Which "Lighter Side of Islay"

[Stu]

Yes Meg, its the iodine taste- I called it turpentine. Its definitely an acquired taste for me but it only took 4 days to start enjoying it. Lag and Ardbeg is relatively easier on the peatiness. Ardbeg is my favorite among the Islay.

Believe it or not, Ardbeg has the highest amount of peat smoke in their barley. I agree that it doesn't taste as peaty or medicinal as Laphroaig or as smoky as Lagavulin, but that's probably due to the shape of their stills and their water source.

Stu

[Luna56]

Seems like you almost have to regard the smoky peat monsters as a whole separate thing. They're weird but I've enjoyed them so far.

Sometimes in the winter we get these big nor'easters and you can smell a bit of the ocean (I'm about 40 minutes from the ocean here) when the wind is strong off the sea. Then, it's Lagavulin time.

I've got a bottle of Laphroaig QC open now and am surprised at how sweet it is. I was expecting a snarling peat monster. It's pretty nice but a bit more civil than I had anticipated.

Cheers to all, and welcome, Leo!

[Megawatt]

Anyone tried McLelland Islay? It's a cheap bottling by Bowmore and I was thinking that it might be a low-risk (in terms of cost) introduction into Islay malts.

[Gov]

Anyone tried McLelland Islay? It's a cheap bottling by Bowmore and I was thinking that it might be a low-risk (in terms of cost) introduction into Islay malts.

Your better off getting a bottle of Bowmore Legend for around the same price as McClelland

[Megawatt]

Your better off getting a bottle of Bowmore Legend for around the same price as McClelland

Not available here, unfortunately. Most Islays run in the $50+ range, whereas McClelland is only $30. But if it's no good, there would be no use in buying it at any price...

[Gov]

Its not bad, its nothing special, but fairly decent

[Frodo]

Anyone tried McLelland Islay? It's a cheap bottling by Bowmore and I was thinking that it might be a low-risk (in terms of cost) introduction into Islay malts.

My recommendation at the LCBO - state liqour control board in Ontario - would be the 1997 Dun Bheagan Islay @ $45 or so. Young and frisky, but with some sherry casking to smooth out the youthful edges.

I did try the McLelland Islay and was singularly unimpressed.

[Megawatt]

My recommendation at the LCBO - state liqour control board in Ontario - would be the 1997 Dun Bheagan Islay @ $45 or so. Young and frisky, but with some sherry casking to smooth out the youthful edges.

I did try the McLelland Islay and was singularly unimpressed.

Thanks, I'll steer clear of McClelland Islay (incidentally, have you tried their Highland or Speyside bottlings?).

Here is what the LCBO says about Dun Bheagan 8: Extremely smoky, peaty and intense - not for the faint of heart; warm, slightly medicinal, peat smoke flavours

Would you agree? To put it in perspective, I found Lagavulin 16 nearly undrinkable. Yet so many people have such good things to say about Islays that I feel it might be worth pursuing...

[Frodo]

Thanks, I'll steer clear of McClelland Islay (incidentally, have you tried their Highland or Speyside bottlings?).

Here is what the LCBO says about Dun Bheagan 8: Extremely smoky, peaty and intense - not for the faint of heart; warm, slightly medicinal, peat smoke flavours

Would you agree? To put it in perspective, I found Lagavulin 16 nearly undrinkable. Yet so many people have such good things to say about Islays that I feel it might be worth pursuing...

Rumor has it that the Dun Bheagan Islay 1997 is actually a young Lagavulin so if you didn't like the regular 16yr old, the Dun Bheagan will be more intense!

Perhaps the Bowmore 12yr @ $48? I'd actually recommend the Highland Park 12 if you haven't tried it already although that might be above your intended price range as it is $55 at the LCBO.

[LeoDLion]

Believe it or not, Ardbeg has the highest amount of peat smoke in their barley. I agree that it doesn't taste as peaty or medicinal as Laphroaig or as smoky as Lagavulin, but that's probably due to the shape of their stills and their water source.

