Tag: Islay Whisky Page 4 of 9

Whisky of the Week review and tasting notes for whisky from the Islay region in Scotland.

Despite the small size of the island and the limited amount of distilleries, the Hebridean island of Islay is considered as one of the most distinct whisky regions. Because of this, Islay has become a centre of “whisky tourism”. The whiskies of the distilleries from Islay are known for their powerful smoky, peaty character.

Currently there are only nine Islay distilleries still active: Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Port Charlotte. The famous Port Ellen distillery closed its doors in 1983. Bruichladdich is the only distillery on the island that merely produces unpeated single malt whisky.

Big Peat Cape Town Edition Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 11/04/2019

In Blended Malt Whisky

This weekend is the Rugby World Cup Final and what better way to prepare for South Africa’s part than to taste the Big Peat Cape Town Edition blended malt Scotch whisky. It feels like it was Remarkable Malts’ year on the blog.

I have tasted quite a few of their expressions during this last couple of months. I covered Rock Oyster and Timorous Beastie as well as Big Peat. I covered Big Peat quite a few times.

Even at the whisky shows, I ended up at the Remarkable Malts stand, tasting the various age statement releases available. The Timorous Beastie 18 yo whisky especially stands out. I have captured tasting notes for the Big Peat 10 yo whisky and the Big Peat 26 yo Platinum Edition (Divine) as well.

But what better way to celebrate SA winning the final of the Rugby World Cup than with the Big Peat Cape Town Edition blended malt whisky. In June I tasted this release at The Only Whisky Show and was blown away. I took a bottle home, and it went with us on our holiday to Mapunbugwe National Park. There we nearly finished the bottle.

As the sun goes down, the elephants come down to the watering hole for a drink. Watching them with a visitor from Islay. #africansunset #remarkablemalts #bigpeat #bigpeatcapetown @HectorMcBeth @valotone @RemarkableMalts pic.twitter.com/5FA99Xg2Av
— WhiskyoftheWeek (@WhiskyoftheWeek) September 26, 2019

Big Peat Cape Town Edition is exclusive to South Africa and part of the Big Peat World Tour City Series. It is a blended malt using Islay whisky and peated to 44ppm.

The label honours South Africa’s Mother City with a braai in front of the famous Devils Peak in Cape Town. As with all Remarkable Malt releases The Big Peat Cape Town Edition whisky is not chill-filtered and bottled at a rather decent ABV.

Big Peat Cape Town Edition Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 48%

COLOUR: Lightest gold

NOSE: Peat and ‘braai’ smoke with hints of blueberry sweetness. Bits of spice and earthy notes mixed with oak and red apples.

PALATE: Ash, peat and smoke. Like standing next to a ‘braaivleis vuur’ (BBQ fire). Fresh fruit sweetness with hints of salted caramel and dark chocolate. Bits of crispy bacon and pepper. Adding water brings forward the sweetness. It is big and bold but in a laid-back and unpretentious way. It is just delicious!

FINISH: Peat and smoke that goes on forever with hints of salt and pepper.

RATING: DIVINE

John is originally from Cape Town, and this Big Peat Cape Town Edition made him nostalgic. It brought back many good memories.

The notes I took while in Mapungubwe read: Sometimes you find a whisky that makes you want to sit down and have deep philosophical discussions with a loved one. But once in a while, you find a whisky that makes you forget about everything else and requires you to be present. Not solve world problems, not deep philosophical discussions. But the quietness of nature, to look into the eyes of the elephant and just be.

I loved Big Peat the first time I tasted it, and I loved it on holiday. And I still loved it when I poured it for my Friday afternoon tasting session. The bottle will not see the end of this year. The next bottle is already ordered. Just don’t tell John. He is getting it for Christmas.

Also Read: Powers John’s Lane 12 yo Irish whiskey

Big Peat 26 yo Platinum Edition Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 08/19/2019

In Blended Malt Whisky

Today I look at the second of the Big Peat samples that I got from Remarkable Malts to celebrate the 10^th-anniversary release of the smoky sailor. But I decided to jump right to the end and try the Big Peat 26 yo Platinum Edition blended malt Scotch whisky.

I know, logically I should have gone for the Big Peat Original first and then the special Feis Ile release before opening the old man, but patience has never been my biggest virtue.

After tasting the Big Peat 10 yo blended malt whisky, I was curious to see what an additional 16 years would do to the peaty and smoky gentleman. Big Peat 26 yo is a blended malt comprising whisky from Islay’s most sought after malt whiskies.

Also Read: Johnnie Walker Green Label Whisky

It is the oldest Remarkable Malts Big Peat ever released. It is the second release in a three-part Vintage series. The first was the Big Peat 25 yo Gold Edition released in 2018. The goal of the Vintage series is to show the salty sailors’ more mature side.

