Classic of Islay Jack Wieber 2015 review

Friend of mine told me about a German importer from Berlin, who has released bottlings under the name of Jack Wieber since 1998. Jack Wiebers Whisky World is a wholesale business operating in Wiener Strasse, Berlin. Owned by Lars-Göran Wiebers, the whisky shop is specialized in independent and rare bottlings. And they do release their own bottlings as well, from various distilleries. Various ranges of only single cask bottlings are sold along with all the important detail on the label, except the name of the distillery. As soon as my friend told me about the rumors, that their The Classic of Islay might be cask strength Lagavulin, I had to buy a sample.

Classic of Islay Jack Wiebers Whisky Cask 320

Photo by whisky-on-line.com

So, The Classic of Islay Jack Wieber is an independent bottling from a mystery Islay distillery, bottled at cask strength. Apparently the whisky has been bottled in Glasgow and it’s been said to be matured in Ex-Sherry casks. The sample I got was from:

Cask nos. 320
Bottled 2015

A young peat monster, very feisty: offering great value for the price you’ll be getting it. It really made me think of buying a whole bottle.

FILTH but I love it

Like said, this NAS whisky by Jack Wieber Classic of Islay is a fierce whisky. Full of thick peat smoke and phenols. Coastal and rough, but good – just the way I like it. And it does feel like Lagavulin, a very young but good Lagavulin. I’ve used the work of Irvine Welsh before with Lagavulin references so I’ll use it again. Especially when the movie Filth fits very well with this cask strength whisky.

Purely a filthy whisky in a good way. Rough like a script based on Irvine Welsh book, directed by Danny Boyle, can be. I like this whisky a lot. Keep it coming, great job by Jack Wiebers and apparently, Lagavulin.

Matured in:

Ex-Sherry casks?

Colour: Golden dark amber

Nose: Strong coastal notes start the show, seafood and salty air breeze. Turns more into rubbery and meaty malt over time. Some leather notes as well, at some point felt like smelling a harbor man’s leather jacket. Bit sweet and greasy, wee ham notes are present and of course some phenolic peat.

Taste: Very dry, peaty and medicinal. The taste does remind me of Lagavulin. Like a one-sided version of the 16YO Lagavulin. Bit sweet with strong peat smoke.

Finish: Dry and peppery, surprisingly quick for a cask strength, yet medium length. Peat is also present with some sweet, syrupy notes. The phenols are very much present again.

Balance: Young age shows but still it’s a good whisky. Strong, yet smooth – in balance. Has character but is a straight shooter. Filthy peat monster with some of that medicinal healing power. “Bang for buck” whisky, definitely.