Stu

The measure of peatiness is measured by HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatograph) and reported as ppm phenols. Here is some examples:

Ardbeg malted barley is 54 ppm; fresh spirit is 17-24 ppm

Laphroiag malted barley is 40 ppm; fresh spirit is 25 ppm; 8-10 ppm in 10 yrs; 6 ppm in 30 yrs

BenRiach malted barley is 55 ppm; fresh spirit is 35ppm

The most peaty is Octomore I made by Bruichlladich with 80.6 ppm; Octomore II is a staggering 167 ppm; 29.6 ppm in 2002; 46.4 in 2003

Apparently peatiness decreases when the spirit is matured in oak barrels. Octomore is not release yet but even if you want to reserve, its all been bought.

http://www.whisky-news.com/En/reports/Peat_phenol_ppm.pdf

[Stu]

Anyone tried McClellan Islay? It's a cheap bottling by Bowmore and I was thinking that it might be a low-risk (in terms of cost) introduction into Islay malts.

I see some have already answered this, but my experience with McClellan has been different. They buy whisky from various distillers and sell it as their own Islay, Speyside, Highland, or Lowland. It varies from batch to batch. While the majority of their Islay that I've tried has been a young Bowmore, I occasionally find a Lagavulin or Caol Ila, and once even a Laphroaig. The owner of the Liquor store I patronize in Little Rock is a Lagavulin lover.When he finds a batch of McClellan that contains Lagavulin, he buys many cases of that batch. He always lets me know and holds some 1.75 bottles for me. I recently emptied my last one into my travel kit, but if I go to Little Rock again before the Sampler I'll get a bottle to put on the table, (so Joe can accuse me of "polluting" the table again) if not I'll take my travel bottle that still has a little left in it. It's cheap enough in my area (compared to other malts) that I try them occasionally and if I get one I'm not real fond of, I use it for bar scotch. The last highland I got, I think is a Cynelish. I know I have a bottle of unopened Highland that I'll take.

[LeoDLion]

Stu,

I also buy McClellan Islay and sometimes the Highlands.

You said that your liquior store sometimes will come across a McClellan that is a young Laphroiag. How does he know that? I dont see anything in the label that tells me the original distillery where it came from? Am I missing something?

I am further maturing young whisky in oak barrels at home. I have some 1 liter oak barrel and some 5 liter ones. The McClellan Islay comes out very nice after several weeks. And I like to get hold of some young Laphroiag or Lag or any of the Islay whiskies for experimentation. Thats why I am interested when you said you got a McClellan that is a Laphroaig.

Leo

[Stu]

Stu,

I also buy McClellan Islay and sometimes the Highlands.

You said that your liquior store sometimes will come across a McClellan that is a young Laphroiag. How does he know that? I dont see anything in the label that tells me the original distillery where it came from? Am I missing something?

I am further maturing young whisky in oak barrels at home. I have some 1 liter oak barrel and some 5 liter ones. The McClellan Islay comes out very nice after several weeks. And I like to get hold of some young Laphroiag or Lag or any of the Islay whiskies for experimentation. Thats why I am interested when you said you got a McClellan that is a Laphroaig.

Leo

Leo,

The store I'm referring to has a license to do tastings. When he gets a new lot no. on his McClellan, he opens a bottle for "tasting". If it is a Lagavulin (twice so far) he puts that lot in the back room for special customers. Only once, years ago, did I get a Laphroaig and I don't remember where I bought it. The last time I bought a Highland from him, I'd bet it was Clynlish. I've got another bottle that I'll be taking to the gazebo if you're going to the Sampler. There are some outstanding nosers up there and I want to get their opinion, I'd like yours too if you're going.

Stu

[AVB]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that you are talking about McClelland's Scotch. Take it as absolute fact that this is Morrison-Bowmore product. The Highlands is 5 yo Glen Garioch, the Lowand is 5 yo Auchentoshan and the Islay is, in fact, 5 yo Bowmore. The Speyside isn't known for sure but is most likely Macallan. There is no, nor has there been, Laphroaig in McClelland's.

Edit: Let me clarify. Since the early 70's McClelland's has been all Morrison-Bowmore. Prior to 1970 they did buy from other producers.

[LeoDLion]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that you are talking about McClelland's Scotch. Take it as absolute fact that this is Morrison-Bowmore product. The Highlands is 5 yo Glen Garioch, the Lowand is 5 yo Auchentoshan and the Islay is, in fact, 5 yo Bowmore. The Speyside isn't known for sure but is most likely Macallan. There is no, nor has there been, Laphroaig in McClelland's.

