Ar1 - Elements of Islay (Speciality Drinks Ltd)

Nose: Butter butter and more butter, with a side order of butterscotch.  Like the Supernova, there is some initial banana notes (Nesquik milkshake mix), Werther's Original's and sweet marzipan.  With a little water, the glass gives you an almost gas fire warming note and hints of medicinal bandages.

Palate: The mouth feel is immediately hot and hugely powerful, with dominating notes of anise, spearmint and chillies.  With the addition of water, more delicate cereal notes come through, which blend extremely well with a wonderful sweet peat. The water also gives you a superb rich quality, which is very similar to the Supernova.

Finish: There is a lingering swimming pool note which prevails alongside the peat.  Very long and bold, certainly youthful, but nonetheless enjoyable.

Overall:  This is the first bottling from the Elements Of Islay range I have tasted and it was a really enjoyable dram.  It has a youthful quality which is brash at times, but the superbly rich mouth feel gives it a definite edge of classiness.

Nose: starts on soot and coal smoke mixed with sea air and soaked grains, and more of that after that, with only hints of vulcanized rubber and antiseptic. Also a little fresh butter and sweet apple (golden) that mellow it down just a little. Fresh apple juice. Hints of metal come through after a while (gunmetal). With water: ever tried to put your head into a coal stove? Err… Other than that, it smells just like the kiln at a neighbouring distillery.

Mouth (neat): explosive! Huge whisky, less fruity/sweet than expected, except during the two or three first seconds. ‘Green’ bitterness (green tea, chlorophyll gum), capsicum, cumin, cardamom, strong liquorice, Turkish coffee, herbs liqueur (more Underberg here)… Very concentrated and powerful! There’s also a faint sweetness (honeydew) that prevents it from getting maybe a tad bitter and acrid. Rather spectacular and not for the fainthearted, as they say.

With water: it does get fruitier now, with more dried apples but the same big smokiness and spiciness are still there on the back of your palate. Smoked cardamom?

Finish: long, with more coastal notes, such as oysters. Big peat at the retro-olfaction.

Comments: it’s young but it’s more complex than anticipated (feared?) Excellently big. SGP: 268- 89 points.

Nose:  Fresh and clean.  Sweet and peppery, with soot and spices.  Hints of Caramac bar and smoked cereals, then becomes grassy, with damp earth, kippers and wet peat.  With time, natural caramel / white chocolate & nougat (Toblerone?) and some faint smoky bacon characteristics.  Water soothes the peat and lifts the grassy characteristics.

Palate:  Honey, then white pepper, cinnamon, chilli powder, coal.  Warm and mouthfilling when neat.  A very big peat presence, but not overpowering thanks to some lovely sweet, syrupy malt notes.  Water seems to make the palate more savoury and emphasises the spices.

Finish:  Epic.  Very long and warming, with persistent spice, pepper and earthy peat settling in, but also some honey to maintain the balance.

Comment: A deliciously intense sweet peat treat.  Fine with water, but you'll get more joy out of it neat.