Tastes

I usually have an issue with charcoal mellowed/filtered bourbon, but I must say this is exception to the rule. It's very nice sipper even if nose and finish are nothing much, but the taste is very nice. It works even better in drinks, Old Fashioned (with heavy hand on bourbon) or lemonade based (like Lynchburg Lemonade) are working very nicely with Ezra 99. (more on nose, taste & finish - Whiskybase.com review)

I got couple bottles while they last in shop, I looked forward to tasting this, though worries this probably younger spirit don't deliver (despite heavy oloroso finishing). The colour is nice, dark and by the whirl you can see the higher ABV. Luckily, it didn't disappointed me. I could imagine leaving this in european oak for like six years would do great to balancing the intense sherry in this whisky. Nose: Bit pungent, slight hint of acetone hidden in over-riped fruits like apple, pear, apricot. Oak grove with plenty of red-berries recently trampled over with animals after a rain. Taste: Edgy young start branching to the heavy red wine & apricots, touch of old oak planks (yeah, oloroso cask did quite a job). This has sherry written all around it. Finish: Slowly fading oak and sherry.

Quite nice for the money, especially in 20% off. Wouldnt guess 12yo Speyside, rather 8, 10 tops. It is not bad, but it's rather mediocre, without character with some nice hints in the taste. Smell: Acetone, bit of fermentation sourness and faint honey. Taste: Sourdough bread crust, pear, black pepper Finish: Little bit dry, slowly fainting wit some sweetish layer, black pepper in taste comes to cumin tingling, caraway seeds bitterness

The smell is very pleasant. No alcohol, it smells like spring, blooming grass, nectar, sun, apple orchard in bloom. The color is light straw, with light greenish tint on light bending. The taste is light, sweet, subtle notes. There is light burn on the end, but otherwise the tones are mild, sweet, there is bit "wood fruit" vibe - hazelnut, walnut. Also leaving nice dryness in mouth after a moment. This is very mild, decent but warming. Nothing for advanced whisky lovers, they may find it mundane, but I think this is pretty neat dram for book reading or movie watching.

I wanted to like this, ex-sherry casks and differend peat sounds like promise. But I feared a lot it wont delivered. The bottle and box wouldn't help - I love the design. And there is half screw half cork bottle cap. That's fantastic idea. The thrill and fear rised. With first smell, I got some Talisker vibe. That's good. I like that. Peaty, salty sea air, honey and heather. And the taste? Happy to say it delivered. Smooth, bit spicy, light peat and sea breeze with overall but not overpowering sweetness. Light, tasty, it's like sunrise in winter day. I'm not disappointed.

The smell is like lacquered wooden chest, with some sharpness (that's 60% ABV I guess) on the end. The taste is rich but direct - it comes and quickly goes away. There are some sourness and hints of Oloroso. There is something I would describe like dried raisins soaked in rum kind of taste. With drop of turpentine it transfers to generic candied fruit tones. I like the strange sweet body of this whisky, but it needs few sips to properly grasp it. Considering the very generous price tag for this bottle, it's definitely something worth try.

This is pretty interesting bottle. For quite low price you got 0,7 liters of "barrel proof" whisky. The smell is bit rough, but in meaning like nice piece of wood which needs bit of touch to be for example nice walking cane. You get sweetness and bit of wood, some alcoholic sting which is quite expected with this ABV. The sip is actually nice, sweet, oak-y, little fruitiness (pear?), little spice. For that ABV the burn is nice and decent, but you will feel the first sip going down to your stomach like slow descending flare. I like it, it's nice experience and it tastes quite good. You can water it down a bit, the ABV could withstand a teaspoon of water quite nicely. The tastes will also unveil a bit. I like to have a bottle around, it gets better as it "breathe" with every opening. And it's nice to show whisky liking friends how the 62,3% can taste.

Being Lagavulin 8 is hard. Basic core range, none of that legendary aura protecting you. Advanced and up drinkers will rather disregard you, basic ******* or beginners will hardly appreciate you. But still. There is the true blood of Lagavulin and Isla in each sip. Young blood, but still. But, the overpricing isn't helpful too. Maybe that's the final blow. You could be great in "welcoming the flock". Shoving that harsh Isla is also unexpectedly hospitable. But you got nonsensical price tag and that ruined your chances at that. But I'll must defend you a bit. Yes it's hard to really appreciate you, because with that price tag milestone whisky enthusiasts already discovered quite a few bottles which perform better. Even if you have also quite lot to offer. The smell - straightforward sea breeze over peat marshes, no bullshits. Like that friend who doesn't talk much but each words comes deep from him and carry the weight. The taste cut to the case too. Simple, light but direct, birch smoke, light brine and drop of pine forest honey. You dissapear on the back of the tong quite quickly, but that's OK. You didn't lived through as much as else in your 8 years on Isla, but you built clear character instead. Straightforward and reliable. I would love to rate you better, but in your case the cost ratio just brings it down. Forgive me for that.

This is very interesting whisky. And it starts with nose. It reminds me a slivovice - "plum brandy", or plum/pear brandy mix. The fruity sour alcoholic odour, reminding the fruit in fermentation process. And in contrast of that, the sip is very smooth, velvety, sweet, little bit sour reminding more a very very smooth bourbon than a whisky. It's like nice bar of milk chocolate (heavier on milk side). It gives very gentle and intimate feel, for your quiet time when you don't wanted to be "seduced" by the drink. When you wanted a silent company to your contemplation, watching good movie, reading a good book, listening to some good music. I can imagine drink one too many drams of this in good discussing company, because it's smooth and not intrusive but tasty so you would never leave the glass empty. Yes, it lacks character, complexity. But I don't event want to all my whiskies to be bold and complex. I need a spectrum, so I may pick a proper dram to proper occasion and mood. And this is the bottle I need on the portfolio. And the price is very good.