On a Bruichladdich masterclass I had the opportunity to compare both the Port Charlotte Scottish Barley with the Port Charlotte Islay Barley. While they’re both great drams, I’m now absolutely convinced that terroir matters. While they’re both obviously very similar, the Islay Barley definitely has the edge here. It’s slightly fresher (nonetheless the peat and smoke), it tastes more nutty, and has a tad more balance in general, but especially in the spices. The Scottish Barley actually appears a bit subdued when compared directly, but I honestly doubt wether I could single one of them out as being distilled with either Scottish or Islay Barly in a general comparison. All in all, they’re both very nice drams!