Tastes

Full gold in the glass. The nose is caressed by the alcoholic cherry with the classic Mon Cheri effect, with a vinous background reminiscent of certain delicate grappas. Wood together with vanilla and a drop of honey. Sweet but not ruffle. Sherry becomes much more evident in the mouth, a warm and enveloping aroma that flows on the palate as if it were stronger than its 43 alcoholic degrees. Red fruit, herbaceous hints and spices are grafted onto the wood, which at times is a little intrusive, as well as alcohol which in the long run sweeps too far, brushing off the initial effect. The finish is medium, of wood and raisins with a certain astringency,

Light gold in the glass. On the nose, the peat is unusually delicate, a puff of smoke accompanying a fruity profile (raisins, plums) with pepper and candied orange, all on a gust of sea breeze. Very fresh. Quoting a well-known philosopher, "It's a trap!": At the entrance, the peat explodes on the palate, fleshy and succulent, with an important alcoholic boost that increases its roar, revealing the muscular soul of the whiskey. But it is only the beginning, because the frontal assault soon discovers citrus fruits, plums, bananas, cinnamon and lively ocean and saline waves, well integrated with the embers that continue to burn throughout the drink. Beautiful sprinkling of pepper on the whole, in a not at all boring and stratified tasting, very warm. Rather long finish, with salt, smoke, orange and cinnamon.

The color, inexplicably artificial, is deep gold with amber reflections. The scent is intoxicating, delicate and enveloping: mineral peat bathed in the ocean, wrapped in a soft blanket of marzipan, candied orange and even dark chocolate. A fan of pepper and a splash of lemon complete a really rich sense of smell, where smoking is a gentle background and the sweet / salty balance caresses the nostrils. It would be an excellent air freshener, just a little expensive. Peat and wood glide on the palate at the first sip, with oily elegance: again, the scents are far from aggressive, they envelop your palate revealing themselves sinuously. The contrast here is played on the sweet / bitter tune, with touches of licorice accompanied by caramel, candied orange and salted butter; chocolate returns, which recalls that of Modica with salt crystals that crack under the teeth. Pepper, generously dusted on everything. Meanwhile, puffs of smoke from Habana. Elegant and rich, layered, sensual. The finish accompanies for a long time, embers on the shore, salt and pepper crystals.

The color is light amber. Needless to say, peat immediately arrives on the nose, gentler than usual but still ashes, of burnt wood, with notes of raisins, vanilla, a touch of lemon and apple. The ocean appears a little muted in the background. Ardbeg, but different from the usual. The palate is warm and welcoming, with an initial alcoholic puncture, continuing in the wake of the lit bonfire on which caramelized oranges, licorice sticks, lemon zest, a pepper au gratin and a handful of seaweed are roasted. All very peaceful, smooth, without the muscle tone of other bottlings of the distillery. However, the burnt wood component tends to prevail. And in fact, in the end it is the ash that accompanies us for a long time, with a touch of licorice and pepper.

The color in the glass is full gold. The nose is very fresh and sweet, with vanilla, caramel, melon and a persistent herbaceous scent. The peat is little more than an ethereal puff of smoke that twists the aromas, more marine than fleshy (one reviewer I read speaks of "smoked herring", and I would say that makes the idea). On the palate the youthfulness of the malt is felt, at times almost cloying, were it not that the alcohol breaks the tone giving the boost to the mineral peat, still accompanied by caramel and ripe fruit. A touch of pepper and ginger revive the taste, which however remains always very fresh and pleasant, alternating sweetness and salinity in a fairly balanced way. To be peaty, I must say that there is little smoke here, we are more on a meadow overlooking the ocean to munch a ripe melon, looking for someone who has a lighter. And evidently in the end we found them, because in the end here comes some ash with fruit and a touch of ginger, medium long.