The Big Peat 26 yo Scotch whisky is bottled at cask strength and was not chill-filtered and has a natural colour. Distillation Date: 1992.

Big Peat 26 yo Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 51.5%

COLOUR: Golden

NOSE: Very unique. It has notes of peat, smoky BBQ, burnt wood, salt and seaweed with a fruity sweetness. Big and bold.

PALATE: Peat, ash and smoke balanced with honey sweetness and salted caramel. Hints of coastal notes, lemon meringue tart and salty wind. When you add a bit of water, the more medicinal and earthy notes come forward. It reminded me of a fish braai (BBQ) on the beach. It is big and bold but wonderfully satisfying.

FINISH: Long and lingering. Hints of sea air and peat just warming you up from the inside.

RATING: DIVINE

O my word. I have fallen head of over heels in love with the salty gentleman this year. I have tasted quite a few of his releases during this year, and it is delicious. This is not the most complex release. However, it is perfectly balanced, there is no alcohol heat, and it just warms your soul up.

The BBQ notes make it unique and delicious. Even without water, it is easy drinking and just totally rewarding. I can easily sit next to the braai and slowly finish a bottle. That is for me always the best way to properly rate a whisky. Do I want another glass of this or not?

The Big Peat 26 yo Platinum edition is a limited release of only 3 000 bottles. A minimal number of this edition will be making their way to SA. So if you see it, grab it! It is worth it.

Sample disclosure: I received this sample from Douglas Laing. Though received as part of a promotional event, the review and tasting notes are my honest, fair and independent thoughts on the whisky.

Also Read: Amrut Kadhambam Whisky

Black Bottle Old Release Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 07/29/2019

In Blended whisky

The first Black Bottle blended Scotch whisky I tasted was the new version that was launched in 2013. Burn Stewart went back to the original roots of the blend and updated the inside and the outside. That got me thinking about the Black Bottle old release whisky, that if you are lucky enough, you sometimes still find in the shops.

While researching the new Black Bottle, I read a lot about the Islay character of the old Black Bottle whisky, and when I spotted a few of the pre-2013 versions in the shop, I grabbed it.

For many years, Black Bottle blended Scotch whisky was known for its Islay peatiness. The bottle changed from the original Black glass that was sourced from a supplier in Germany to green glass during the early part of the 1900s.

The change was due to the outbreak of World War 1. The Islay character change is probably also from that time when Islay whiskies were more readily available and affordable.

Old Black Bottle is (according to some) a blend of at least 7 different Islay distilleries as well as some grain whisky from the mainland. The older release and the newer release can’t be more different. But what exactly does the old Black bottle taste like?

Also Read: William Lawson’s whisky

Black Bottle Old Release Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Gold

NOSE: Classic peaty Islay notes with hints of wet seaweed and honey sweetness. It does not have that heavy medicinal notes from a Lagavulin or Laphroaig, but a bit more salt, oak, and fruity sweetness. Dried cherries and honey with hints of smoke and delicious creamy bits.

PALATE: Soft peat and fruit. Bits of pepper, vanilla and salted nuts mixed with dried cherries, honey, and condensed milk creaminess. Bits of smoke and dry oak. Not an overwhelming peat monster, but a wonderfully balanced drinkable whisky.

Certainly no shrinking violet. I finished my first glass without adding some water and had to have another glass to see what water does to it. Interestingly, water releases a malty cookie dough note.

FINISH: Long and warming and perfect for winter with peat and hints of lemon pepper.

RATING: EXCELLENT

What a delicious dram. Peaty enough for a peat lover, but balanced with enough sweetness to convert someone who wants to experiment with more peat. It has some rough edges, but it is all part of the prominent character.

The new Black Bottle release (in the black bottle) is a lovely dram, and it works well in cocktails. However, this release is bold and delicious. If you like peated whisky and you see the last lonely one in a bottle shop somewhere, grab it. You will be delighted that you did.

Also Read: Ledaig 10 yo Whisky

Big Peat 10 year old Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 06/10/2019

In Blended Malt Whisky

I love what comes out of Douglas Laing. Not only is the packaging for their Remarkable Regional Malts original and fun, but the contents are delicious and exciting. So you can imagine how great my excitement was when I was asked to help Douglas Laing celebrate Big Peat’s 10^th anniversary, by raising a glass of the very special Big Peat 10 year old blended malt Scotch whisky.

Unfortunately, the Sough African Custom Service also had to have their say. My special package only arrived a week after Big Peats’ Anniversary. However, it did arrive, and I am so happy to celebrate 10 wonderful Islay years, even if it is a week or two later.

Douglas Laing is an independent bottler of whisky. They are responsible for some unique blended malts, including Timorous Beastie, Scallywag, and Rock Oyster.

