
July 5, 2016

Undisclosed or vatted Islays

That's the thing with what we used to call 'the bastard malts', there isn't much to say about them. Or only speculations. But perhaps is that a good thing? (yes I'm reading your mind.)

Loch Fyne ‘The Living Cask 1745’ (43.6%, Loch Fyne, blended malt, Feis Ile 2016)

Colour: white wine. Nose: feels much Caol Ila driven, if you ask me. Cut apples, fresh almonds, citrons, smoked salmon, wood ashes, seaweed… All that is rather fresh and relatively light. Mouth: starts a notch dissonant, on orange drops and smoked fish – not obligatorily a winning combo – but it tends to gather its thoughts, becoming ashier and smokier, with a touch of salt in the background. Light body. There’s rather a Bowmoreness this time. Finish: medium, quite fresh, easy, a little drying towards the aftertaste. A little salt again. Comments: fine – or rather, fine. SGP:456 - 80 points.

Finlaggan 2006/2016 ‘Feis Ile’ (50%, Vintage Malt Whisky Co., 350 bottles)

Colour: straw. Nose: definitely medicinal, with some antiseptic and camphor, bandages, a touch of lime, grapefruits, green apples, mint, seawater, a little lavender (as in lavender sweets, no soapy/perfumy lavender)… I have to say I like this nose a lot. With water: inked paper, soot, ashes, gravel, porridge… Mouth (neat): really sharp and powerful, very medicinal again (tincture of iodine and lemon juice), and very smoky. Bitter and acidic cider apples. Very sharp and blade-y. With water: perhaps a touch of mango? Other than that, salty ashes and smoke, green apples, iodine… Finish: long, on the same notes, while it tends to become even more ashy and smoky. Comments: very good. There. SGP:467 - 87 points.

Islay Malt 7 yo 2007/2014 (51.9%, Liquid Treasures, 159 bottles)

Colour: white wine. Nose: much more violent, tarry and rubbery (bicycle inner tube), acrid, extremely smoky. A working kiln while some old English cars are passing by. Tsk tsk, those carburettors… With water: oh, gas, fumes indeed, more tyres… Mouth (neat): first a fruity, citrusy blast that really suggest very young age (it’s got an age statement, S.!) then this acrid smokiness. Really extreme, unpolished, and raw. With water: this feeling of a smoked cocktail, 50% lemon juice, 50% seawater. And a lot of tar. Finish: this feeling of having eaten the ashtray – inadvertently, of course. Comments: probably from the south shore (East) but there’s also an Octomore-y feeling to it. SGP:358 - 86 points.

Images of Islay ‘Finlaggan’ (53,2%, Malts of Scotland, single malt, 256 bottles, 2014)

Colour: as white as very lightly peated water. Nose: very different, starting with a very metallic edge, and going on with wet rocks and gravel, clay, chalk, concrete… Probably one of the most mineral malts I could try. Whitewash. With water: liquid ink, new plastic pouch, carbolinium, anti-rust paint… Mouth (neat): very very good. Limejuice and smoked seawater, with perhaps one cranberry. Hard to describe, but believe me, it’s very very good. With water: perfect spirit, with no cask pollution. Okay, okay, little oak influence. Finish: long, perfect, with a little tar. Grapefruits and more carbolinium in the aftertaste. Oh, and an extreme smokiness. Comments: I haven’t tasted the whole series by MoS yet (yep, lazy), but I think this one’s my favourite so far. Perfect young distillate. Painters too will love it. SGP:259 - 90 points.

Undisclosed 7 yo 2007/2014 (56.7%, Single Cask Nation, refill bourbon hogshead, cask #613, 280 bottles)

Colour: white wine. Nose: it’ll surprise no one that we’re in the same territories as with the Liquid Treasures. Huge smokiness and tarry tyres, brake pads after the Nürburgring (or, there, Indianapolis since we’re in the US), and fumes. Some lemons as well. With water: Vicks’ best ;-) and an old muscle car after a run. Mouth (neat): same feeling of youth, with ‘fresh’ lemon drops and some salt, then this smoky/tarry/sooty development that tends to lose your tongue. And there’s some pepper as well. Brutal, I’d say. With water: oh, it gets as gentle as a miniature poodle. Quite. It’s actually very good. Finish: very long, very tarry and sooty. Comments: another ashtray. You cannot not think of that distillery where they have that great café where they serve that great seafood chowder, and that lovely lady that is taking care of that great café where they serve that great seafood chowder. SGP:358 - 87 points.

Check the index of all undisclosed malts I've tasted so far