Macleod’s Islay Single Malt

Macleod’s Islay Single Malt Scotch is a product by independent bottler Ian Macleod Distillers. They’re probably most famous for Smokehead brand which also contains unknown Islay whiskies.

I owned a bottle of Smokehead 18 year old single malt, which was fairly good. My expectations for this one weren’t high, though. Just because it has no age statement and it comes from secret distillery on Islay.

Bottled only at 40% alcohol by volume, young age with added caramel color, undisclosed distillery. Those are usually signs of low quality whisky.

Caol Ila or Bowmore – is it you I’m tasting?

Cask type has not been told but I’d guess this one’s been matured in Ex-Bourbon casks, with added E150a (caramel color).

If I’d had to guess the distillery:

Taste-wise I’d say Bowmore. Yet there seems to be lots of indie Caol Ila’s lurking behind street corners. So you can add them into the guess, palate might as well be them too. Although I’ve gotten used to Caol Ila’s being less medicinal.

Smoky Scot Scoring

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