Big Peat was released in 2009 as the first whisky in the Remarkable Regional Malts collection. It is a blended malt that celebrates everything Islay and is peated to about 40 PPM. Big Peat is an energetic Ileach fisherman with a soft side.

He wears a yellow jersey and has regular Christmas releases. There is a Big Peat Cape Town Edition that features a proper South African braai (South African BBQ) as well as a Big Peat 26 yo whisky, the oldest of the lot.

Big Peat 10 yo blended malt whisky contains Islay Malt Whiskies, including Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore and even a bit of Port Ellen. It is not chill-filtered and no added colour. This is a limited release edition.

Big Peat 10 year old Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Lightest wheat

NOSE: Peat, smoke and classic Islay flavours of seaweed, salty air, and iodine. In the background, there are strong hints of soft sweet Dutch liquorice (zacht zoet drop) that take me back to my childhood. Bits of vanilla, green notes, and fruity sweetness.

PALATE: The Islay nose makes way for softer notes of fruity sweetness, hints of cinnamon with gentle peat and smoke. Very unexpectedly, the palate is delicate and soft and wonderfully balanced. Again there is the strong Dutch liquorice notes but with more licorice root (zoet hout). Bits of toasted nuts, sea salt, and tropical fruit. Freshness and green hints.

FINISH: Beautiful and warming, but not overwhelming. Soft peat and fruity sweetness.

RATING: EXCELLENT

One of my favourite treats as a child was when the family from the Netherlands came to visit and brought us some pieces of liquorice root. I have not tasted it for years, but the liquorice notes in the Big Peat 10 year old has brought back such good memories of us chewing on pieces of sweet wood.

This is an excellent whisky for someone new to Islay whiskies. It has the classic Islay notes, but it is at a softer intensity than an Ardbeg or a Lagavulin.

I don’t even know what water does to the dram. I finished it all without even thinking of adding water. You don’t need any water as it is smooth and easy drinking. John described it as a summer Islay, the perfect peaty whisky to drink in summer. Happy 10th anniversary to the big man in the yellow jersey. I am looking forward to 10 more years of smashing Islay drams.

Also Read: Big Peat Christmas Edition whisky

Sample disclosure: I received this sample as part of the 10 year celebration of Big Peat’s release, directly from Douglas Laing. Though received as part of a promotional event, the review and tasting notes are my honest, fair and independent thoughts about the whisky.

Rock Oyster Whisky

By Jeannette Wentzel

On 05/27/2019

In Blended Malt Whisky

A whisky I have written about before in a twitter tasting, but I think it deserves its own blog post. The Douglas Laing’s Rock Oyster blended malt Scotch whisky is a firm favourite. Rock Oyster was released in 2015 as a blend of single malts from Scottish islands, including Orkney, Arran, Jura and Islay.

And like all the Douglas Laing releases, it has a lovely nautical themed label. The idea behind Rock Oyster was to create a maritime personality that reminds you of sea-salt, sweet peat, smoke, honey and pepper.

This is just the malt to make you miss the Scottish Islands. Rocky Oyster blended malt Scotch whisky is part of the Remarkable Malts range, together with the Scallywag and the Timorous Beastie and Big Peat.

Also Read: Big Peat 26 yo whisky

During 2018, Douglas Laing changed the name from Rock Oyster to Rock Island, which might be a bit more appropriate. However, this is still capturing my tasting notes for the Rock Oyster whisky release. I would love to try the Rock Oyster and Rock Island next to each other, but that will be a blog for another day.

Rock Oyster is a blended malt and is not chill-filtered, naturally coloured with no age statement, and bottled at 46.8%.

Rock Oyster Whisky Review

REGION: Islay

ABV: 46.8%

COLOUR: Golden

NOSE: Peat, medicinal notes and iodine. Hints of smoke with newly cut green grass, hints of fruity sweetness, stormy ocean air.

PALATE: Peat, smoke with bits of summer fruit like peaches and apricots drizzled with caramel sauce. Hints of pepper, vanilla and heather. Delicious ocean character with bits of salt, seaweed and green notes. Big and bold and just delicious. Despite the bold palate, it is easy drinking, and I want a second glass.

FINISH: Wonderfully balanced between the peat and the fresh fruit with pepper. Big and bold, and it goes on forever. Warming you from the inside while you are standing on the windswept cliff.

RATING: EXCELLENT

I love this. It is like comfort food. Not fancy and spectacular, warming, comforting and it hits just the right notes. And at the price point, it is perfect. It has beautiful Islay notes, but they are perfectly balanced with the softer Highland heather and green notes and sweetness from Arran.

I can’t wait to see what the Remarkable Malts Rock Island will be priced at and how it compares to this release. I will do a side by side comparison between the two when the time comes.

Also Read: Bennachie Whisky