Talisker 10 yo

45,8°
Distillery : Talisker - Islands
Reconstructed Ex-Bourbon Barrels
Original Bottling
Core Range
Single Malt
Launched in 1980
Peated around 22 ppm

This one was included in Classic Single Malts of Scotland in 1987, which brings together the most typical whiskies owned by Diageo. It is aged in reconstructed barrels, which are larger than traditional barrels.

Let's Taste It :

On the nose: peat, smoke, earth, muddy grass. Rare, pungent vegetation. Almost rancid. Dried fruits, a pinch of salt. As it goes on, you can smell the freshness of the sea. The palate is strangely soft after such a harsh nose, with a very good balance of salt, earth, honey, nuts, caramel and a touch of leather. The peat comes through strongly on the finish, which is peppery and very long. The salt comes back a minute or two after swallowing. The pepper remains on the lips for a long time.

 

In Short, 

This is a classic of the highest rank. People have long talked about its maritime profile and peppery finish. You must have a bottle no matter what happens. 

Score : 85

                                      

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

  

                                           P.J. Harvey - Dress

The Ileach Cask Strength

58° 

Distillery Officially Unknown - Islay 

Refill Bourbon and Sherry Casks

Independent Bottling 

By The Highlands & Islands Scotch Whisky Company Limited

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2000

Unchillfiltered

Peated from 35 to 38 ppm

An unknown distillery, an ageless expression bottled at 58° and heavily peated, this is what we call a Peat Bomb in the lingo. Contrary to its name, it is not Cask Strength.

Let's Taste It :

Sea breeze, salty nose, the beach at low tide, wet weather, red fruit compote, dried banana, light vanilla and caramel. Tar, tyres and fuel oil in the background. Then a strong smoke rises, ash, tobacco leaf. Bitumen. You can recognise one of the two Diageo distilleries on Islay, the most prestigious. On the palate, it's a lot less youthful than I expected, quite fruity, the coarse salt and peat combine very well, spices, apricot purée, smoked tea, black pepper, and a fairly strong charcoal finish that leaves a slight toffee taste.

 

In Short,

For aficionados only. It's not the best made of the Peat Bombs I've tried. You can tell it's very young, and the distillate is barely softened by the cask. The nose is pleasant, fairly typical of a highly reputed Islay distillery, the palate lacks intensity but is still decent. The volcanic finish makes up for it all. In any case, the price is so low that even if it wasn't as good, it would still be a bargain.    

Score : 87










                                            To Be Listened While Sipping :  

                                            Arctic Monkeys - When The Sun Goes Down

Tobermory 12 yo

46,3°
Distillery : Tobermory - Islands
Bourbon and Virgin Oak Casks
Original Bottling
Core Range
Single Malt
Launched in 2019
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Totally Unpeated

This new release gives pride of place to the purity of the distillate. It is intended to replace the 10 Year Old.

Let's Taste It :

Very floral, this nose. With camphor and a slight steam. Then the exotic fruits appear. Mango, lychees. A touch of menthol. Caramel. Eucalyptus. Vaporub. Tyre, rubber, tar. Finally, sea breeze. Salt, seaweed, foam. All of this comes in stages. On the palate, flowers. Roses, cherry blossom. Vanilla and caramel. Finally, the rising pepper. Cloves. Spices in the finish, vanilla bean, very long. Camphor, menthol and coconut mingle with caramel. A sensation of freshness.

 

In Short, 

It's a success story. It has a highly original and rather complex profile at an attractive price. Fruity, but also with an atypical character that makes it irreplaceable. A classic. 

Score : 86

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :  

   

                                          Massive Attack - Atlas Air

Springbank 10 yo

46°

Distillery : Springbank - Campbeltown

Bourbon Barrels and Sherry Casks

Original Bottling

Core Range

Single Malt 

Launched in 2000 

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured 

Peated around 12 ppm

This one is the distillery's entry-level, and without doubt the most famous from Campbeltown. Like all Springbank whiskies, it has undergone 2 and a half distillations.

Let's Taste It : 

At first, a certain freshness. Then the nose takes over, with vanilla, lime and orange blossom. And of course that smell of hay, of a stable, but it's so clean, so smooth, that it comes through very well, I'd even say there's something pastry-like and greedy about it, like speculoos cream and slivers of nougatine. Behind, an ounce of sherry, with dried banana, corinth raisins and brown sugar. A touch of iodine and peat. Egg yolk. Dry earth on a sunny day. On the palate, vanilla and lime come knocking on the door, liquid honey, rather oriental spices, a hint of raspberry, coarse salt, and citrus at the end, exotic fruits perhaps. Very good finish, oily and mentholated, long and herbal, green tea, spices found in Indian restaurants in retro-olfaction. Pistachios, sweet olives. I like it very much.

 

In Short, 

A monster of originality and complexity, a total success. Farmy and fruity flavours balanced by light peat. A must-have classic.

