June 2008
The Twenty Second Edition of "A Whiff of Peat Smoke...." , Why ? because i can !
The Calm after The Feis Ile ......
Tasting Notes from the Festival.......
Here are notes from a few samples and Bottles picked up at this years Feis Ile....
Bruichladdich Waves (2nd Edition).
Colour Red Hue.
Nose Very coastal , loads of ozone , gentle peat and Smoke . dark fruits .
Taste Oaky , Peaty , creamy fudge , mixture of Green Apples , Melon and Dark fruits.
Finish Long , peaty , boiled fruit sweets.
Comments 46% , Contains Bruichladdich 2001 , Port Charlotte 2001 and Octomore 2002 from a mixture of Ex-Bourbon, Sherry and wine casks . Wasn't fond of the first waves , Didn't like this one when i first tried it but it is very nice and refreshing now .
Bruichladdich 16yo
Colour Bright Rose .
Nose Dark Fruits , Gooseberries , lemon , fudge .
Taste Creamy Fudge , oak , slight citric , Red fruits .
Finish fudge , oak , medium to long .
Comments 46% , Bruichaladdich 1991 that was in an Oak cask for 15 years then finished in a Margot Wine Cask for one year . Not a bad little Laddie but i still prefer ex-bourbon to Aced ones.....
Bruichladdich 1988
Colour Golden Barley.
Nose Laddie Fudge , Digestive Biscuits , Lemon Drizzle Cake .
Taste Green fruits , slight Citric , slightly sweet as well .
Finish citric , malty , green fruits , quite long for it's age.
Comments 50.7% , from an ex-bourbon Cask .Not one of the best ex-B Laddies but still prefer it to wine finished ones .
Bruichladdich 18yo (Jims' Stash!)
Colour Bright Gold .
Nose still quite Prickly on the nose , Melons , Gooseberries , Red Fruits , Really Complex .
Taste Fudge , Dark Fruits , interesting tastes given by the wine casks after 3 years , quite dry not too sweet .
Finish Long , toffee fudge .
Comments 55% , 15 years in an Ex-bourbon and then 3 years in a Chateau d'Yquem Cask . A really nice wine finish.....for once , no wonder he's keeping the few remaining casks hidden !
PC7 - Unity
Colour Bright Gold .
Nose Sweet Peat , oak , Green Fruits .
Taste really peaty , fudge , confusing......sometimes it feels balanced , sometimes it feel immature.
Finish Woah ! very long , Peaty , sweet .
Comments 61.7% , Not there yet IMHO but it's getting there......
Some Utter Fake Valinch
Colour "Red Toffee Apple".
Nose Creamy Fudge , Raspberries , Lemon Drizzle Cake .
Taste Red fruits , Red wine when first opened then Laddie fights back , Creamy Fudge , Malt .
Finish Dry , long and winey.
Comments On first tasting the wine finish has over whelmed the whisky on the palate but it smells like a laddie , after a bit of airing The Laddie eventually surfaces .
X4+1 Deliverance
Colour Polished Copper.
Nose Very Strong on the nose , Very sweet , Concentrated Fudge ,Citric .
Taste still spirity , Again Creamy Fudge and all the usual Laddie trates but condensed!
Finish Long , warming but spirity .
Comments Wow , Amazing stuff , definitely a condensed Laddie , still a bit young but nice to try and enjoy .
Tesco 10yo Islay Single Malt
Colour Pale Straw.
Nose Sweet Peat , Pepper , a little earthy , a wee bit of sherry as well ( 2or 3rd refill casks or one sherry thrown in for luck) , seashore , seaweed ..
Taste very sweet peat on the palate at first , again a slight sherriness , peppery and a touch of cocoa .
Finish surprisingly long and peaty , pepper but smooth .
Comments Very , very oily in the glass ! Looks really young but tastes really good , i defy any peet-heed to try it and not like it ! For £15 what can you say ? Bargain !!!!! Especially for what it is......
Black Bottle 10yo
Colour Polished Gold.
Nose Very smooth peat with a touch of Iodine , Green Fruits .
Taste Honey (sweetness) , peat .
Finish Long and sweet .
Comments Strange one , not what i was expecting , need to return to this at some point......
Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist (2008 Edition)
Colour Bright Gold.
Nose Smoke , Iodine , Lemon , Pine , slight waft of peat and Cocoa .
Taste The iodine really has taken over from the peat (still a slight peat taste though) , Cocoa , creamy as well , really well balanced .
Finish Long iodiney , smoky , a wee drop of peat . Very Creamy as well .
Comments Wonderful stuff ! This is getting the way of the Fabled 1970's stuff .
Ardbeg Renaissance
Colour Pale Straw.
Nose Pretty much as the sample i tasted , Loads of peat , creamy fudge , seashore , a wee touch of Cocoa , seems more prickly on the nose than the sample .
Taste Again pretty much as the sample , Peat , smoke , Cocoa , Dark chocolate , creamy , very luxurious over the tongue......
Finish Very long , creamy fudge , peat , Wonderful.......
Comments Nice when you find out the advanced sample you got to try is exactly as the release , Fantastic stuff , we just really need an annual 10yo Cask Strength release .....Please ? Roll on the new standard TEN !
