Since I started this blog my palette has matured. I previously wouldn’t have entertained many Islay malts and especially a big peat monster and to this day am still not a fan of a young Laphroaig and the like, but last year I experimented with some Arbegs and Bunnahabhains and I’ve grown to love them.
I offered this as one of my “Tour of Scotland” malts at a recent whisky tasting and found a great affection for it personally and thought it would pair well with a caramel chocolate. Surprisingly they worked well together.
The nose has lots of smoke but once you get over that there’s leaf tea, particularly Lapsang Souchong and seaweed. There’s also more than a suggestion of Pledge furniture polish and seaweed. Naturally there’s vanilla but a soft creamy vanilla like school custard.
The palate is rich and sweet then you get a big peat smoke rush. The mouth feel is tremendous with a malty Ovaltinesque quality.
As you’d expect the finish is long, very long, with sweet dates and Sherry and of course smoke.
A few years ago I wouldn’t have considered this but it’s massive and a dram that makes me want to experiment more with Islay malts. Slàinte mhath 🥃