46°
Distillery Officially Unknown - Islay
Bourbon Barrels and Spanish Sherry Quarter Casks
Independent Bottling
By The Character of Islay Whisky Company
Core Range
Single Malt
Bottled in 2019
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Atom Brands is a major company that owns the Master of Malt online shop and The Boutique-y Whisky trading company. In 2019, they launched a second trading company, The Character of Islay Whisky Company, specifically dedicated to the development of this island dubbed the Mecca of whisky. And their first bottling is this one, a 10-year-old from a secret distillery on the island, Aerolite Lyndsay being an anagram for Ten Year Old Islay. Maturation is 70% in bourbon casks, 25% in Spanish sherry casks and 5% in 'mystery' casks. Beautiful transparency.
Let's Taste It :
Thick, misty peat. Granite. Behind, a rather sweet hint of vanilla. Vanilla custard, icing sugar. Wide wisps of fatty smoke. Tide, seaweed, a dash of brine. Iodine. Fresh breeze on a beach in the Baltic Sea. Coarse salt. Dust. Pepper. Graphite. Suave on the palate, the vanilla is back, still sweet, with a few spices, cumin, nutmeg, chives. A metallic note, iron filings. Green olives. Gravelly finish, charcoal, dry earth, rather long and quite powerful. Liquorice.
In Short,
Overall, it's not bad at all, it's even a little more than that. If the nose seems conventional and lacks intensity, the finish seems pleasant, not so short and tasty. But it's still a little austere. I'm thinking of a peaty Bunnahabhain, or perhaps a slightly rustic Bowmore. First released as a limited edition, it's now a regular range product, very easy to find, at a decent price. Why not try it?
Score : 85
To Be Listened While Sipping :
Sufjan Stevens - Should Have Known Better
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