Score : 88





              

                                                  

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping : 

   

                                          Muse - Uprising 

Kilkerran 12 yo

 

46°
Distillery : Glengyle - Campbeltown
1st Fill Ex-Bourbon and Sherry Casks
Original Bottling
Core Range
Single Malt
Launched in 2016
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Peated from 12 to 15 ppm

With this expression as its main showcase, the Glengyle distillery is seeking to establish its voice in Campbeltown.

Let's Taste It : 

First of all, a country fragrance: cereals, lemon pulp, dried fruits, barley, beeswax, a vegetal touch, the slight bitterness of hay. Just the right amount of peat, but not too much. Very well made, balanced. The palate is very pleasant on entry, with vanilla but not too much, the bourbon casks having an effect without being overpowering. Still a countryside profile, with cereals, hay, honey and grass. A salty, even iodine note. The finish is long and sparkling, with a pinch of icing sugar. Mirabelles in retro-olfaction.

 

In Short, 

In no way inferior to its big sister Springbank, this expression offers an interesting variation, sweeter, honeyed, vanilla-flavoured and delicately peaty. A classic. 

Score : 86

                                 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping : 

   

                                           Carlos Santana - Black Magic Woman

Ledaig 10 yo

46,3°
Distillery : Tobermory - Islands
Ex-Bourbon Casks
Original Bottling
Core Range
Single Malt
Launched in 2010
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Peated around 37 ppm

This is the benchmark of this range from the Tobermory distillery. It is one of the most peaty distillates on the islands, apart from Islay of course.

Let's Taste It :

I knew about maritime peat and medicinal peat, but now here's filthy peat! It's greasy, with just a hint of iodine, but above all it's ash and dust, it's deep, the tar scrapes your nostrils. Tyres, soot, plastic, sludge, coal, anything that stains. A squeeze of lemon, though, and apricot. Behind, exotic fruits, mango, passion fruit. Smoky. On the palate, oily peat, light lemon, vague whiffs of caramel, liquid honey, coarse salt, more dust. It's perfectly balanced, the finish is pleasant, the lemon rises in power, it's almost candied, then it's pepper, but not strong, very long on the palate, good retro-olfaction. Heavy stuff.

 

In Short, 

An excellent effort to compete with Islay. The peat dominates, of course, with quite radical violence, but is combined with a multiplicity of flavours that make the whole very enjoyable. A classic at a very good price. 

Score : 86

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :  

   

                                          Hugo Race & The True Spirit - Rue Morgue Blues

The GlenDronach 12 yo Original

43°
Distillery : The GlenDronach - Highlands
Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso Sherry Casks
Original Bottling
Core Range
Single Malt
Launched in 2009
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Totally Unpeated

This one is the entry-level from the GlenDronach distillery, launched shortly after it was taken over by the BenRiach Distillery Company.

Let's Taste It : 

The sherry jumps out at the face, both fruity and very dry, with a hint of spice. Grapes, dried apricots, but also red fruits, raspberries, plums, greengages and papaya. Waxed wood and cherry. Homemade bread, eucalyptus. Some honeyed notes. Very light smoke. On the palate, just as much fruit, just as much sherry, dark chocolate, hazelnut, strawberry, with a touch of blood. The finish is very long, with caramel and earth, pulling towards the wine. Charcoal shadow. Muscat grapes. Damp undergrowth.

In Short, 

An absolute classic when it comes to finishing in sherry casks, at a very reasonable price. Greedy and balanced, it's so well made that even non-sherry lovers should like it.

Score : 86

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

    

                                          John Abercrombie Quartet - 39 Steps

Port Charlotte 10 yo

50°
Distillery : Bruichladdich - Islay
Bourbon and French Wine Casks
Original Bottling
Core Range
Single Malt
Launched in 2018
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Peated around 40 ppm

The benchmark expression in the Port Charlotte range, or at least that's how it was launched. Now part of the regular range, it has been matured in 75% Bourbon casks and 25% French wine casks.

 

 

Let's Taste It: 

In the beginning, the peat. Thick, smells of damp, an ounce of mould. A full ashtray. A fireplace in the morning, turned off overnight. Disinfectant, glue, plastic. Tar. And despite it all, a sweet freshness. Pear. Exotic fruits. Lavender in the background. A few spices. Cinnamon, ginger, benzoin. Brown sugar. Very good balance. On the palate, liquorice. Peat, spices. Relatively dry. An ounce of caramel, coriander. Behind, a good dose of barley, with the cereal touches typical of Bruichladdich. Very good finish, fairly long, herbaceous hints, more liquorice. A bit of wood at the very end, which gradually fades. I can understand the recent enthusiasm for this expression.

 

In Short, 

A total success. A very fruity and cereal profile that does nothing to mask the violence of the peat. Recently launched, it's already a classic.

Score : 88 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :   

   

                                          Iggy Pop - Lust For Life