In 2022, I tried the Johnnie Walker Black Label Sherry Finish whisky. I decided it was time to open another of the Johnnie Walker expressions. This week it is the Johnnie Walker Select Casks 10 year old Rye cask finish whisky.
Tag: Rating: Excellent Page 1 of 41
Whisky of the Week review and tasting notes for whiskies that I rated as Excellent. Excellent means that after tasting the whisky, I want to pour a second and third glass. It is whisky that I want to keep on drinking and when the bottle is finished, I will buy another one. See more HERE.
I looked through my social media for last year and noticed that quite a few of the bottles I tried during 2023 had green labelling. The colour unintentionally caught my eye, probably due to our move to the green island of Mauritius. Whatever the reason, it was a great excuse to start 2024 on a green note with the GlenDronach 15 yo Revival single malt Scotch whisky.
Here I am, once again, closing out the year with a bottle of Bain’s whisky. I ended 2022 on the Bain’s 15 yo whisky, my all time favourite, and this year, the last bottle I am opening is the Bains 15 yo Sonically Matured single grain whisky.
My 4th peated dram for this year; the Kilchoman Machir Bay Islay single malt Scotch whisky. The pretty blue of the label matches the blue Indian ocean here on the island of Mauritius.
Kilchoman is Scotland’s most westerly distillery and gets its water from a spring on Cnoc Dubh, just above the farm. Kilchoman was the first new distillery built on Islay in over 124 years. Anthony Wills, a former wine industry professional, founded the Kilchoman Distillery in 2005 at the Rochside farm.
Anthony’s idea was to establish a small-scale, traditional distillery with a farm-to-bottle focus. The barley is grown and malted at the distillery, and maturations and bottling occur onsite.
Most of the spirit is matured in ex-bourbon casks from Buffalo Trace in Kentucky, and the remaining spirit is matured in Oloroso sherry butts.
Kilchoman launched the Machir Bay single malt release in 2012 as the Kilchoman signature plated single malt, and it is named after the spectacular 2 km long beach on the west coast of Islay. Other releases in the core range include the Sanaig, Loch Gorm and the 100% Islay Edition.
Machir Bay is peated to 50 ppm. It is not chill-filtrated and has no added colour. It has no age statement.
Also Read: Michel Couvreur Peaty Whisky
Kilchoman Machir Bay Whisky Review
ABV: 46%
REGION: Islay
COLOUR: Golden hay
NOSE: Soft peat with hints of ash, citrus notes and freshly baked vanilla sugar cookies. Something fruity and floral in the background with a lovely sugar sweetness. The sweetness reminds me of a madeleine dusted with icing sugar, warm from the oven.
PALATE: Ash and Islay peat with a burst of fruit and creamy vanilla. Bits of peach and pear with malt and cloves. Salted caramel and chocolate biscuits with a floral note. A few drops of water are perfect for toning down the slight alcohol burn and bring a chocolatey sweetness to the front. Hints of heather and honey. Elegant and well-balanced.
FINISH: Medium length with drying ash, peat, lemon pepper and fruit.
RATING: EXCELLENT
The Machir Bay is a lovely dram, subtle and well-balanced. The perfect peated whisky for here on the island. I prefer peated whisky in winter, but this release with the malt and vanilla notes worked wonderfully for our afternoon on the patio.
Peated enough to ensure the peat heads were happy but light enough to enjoy in our warm and humid climate. I need to pick up more from this distillery when we travel. In South Africa, Kilchoman Machir Bay whisky retails for around R940, and WhiskyShop has a few left.
Also Read: Scottish Cousin Whisky
Today, I’m diving into the Aultmore 18 year old Foggie Moss single malt Scotch whisky, and what immediately captures my attention is the enchanting name of their single malt collection: Foggy Moss. Just mentioning it conjures a vivid image – a hauntingly beautiful scene of fog weaving through the corridors of a moss-draped, long-forgotten castle nestled on the misty moors.