I’m not really an Islay type of guy but I was intrigued to try this when I saw it advertised and was lucky enough to be given this as a gift.
The nose is salty but not like the saltiness of Old Pulteney, and sweet too, which sounds like a contradiction in terms but it’s actually the case. The sweetness is like that from a caramel pudding.
I was expecting to be overwhelmed by peat and smoke but there’s none and that’s a great surprise. The palette has more salt with cinnamon and a real hint of nutty sweetness with honey overtones.
The finish is long and smooth with a wee chilli like kick and then a sense of dark chocolate
This was a great surprise and is testament that not every Islay malt has to be heavy on the peat. This is a great dram Slainte mhath 🥃