In the glass welcomes us a magnificent deep copper red, thanks to the final maturation in Sherry, truly a sight. The sense of smell is (peacefully) invaded by raisins, cloves, orange, a touch of licorice, all supported by a fleshy peat that accompanies without covering. Letting it breathe, there is also a marine whiff with a rubber background (the known problem of water pollution!). A very liqueur and full-bodied profile, almost chewable, soft and rough at the same time, very fascinating. On the palate the peat explodes in a riot of barbecue sauce and ash, beautiful oily and full, which drips on the tongue together with licorice and herring (!). But let's not forget the fruit, which has been overwhelmed by all this blanket but manages to float and still feel orange and a semblance of (obviously) toasted almonds. The alcohol profile gives the right boost, titillating the walls of the mouth, trying to distract you (in vain) from this roasted tide. At times, it almost resembles an Ardbeg. Almost. The finish reflects the palate, inevitably of fleshy peat but also herbaceous, ash, rubber, a touch of orange and a light note of spices, all on average long.

Inexplicably, coloring was used for the whisky, to make it reach the truly pleasant amber appearance. A sin. The nose immediately welcomes the peat, very full and round, more marine than medicinal, which soon steps aside to leave room for a pleasant sweetness: raisins, ripe apples, marzipan, a touch of chocolate. On the bottom, a light layer of ash and cloves. The mouth is very oily, with the smokiness that immediately envelops the palate with barbecue shades on which they have also grilled ripe fruit (everything is better grilled, a bit like fried). The peat is clearly dominant, saline and incinerated, reversing the balance of the sense of smell with my personal disappointment: all the sweet and fruity aromas seem to have tarnished, flattened in a somewhat boring and monochordic profile. A slight spicy note comes back accompanied by wood, which in the long run is the element that makes itself felt the most, as if it were the only concrete contribution of the European Hogshead. The finish is medium, with wood, ash and fruit, very dry.

The color is golden yellow, unfortunately artificially obtained. The sense of smell is unusually sweet for a Caol Ila, rich in raisins, marzipan, cinnamon and honey in rivers, so as to almost hide the smoke of Islay, overwhelmed by this pastry cook. The wine has left a very decisive mark, a pity not to know how much the whisky has been exposed to. The entrance to the palate still sees the smoke elbowing to emerge from the cake, and after a few moments finally climbs onto the podium, however keeping the honey in which it is immersed. The same hints of the nose burn on the lit fireplace, with the addition of a little candied fruit and a touch of salinity, which gradually bring to the background leaving ample space for the peat, which wears the sweet duster with a lot of nonchalance. The marriage is not very successful, the vinous influence is there but after the initial explosion it becomes little more than a tinsel. In the not very long finish the ash and a spicy touch remain, the Moscatel seems to have returned to Spain a little disappointed: he had come to matare and it was matado.

Light gold with copper veins in the glass. Peat well evident on the nose even if not very high, cheered by the sweet notes of ripe apricots, vanilla, a splash of lemon and a clear salinity. To let it breathe, the peat grows and becomes more fleshy, alcohol well integrated and not at all intrusive. Smoke floods the palate, more ashy than from a barbecue, much more intense and full-bodied than the smell, dragging with it plums, lemon, a herbaceous touch, all resting on an ocean of salinity. The flavors actually struggle to emerge, peat and salinity are so pungent as to eat away almost everything, underpinned by the alcohol content. On the length, a pinch of ginger. Long finish, used ashtray, salt and spices.

The color is light gold, very light. On the nose, alcohol is unexpectedly peaceful, leaving all the space for peat and its meaty fumes. Petit biscuit, vanilla, a touch of spicy and apple, very marked marine notes: young but not exuberant, I would say too much so. The alcoholic strength explodes at the first sip, but without sinking the jaws: a nice push to the burning wood, washed down by splashes of ocean with apple, citrus fruits, licorice stick and a strong bitter note. Sprinkle with black pepper. Not very complex, fairly static in aromas and always a little too pity to be a cask strength. The finish is used ashtray, pepper, bitter salt, medium length