Aerstone Land Cask 10 Year

Review #010 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 40% Comments: aged 10 years, cask types not specified Tasted after: Aerstone Sea Cask 10 Year Appearance (no score): Auburn color. Swirling shows a thin line that clings to the glass, quickly beading but forming slow legs. Nose: 12/20 Not much complexity, campfire smoke, chalk, some hay, and perhaps a hint of lemon citrus. Palate: 30/40 Quite mild and sweet, gentle smoke, cereal, honey, and lemon. A good flavor combination without the harsh ethanol burn usually expected at this price, but the flavors lack intensity. Finish: 32/40 Surprisingly long, primarily characterized by increasing smoke, introduces some clove spice, and leaves a lingering taste of black licorice. With Water: A drop of water enhances the finish, adding a touch more spice and a subtle salty note that was not previously apparent. Total: 74/100 Final thoughts: Took a chance on this bottle; it seemed like a reasonable risk for the price. It's very easy to drink and I don't regret the purchase, but it's unfortunately unremarkable. Price: $25 Would recommend: possibly Would buy: possibly Scoring Legend: 96-100: Exceptional, perfect, divine, will savor, 5 stars. 90-95: Nearly perfect, truly special, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, nearly complete, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable, but not wowing, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but flawed, unlikely to repurchase, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, wouldn't seek it out, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or discarding, 2.5 stars or less.

Nose: Soft autumnal peat smoke with woody and vanilla overtones. There is a maritime quality but it’s certainly not “medicinal” or iodine-tinged. Maybe it’s actually more of a farmyard quality. Hmm. Okay, it’s a creosote-soaked driftwood barbecue fire on a farm by the sea shore. Palate: Briny on the arrival, turning surprisingly sweet as it develops with vanilla and honey clearly noticeable. Light, smoky, but like the nose it’s not at all medicinal and totally unlike an Islay peat flavor. Fruit, barley-sugar, butterscotch and that same autumn-dusk tinged woody character. The texture is agreeably soft with just a touch of brine. Finish: Short. Soft, sweet fruity smoke that drifts off and quickly dissipates. I have to confess I was not expecting much from this whisky but it was surprisingly satisfying and enjoyable. It’s not a coastal smoky whisky at all – banish any thoughts of Islay, Mull or Skye from your mind. The most similar whisky I can think of would be Ardmore however this is from a lowland distillery. This is a pleasant dram, but the official rating is far too high and the official tasting notes are absurd. It’s nothing earth-shattering - just an agreeably mild (in fact very mild) lower-shelf peated whisky. It good for the inexpensive price point and a good introduction to the style for novices. More experienced whisky enthusiasts should try a pour before buying as it may seem a little tame or even watery to them. Tasted from a 30ml sample (thank you to a friend) “Average”: 75/100 (2.5 stars)

Nose: Intense roasted smoke, burning plastic, fused rubber, embers, aged and acrid wood cask. At least some malt is present and thankfully no harsh alcohol sting. The aroma isn't awful, but it makes me question the intention behind it. Taste: Regrettably, it mirrors the nose exactly. Once more, I'm baffled by the concept of this absurd flavor profile. It bears no resemblance to fine peated malts. There's no connection to Island or Islay expressions, and I suspect most Highland peat enthusiasts would not, and perhaps should not, appreciate this either. Once again, happily, it's adequately matured and free of a sharp alcohol burn. Finish: Excessively prolonged, given the dismal palate. I feel an urge to cleanse my mouth immediately after sampling this. Again, this isn't due to inferior quality, but entirely because of the unpleasant character of this truly perplexing malt. Final thoughts: I was curious about its 2/10 score on Malt Review, and now I understand. Personally, I wouldn't assign such a low rating, as that implies it's undrinkable. It's far from undrinkable. Indeed, I've encountered some peculiar individuals who professed to actually like this whiskey. They are out there. Just observe your surroundings. However, if you genuinely cherish and respect your own taste buds, then steer clear of this experiment. I know Grant's aimed to "simplify" peat for newcomers, but I genuinely can't conceive of a less effective method to discourage beginners from the magnificent realm of scotch peat than Land Cask.

A deep straw that looks surprisingly oily with a swirl. Unremarkable nose, nothing jumps out. Gentle simple syrup, a freshly snapped green bean, hay - maybe a hint of orange. A burning grassland smoke makes a slow and subtle takeover toward the end. Some loam and chalk. Appreciating the nose a bit more than I did at first, but still okay at best. Starts very unassertive without much sweetness. Builds into a gentle vegetal spice which lingers pleasantly while the peat slowly rolls in like fog in the valley. Lemon oil. Earth. Some sips flash a bit sweeter, but only noticeable given the usual absence. This one is a bit perplexing. Mild and unassuming but competently crafted. Unremarkable yet lacks defects. I find myself reaching for this more than expected: a sessionable peated dram. The lack of sweetness without being “dry” or “tannic” is both the biggest oddity and most compelling facet because it feels like a rarity. 80 proof feels correct - it hasn’t got the DNA to be a complex flavor bomb… just a really decent option for an any-day sipper. At $30 MSRP it’s a reasonable value - I don’t think there is any competition that does peat this well. I saw this on sale at Total Wine for $23 and should have bought a case in hindsight - it’s just nice to have on hand.

This will not blow you away, but it is a dependable spirit that has become my go-to peated daily sipper as prices for Islay and Island whiskies climb. The concept of a lowland whisky with peat was intriguing. Yes, there's the AnCnoc Cutter, but that's a $70 bottle, and I never found Ailsa Bay to purchase. Enter Aerstone, an expression from the Ailsa Bay distillery. The nose presents highland smoke accompanied by floral and light vegetal notes, honey, unripe pear and nectarine, vanilla, a hint of peach and lemon in the background, along with the typical malt that comes across almost as a funkiness in lowlands. The taste is honeyed sweetness, fruit, and malt notes. Mid-palate, the smoke and light, almost toasted wood emerge. The end of the palate, carrying into the finish, offers a ginger spice, and the finish concludes with wisps of smoke, honey, and sweet black licorice. The only other lowland I truly enjoy is the Auchentoshan American Oak, but this has become my favorite, especially considering the ratio of cost to whisky and enjoyment.

This is an affordable smoky scotch that's acceptable. Undiluted, the aroma presents packing tape, resin smoke, and brine, with a touch of red fruit and oak. The taste offers a lot of pink erasers, damp smoke (a blast of burning plastic after adding water), and some sweet malt with vegetative notes, like broccoli or Brussels sprouts. The finish is a bit bitter, but the salty smoke and sweet cigar tobacco linger sufficiently to balance it. It has a distinct profile from many smoky Islay scotches, but lacks the necessary depth or flavor intensity to make a strong impression. Considering its price, it's intriguing, but I wouldn't buy it again.....76/100.....I prefer a classic peated profile from brands like Shieldaig or Ardmore when I'm looking for a bargain smoker.