Tastes

NOSE Peat upfront, salt and brine, faint molasses, iodine, smoke, charcoal. Moderate oily notes, light to moderate sweet citrus and honey notes offsets the peat. A wonderfully complex nose with layer after layer of enticing aromas. Swirl and let stand get a chemical smell of acetone and tar. Citrus and sweetness still underpins the smoky peat and get a faint sent of grass hay. TASTE Smokiness right up front, malt, cooked caramel, maybe even some graham cracker. A mild peat and citrus bring up the rear along with some notes of cocoa, fruit and honey. Still getting iodine, acetone, and burnt rubber taste that was on the nose. It’s an industrial, metallic, medicinal, and overall unpleasant mix that lingers on the tongue. Smoke lingers without the balance of peat. Water doesn’t seem to have much effect. Proofing it down a few more % does releases more fruit and maybe even a fruitcake note, but makes the palate bland. Water optional with this one. I had high hopes for this tasting and there are some positive takeaways and things I liked, however the acetone / burnt rubber became the focus for me. It is no doubt an Islay Whisky, but not her best.