Elements of Islay Peat & Sherry

Rating: 16/23 N: Big minerality with light smoke. Hints of citrus, including a touch of nutty tangerine. Some iodine comes out with the smoke as well. A very faint hint of barbecue. There's an extra hint of bitterness to the smoke that makes me think of peat. P: Big and bold, with a layer of oil and also spiciness. Campfire mixed with vanilla and barrel spice in a way that avoids most of the usual barbecue meatiness. The smoke has a little bit of iodine to it, helping to develop that peat character. The mix of peaty smoke and what sure tastes like a bourbon barrel is decadent and not immature, but lacking in complexity and real maturity. Coming out of the oiliness, I get flavors of tangerine. I like that. There is kind of a malty sweetness throughout at points. It's clearly there, but the other flavors are bigger for sure. Maybe a small hint of meat, but that's it. Overall, there's a nice balance of peated malt, bourbon barrel, and oloroso cask here, though I'm making some assumptions about what was used to develop this. I'd love some better integration, but this has a nice hedonistic quality. There is a bi more burn than I'd really like, but it's under control and isn't harsh. F: Baking spices galore. Hints of iodine bring in smokiness. Notes of malty sweetness develop longer on in the finish. Maybe hints of grain, but that's not certain. Faint vanilla at points. This is quite a nice finish. - Conclusion - This tastes a bit out of balance in a youthful way, but it's not immature in a flawed way. I'm finding this to be more aggressive and less balanced than Nikka From the Barrel (17/23), but also more hedonistic, woody, smoky and interesting. The Nikka is a bit sweeter overall with more vanilla (mizunara?), but it doesn't really taste more mature. The Shin 10 (16/23) has some smoke and a bite, but it's loaded with decadent apricot and vanilla. It's so much more hedonistic than this is and it's also more balanced in comparison somehow. I was originally thinking that this was a 17 or 18, but now I'm thinking a 16. I like what this brings to the table, but its flaws are increasingly apparent. Side by side, I'm not finding that The Shin is clearly better than this. On a technical level, I am leaning toward the Nikka over this though. It's not that big a difference though. I might go up to a 17 for this, but I think that a 16 is reasonable. This is very close to the Nikka, but I think that its lack of refinement earns its a 16 rather than a 17. Still very nice. Thank you, @PBMichiganWolverine , for this sample!

💭Aged in single Sherry hogshead. An Islay blended malt scotch whisky of Caol Ila and Laphroaig (We guess it’s a very young 5 year old as the peat and smoke is full on the nose). This dram is full of character. Rich, layered and complex. My DOTN! 👁👃👅 Medium brown in color. Medicine box or cigar box literally on the nose; evidently from the peat in Laphroaig. Salinity that reminds me of being near the sea which certainly have been imparted by Caol Ila. It slowly opens up to dark chocolate, toasted grains, rum, molasses, smoke, ashes, and spices. Medium intensity on the palate.

For an islay peated sherry at cask strength this is average. But that’s of course saying something as that is pretty much my favorite profile. It’s also not cheap, selling in a 1/2 Liter bottle for a pretty penny/pence. I had a sample of this (Netherlands version) and was glad I didn’t spring for the full bottle even though it was perfectly fine and I enjoyed drinking it. It’s pleasant on the nose, with the notes you’d expect from the label. The palate leaves a little to be desired, hitting a bit too much of the burnt rubber notes that average peated islays have. I won’t be buying a full bottle.

It is ok but not worth The money. The sherry is is more of an overwelming redwine. Strange

My sample came from an edition released for the 20th anniversary of the Whisky Exchange and bottled at 56.8%. There’s a lovely burning match flavor on the nose and palate, followed by a tangy sweetness and a slightly dry finish. Not especially complex but a satisfying dram that ticks the boxes on the label.

Ok, avarage