Tastes

Quite a nice dram, the amber color sets the mood right. On the nose you already get the impact of the sherry casks with a vanilla and caramel sweetness (almost like the icing on a cinnamon bun, to be oddly precise). It’s not overly powerful, but the medium-bodied flavor is fairly rich. Strong in toffee, caramel (caramel apples specifically), raisins, and other dried fruits. Very good value, definitely good quality and flavor for the price point.

Really powerful, rich, and complex. Incredibly peaty, certainly fulfills the Masterclass 8 series’ reputation as such. It’s also rather smoky, but not as much as I would have anticipated – less than a Lagavulin for instance. A little sweetness within the peat on the nose. In the taste, hidden amongst the peat and smoke is a bit of citrus, and you get a bit of milk chocolate in the back of your mouth, along with some oiliness. Finish is nice, the full flavor lingers with you for a while and you get a little more charcoal. Get as many 8-series as you can find!

Instead of being beat over the head with peat and the smoke, you get a nice blend of saltiness and brine; more like sitting at the seaside than in a peat farm. The peat is certainly there, but it’s a bit more reserved, refined, and balanced with the oceanic tendencies. I’d say the predominant flavor is rich, smoked oysters, but there is also a bit of dried pear-like sweetness, and some pepper on the finish. Would definitely drink again. Quite a bit more complex, smooth, and flavorful than I had anticipated, particularly given the price point.

Triple cask (bourbon, quarter, and oak) makes it fairy uncharacteristic for an Islay scotch. You get some of the peat and smoke as usual, but add a bit of sherry sweetness. Nose is particularly muted compared to the typical smokiness of a Laphroiag. Can smell the bourbon. Good enough to drink again, but doesn’t really meet the expectation for an Islay scotch. It’s different: not bad, but not what you’d expect.