Edit: Let me clarify. Since the early 70's McClelland's has been all Morrison-Bowmore. Prior to 1970 they did buy from other producers.

That is what I was told that McClellan Islay is- a young Bowmore. In Houston, we get the McClellan Islay, Highlands, and Lowlands. I have not seen a Speyside although I like to get one.

But Stu is saying that by tasting, they can tell the origin of the whisky in the bottle. First of all I am not sure if the bottler (McClellan) will change the source of their single malt and call it by the same brand. After all they are selling McClellan as a single malt, not a blend.

Its very possible that the taste of a 5-year Bowmore will change from cask to cask. Which may lead some people to believe that a particular release is a different single malt. Can't fault people for that.

[Stu]

I've enough respect for AVB that if he says it's a fact, it's a fact. However I said in my original post that the Laphroaig I had was years ago, possibly pre 1970. I further stated that my source of Lagavulin bottles was a store owner who loves Lagavulin and horded two shipments that he received. I know the 2nd was well after 1970 (late 80s or early 90s) I don't know about the first. Another malt connoisseur tasted it at my house and immediately said that's a very young Lagavulin. I live in Arkansas. All retailers must buy from an Arkansas distributor. There are only three licensed distributors that I know of in the State (used to be 5). It is quite possible that that shipment had been sitting in a warehouse for years before it was shipped, is it not? I will not argue for my pallet on bourbon, but I will on malts, especially Is lay malts. I wonder if AVB agrees with me when I say that the Laphroaig 10 of today is not the Laphroaig 10 of the 70s. It was much more medicinal, "seaweedy", and had more iodine flavor (or has my pallet changed since the 70s?). That's why they're doing the quarter casks, to try to recapture the "old" Laphroaig flavor. Again, if AVB says the McClellan of today is Bowmore, I believe him. While I agree with Leo that there could be variance between batches caused by the barrels that they bought, I don't believe that variance would ever be great enough to have me mistake a Bowmore for a Lagavulin (but I'll admit that anything is possible I try to never use the word "never").

Stu

[LeoDLion]

I believe you Stu when you said your Lap McClellan could be from the pre-1970 McClellan, no problem here. But many people did tell me that the Islay is a young Bowmore, they just did not tell or not know when that started. I did not even know McClellan is around since the 70's, I thought its a newer bottling by Morrison.

[AVB]

Odd that you should mention that since I recently (mid March) had a chance to try a Laphroaig from 1972, at least that was the date on the tax stamp. However, I didn't have a current offering to compare it too at the time and it was a few days until I got home so all I have are my impressions. Since the bottle was unopened and stored properly it was probably as good a representation of a 70's Laphroaig as one would find. It did seem more salty with a stronger iodine background. I'm thinking that the peat was just better back then then now.

I wonder if AVB agrees with me when I say that the Laphroaig 10 of today is not the Laphroaig 10 of the 70s. It was much more medicinal, "seaweedy", and had more iodine flavor (or has my pallet changed since the 70s?).

Stu

[Stu]

Odd that you should mention that since I recently (mid March) had a chance to try a Laphroaig from 1972, at least that was the date on the tax stamp. However, I didn't have a current offering to compare it too at the time and it was a few days until I got home so all I have are my impressions. Since the bottle was unopened and stored properly it was probably as good a representation of a 70's Laphroaig as one would find. It did seem more salty with a stronger iodine background. I'm thinking that the peat was just better back then then now.

Lucky you! I'd be willing to pay double retail for a bottle of 1972 Laphroaig.

I know that Laphroaig and Bowmore are the only two distilleries on Islay that currently peat their own malt. However, they can not peat enough to keep up with the current demand. Therefore, they buy most of their malt from Port Ellen Maltings, like the other Islay distilleries. Port Ellen has monstrous kilns and peat for each distillery according to their instructions. I don't know if they made all their own malt by hand or not in the 70s, that could be the reason. Another possibility is that I heard when Ian Henderson took over as distillery manager in the 80s, one of his goals was to make Laphroaig appeal to a wider range of people. I heard this from another distillery manager who I would rather not name. I don't know the answer to either of these questions since my first trip to Islay was in 2002. I am glad to know that my memory still serves me well. Thanks. Even though we've never met, your reviews give me the utmost respect for your nose.

