Islay - - Page 2

September 1, 2015

Laphroaig whisky chocolate – dark chocolate review

These beauties come from Tampere, Finland. Dammenberg is a chocolate company famous for making handmade chocos for everyone. That means, that they make allergen-free chocolates. Dammenberg’s products are entirely free of nuts, gluten, egg and GMO, and all are Halal certified. The company also makes soy-, milk- and sugar-free chocolates. With a […]

September 1, 2015

Chocolat made out of whisky – Laphroaig whisky milk chocolate review

Laphroaig whisky chocolate – milk chocolate review

Dammenberg is a Finnish company famous for making handmade chocolat for everybody. They make allergen-free chocolates – products, that are entirely free of nuts, gluten, egg and GMO. Their chocolates are also Halal certified. Dammenberg makes also soy-free, milk-free and sugar-free chocolat. Delivering specialties in the business field of chocolate, […]

July 17, 2015

Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2013 review

Kilchoman is a young, promising farm distillery in Islay. Started at 2005, Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2013 release was also their first release of this sherry cask matured, peated single malt whisky. Kilchoman is a small distillery with 90 000 litre capacity per year. They are one of the 6 Scottish […]

July 16, 2015

Laphroaig PX Cask Triple Matured review

Laphroaig PX Cask replaced their Triplewood in the travel retail but like its predecessor, the PX Cask expression has been matured in three different casks too. With the difference, that Laphroaig PX Cask spends its last 12 months in Pedro Ximenez Ex-Sherry casks. The whole maturation process goes like this: […]

July 16, 2015

Kilchoman Machir Bay 2012 review

Kilchoman Machir Bay is a young peated and sherry cask finished malt by the newest distillery in Islay, Kilchoman. They started in 2005 and by doing so, they were the first distillery built on the region of Islay in 124 years. Kilchoman is a farm distillery, so in some releases […]

July 15, 2015

Bruichladdich 15 year old 1st Edition review

This is the First Edition of Bruichladdich 15 year old, matured 85% in American Ex-Bourbon and 15% in Ex-Sherry Spanish Oak. The 2nd Edition was matured only in American Oak and finished in Chateau d’Yquem Sauternes casks. Lightly peated, non chill-filtered and colouring free, like Laddies tend to be. Artsy […]

July 14, 2015

Kilchoman 100% Islay 2nd Edition review

Kilchoman 100% Islay 2nd Edition is a fifty-fifty vatting of 3 and 4 year old whisky matured in first fill and re-fill Ex-Bourbon casks. Kilchoman distillery started producing single malt whisky in 2005. It was the first distillery to be built on the island of Islay in 124 years. The […]

July 13, 2015

White Horse Blended Scotch Whisky review

White Horse Scotch is a blended whisky from Edinburgh, named after a famous Edinburgh hostelry. The production was started by James Logan Mackie in 1861. The brand is nowadays owned by Diageo and Lagavulin is the base malt for this malt and grain blend. It contains approximately 40% malt whisky. […]

June 30, 2015

Ardbeg Ardbog review

Well, it’s been two years since the tasting of this one but what the heck, better late than never with the reviews…Ardbog is a limited edition whisky by the Ardbeg distillery, famous for its peated whiskies from Islay. Ardbog was released during Fèis Ìle whisky festival and it was produced […]

June 24, 2015

Elements of Islay Bn4 review

Elements of Islay Bn4 is the fourth batch from Bunnahabhain distillery, bottled by the independent bottler Speciality Drinks. This dark and sweet character felt like a nice addition into the Elements of Islay series, even though I only had a chance to take few sips of it on our way to Taivaanranta […]

May 19, 2015

The Botanist Islay Dry Gin review

I am in no means a gin enthusiast. My favorite alcoholic drink besides whisky is gin tonic. But enjoying gin without a mixer is not what I usually do. That’s why you shouldn’t take my word too seriously.For a whisky aficionado and an Islay malt lover, Botanist Islay Dry Gin […]

April 18, 2015

Smokehead Extra Black 18 year old review

Smokehead 18 year old single malt is a 6000 bottle limited release by Ian Macleod – a mystery dram from Islay. There’s also a non age statement whisky under the Smokehead brand, launched in 2006. It is much cheaper and presumably, better available than this 18YO Extra Black. The name, […]

January 30, 2015

Ardbeg Uigeadail review

Obviously I’ve already heard that Ardbeg Uigeadail is a legendary non age statement whisky by the famous smoke whisky producer in Islay. But I didn’t know that when I first discovered this whisky by accident (got a miniature gift bottle while purchasing the Ardbeg 10yo). Ardbeg Uigeadail has made quite […]

January 16, 2015

Bowmore Small Batch review

Bowmore Small Batch is matured in first and second fill ex-bourbon casks. Coming from Islay, it is surprisingly light all the way. Yes, there is some of that signature peat smoke buried on the back. But we’re talking about wee hints of it. And even when talking about other things […]

January 15, 2015

Black Bottle (old bottling) review

I’m glad I got to taste the discontinued old bottling of Black Bottle. According to rumours, it has malt from almost every distillery in Islay (Kilchoman not included). And grain whisky from Speyside, Highland and Lowland. Whiskies contained in this old bottling are thought to be at least 7 years […]

