruichladdich's heavily peated Port Charlotte. Aged for 10 years and showing off a mix of Bruichladdich's elegant spirit and big, smoky peat.
A 1999 vintage Caol Ila bottled by The Whisky Trail in 2011. Briny smoke, like a bonfire on the beach, medium-bodied with a slightly spicy finish - a great session whisky.
The second edition of Bruichladdich's single malt whisky made with organically-grown Scottish barley - in this case from the Mid Coul, Coulmore and mains of Tullibardine farms. As with all of Bruichladdich's malts, this has been neither coloured nor unchilfiltered. More unusually for this distillery, it hasn't been wine-finished either.
For peat-lovers, Ardbeg 10yo is probably the highest-quality 'entry-level' single malt on the market, and the distillery many Islay connoisseurs would choose as their favourite. A whirlwind of peat and complex malty flavours. Whisky Bible Awards 2012: Best Single Malt Scotch of the Year, 10 Years and Under
A vibrant young Laphroaig whose maturation has been speeded up by ageing in Quarter Casks. This shows soft sweetness and a velvety feel when first tasted, then the intense peatiness so unique to Laphroaig comes bursting through. A really terrific whisky and great value.
A fourth release of whisky from Cl in the Elements range, a big and punchy display from this underrated distillery. Clean, crisp and very assertive at full strength with a big peaty punch, but mellows and gets very briney with water.
The second release of Kilchoman's ongoing Machir Bay whisky, bottled in early 2013. It's a vatting of four and five year old whisky matured in first fill bourbon casks, married and then finished in Oloroso sherry butts for four weeks before bottling. From the little sip we tried in early March 2013 it's another cracker.
A mystery Islay single malt bottled at a hefty 58% by Finlaggan's owners the Vintage Malt Whisky Co. We don't know what this is, but we have our suspicions and there's no mystery about what a bargain this is.
A set of three 20cl bottles comprising Speysider Cragganmore 12yo, powerfully peaty Lagavulin 16yo & the smoky, peppery Talisker 10yo from the Isle of Skye. Perfect for winter hipflasks.
Bowmore Enigma is a 12 year-old dram originally bottled for travel retail, and boasts a higher proportion of sherry-matured malt in its make-up. A full-bodied dram, Enigma's colour is darker and the whisky itself is sweeter than the standard 12 year-old, with compensating robust smokiness and a hint of brine.
Formerly a travel retail exclusive, the popularity of the Triple Wood has led to it being launched into the general market. The whisky starts off maturing in regular bourbon casks, before being moved to Laphroaig's bespoke quarter casks for a time. The whisky is then finished in Oloroso sherry casks to gently sand off any remaining sharp edges. IWSC 2012 - Gold Medal - Whisky - Scotch