There is a new kid on the block in Islay, Kilchoman, As of yet they have nothing for sale. Their plan was to make an all Islay whisky. They have a farm where they grow their own barley (malt), they plan to peat it, distill it, store it, and bottle it on Islay, cutting it with the same water used for distillation. Sounds rather ambitious to me. I have some friends who bought a barrel in their first year (they're a lot younger than me). In their first year they had to use some malt they did not grow. I don't know what their current situation is. I'd like to be there this year the same time D and M are there so I can maybe get a taste from their barrel and see what it's like after 3 years in oak. I've had their new make, and enjoyed it. However I'm not good enough to taste new make and figure out what it will taste like in 5 or 10 years. Actually there is a newer kid on the block. Last year Jim McEwan opened (or re opened) the Port Charlotte distillery.

Stu

[LeoDLion]

... Last year Jim McEwan opened (or re opened) the Port Charlotte distillery.

Stu

I have a bottle of Port Charlottle 6 (PC6) which I am planning to open in June 2008 for a special occasion. From what I heard of the tasting notes for PC5, this is a very good peaty malt from Islay. Well see.

[AVB]

I've had the released Kilchoman "New Spirit" and a taste of a one off sample bottle that was different enough to notice from the "New Spirit" mini. This could be rather interesting in a few years.

[Luna56]

There is a new kid on the block in Islay, Kilchoman, As of yet they have nothing for sale. Their plan was to make an all Islay whisky. They have a farm where they grow their own barley (malt), they plan to peat it, distill it, store it, and bottle it on Islay, cutting it with the same water used for distillation. Sounds rather ambitious to me.

Stu

Wow, ambitious, indeed. Any idea when they'll begin releasing (aged) whisky?

Cheers!

[bigtoys]

Lagavulin was one of the first single malts I tried on a recommendation by a salesman at Harrods; he warned me it would be different. I immediately took a liking to it. Tried Laphroig and Ardbeg at Whiskyfest a couple of years ago and found them much more peaty (peatier?). The other Islay that I like is Bowmore, a little less peaty than Lagavulin.

Talisker is more on the smoky side. To me, peaty=iodine. If you taste them together, I think you can tell the difference.

Another lightly peated single malt is Superstition by Isle of Jura--see this link:

http://www.isleofjura.com/range/detail.cfm?contentid=33

[drrich1965]

The notion of what malt is more “peaty” is tricky. For instance, the peating level for Laphroig is much higher than Caol Ila. However, a 7 year old Caol Ila from a refill sherry cask (perhaps the second time used post sherry), might taste must more peaty than the OB 15 year old Laphroaig. One’s experience of peatyness is often in relation to the other elements present in the whisky, i.e. the more wood influence the less subjectively peaty a whisky may be. By same token, a very peaty malt might not seem so peaty when it is from a first fill sherry cask, as the sherry will add “balance.”

To me, peat can impart different flavors, depending upon other elements and the peat that is used. Sometimes it can be more medicinal, at times more maritime, other times more “Smokey.” It also depends upon the manner in which peat is influenced, and for the amount of time.

Then, another factor is peating level found in independent bottling. I have had Caol Ilas that were massively peaty, and others that seemed more like a peated Speyside (i.e. Glen Garioch distilled before the 90s).

Also, I have a peated 9yo Bunna’ that tastes like nothing else- hard to say what is lighter and what is heavier in peating levels at times.

I say try them all, and certainly do not shy away from the younger ones, especially the younger cask strength Islays (usually independents). Binnys has a great selection them.

Rich

[Stu]

Wow, ambitious, indeed. Any idea when they'll begin releasing (aged) whisky?

Cheers!

By UK law distilled barley can not be called whisky until it has been aged a minimum of three years. Until then the Scots call it "new make" (white dog in Kentucky). Therefore Kilchomam could legally call their product whisky later this year. However I know of no distillery that has released their whisky before five years (however it may have happened). It takes whisky longer to age in cold damp Scotland than it does in Kentucky.