December 10, 2014

Bowmore 12 year old review

One of THE USUAL SUSPECTS of smoke Even with 40% ABV level, Bowmore 12 year old is one of the heavy hitters of smoke. Not as heavy as the 10 year old drams from Ardbeg or Laphroaig. But still, one of The Usual Suspects, when it comes to smoke whisky. […]

December 8, 2014

Ardbeg 10 year old review

WhiskyRant conclusions Tasting notes Warehouse Pack Ardbeg distillery can be traced back to 1794, but it had to be closed in the 1980’s. It almost became one of the lost distilleries of Scotland, but fortunately Ardbeg was bought by Glenmorangie in 1997. The distillery got a major investment programme and […]

September 12, 2014

Murray McDavid Bowmore 9 year old 2001 Port Casks review

A single malt whisky distilled at Bowmore in 2001, where it was aged in bourbon casks. Then taken to Bruichladdich distillery for Port Pipes finishing in 2010. Limited release of 1066 bottles. Bottling of Murray McDavid. STARSKY AND HUTCH whisky – complimenting ingredients Magnificent whisky just like many of the sherry […]

September 10, 2014

Port Charlotte The Peat Project review

I didn’t say HOLY SMOKE! Port Charlotte The Peat Project is a heavily peated (44ppm) single malt from Bruichladdich. This dram is a gentle one, when it comes to smoke. It surely has smoke but it isn’t strong. Like the title suggests, this whisky is not as weird and complex, […]

September 5, 2014

Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 year old review

Green Label is a discontinued 15 year old blended malt by Johnnie Walker. In my opinion, the only nice whisky from them. “Drawn from the four corners of Scotland”— Talisker, Linkwood, Cragganmore and Caol Ila were being used in the Green Label. Each of the malts matured for minimum 15 years. […]

August 15, 2014

Laphroaig 10 year old review

Laphroaig 10 year old single malt is a smoky medicinal whisky, a legendary Islay malt, which I don’t have to explain so much. Very cost efficient dram. Matured in 1st fill Bourbon casks by Maker’s Mark. Maker’s Mark barrels are air dried more than others, which takes out some of the […]

August 14, 2014

Bruichladdich Links Valhalla 15 year old review

Matured for 15 years in bourbon casks, this dram is part ten of the Golf themed Links series from Bruichladdich distillery. Limited edition of 18 000 bottles, each bottle has been made of casks selected by Master Distiller Jim McEwan. The label has a painted golf themed Valhalla in it […]

August 5, 2014

Ardbeg Auriverdes at Teerenpeli terrace in Turku

Ardbeg Auriverdes review

Ardbeg Auriverdes, though very different from the usual Ardbegs, continues with the great quality standards, which this distillery has set in the past. This limited edition single malt whisky was launched on Ardbeg Day 2014 and it was limited to 1110 cases (6660 bottles). Ardbeg Auriverdes was distilled in 2002, […]

June 18, 2014

Caol Ila 12 year old review

Caol Ila means “Sound of Islay” in Gaelic. Their whisky is mainly used for blending, ingredient for Johnnie Walker, Bells and Big Peat for example. Only 5% of Caol Ila whisky is used for single malts. The distillery is located near Port Askaig at the North of Islay, overlooking the […]

June 17, 2014

Labour Of Love of Bruichladdich Distillery by Philippe Grenade

Another great video from Bruichladdich Distillery Bruichladdich, and their fans have really managed to capture the art of storytelling. And how to get the message go viral as well (of course). Just saw a moment ago this great 20 minute documentary by Philippe Grenade of Fortune Films. Another great example […]

June 9, 2014

Port Askaig 12 year old review

BURN AFTER READING its label and tasting This is a single malt Scotch from a mystery Islay distillery, produced by Speciality Drinks for The Whisky Exchange. In my opinion, Port Askaig is like Coen brothers production, that isn’t critically acclaimed. Islay being like the Coen brothers, producing only good products. […]

May 31, 2014

Smokey Joe Islay Malt review

MEET JOE BLACK by Angus Dundee I have to congratulate Angus Dundee, they’ve managed to make a nice mystery Islay blended malt. Which wasn’t the case with Glen Parker Speyside Single Malt. Smokey Joe could be Meet Joe Black, because it has a dark but also a gentle side. There’s […]

May 12, 2014

Sheep Dip whisky review

The name Sheep Dip comes from the insesticide used to delouse sheep prior to sheering. Back in the day, farmers used to make “home made whisky”, because they didn’t want to pay any taxes for it. To help hiding their whisky, they marked each barrel with “SD”. Great story and […]

May 2, 2014

Bunnahabhain Darach Ur Batch 1 review

One or the other from THE ODD COUPLE Bunnahabhain Darach Ur is most definitely one of The Odd Couple, when it comes to whisky from Islay. The Darach Ur, which is Gaelic for New Oak, is there. But it is reasonably smooth. Overall, this un-peaty dram from Islay is a […]

April 1, 2014

Big Peat review

Big boy – A DIE HARD whisky Big Peat is Die Hard. Offering smoky explosions and heavy blasting, yet hints of the soft and tender side, mostly for the nose. Big Peat’s personification, Beauregard I. G. Peat, is surely a citizen of Islay. You can tell that from miles away, […]