Flóki Young Malt Sheep Dung Smoked Reserve

My kids’ bathroom smelled like they had forgotten to flush. Both denied it, prompting me to tell them they needed more fiber and that their bathroom stank like a barnyard. They looked confused while eating blueberries. Then I realized the odor might be mine. It’s been a year since I last traveled; my most recent trip was to Iceland for 13 days of incredible scenery. On our last day, before heading to the airport, we visited Elmverk distillery, Iceland’s only one. I sampled a few things and took a tour. Like everything else in Iceland, I enjoyed it immensely. The experience of being there on vacation amidst magnificent vistas certainly enhanced it. The distillery is in a Reykjavik suburb and isn’t much to look at, but the preceding 13 days touring the Ring Road were still fresh in my mind. Last night, I opened a sample vial from another EU retailer, not the distillery. These are single casks, so results vary. I was missing our yearly vacation and thought of Iceland, so I poured a bit of this. Staring at the label, I recalled the powerful beauty of Godafoss waterfall, the haunting icebergs at Jokulsarlon, and seeing blue whales off Akureyri. Unfortunately, this sample is the closest I can get to a vacation right now. This single malt is unique because it's dried with sheep dung instead of peat. Sheep outnumber people in Iceland, so it makes sense. I vaguely recall not loving it at the distillery, but it was decent and unique enough. I might have rated it higher then, perhaps adding a point for the experience. Tonight, however, was different. Maybe the sample was bad, or it came from a flawed barrel. Perhaps the single ice cube I added altered the flavor. Whatever the reason, the taste was awful. I couldn't get past the barnyard smell and damp grass. It felt like standing in a pasture, not in a romanticized way, but realistically, having just stepped in dung and smelling wet sheep wool. There are two kinds of pastures: the idealized, Hollywood version with yellow daisies and a partner, and the one where you watch your step to avoid sheep and horse droppings, with muddy, wet grass and dung underfoot. The first type is for lucky drinkers opening Brora; the second is my experience tonight. I believe the ice cube changed the flavor profile. I remember trying this at the distillery, even buying a bottle, and it was very different. I didn't add ice then. It was earthier and rougher, in a good way, good enough to buy a bottle. This sample, though, was nowhere near that and might have been ruined by the ice. A minute after opening it and adding ice, the aroma was overpowering. The taste was too acrid and sharp, but more importantly, the aroma was unbearable. I couldn't finish it, opting instead for hot chocolate and Netflix. And I'm glad I won't need a plunger.

Quite unusual. It approaches with a distinct sheep-like quality, smelling of lanolin. Strong notes of gloss paint are noticeable on a thorough nosing. A saltiness is present? It possesses significant farmyard character, complementing the narrative of this malt dried with sheep dung. The whisky is young and thin, with top notes of grain akin to vodka. However, it is mellow and gentle, improving on the palate. It develops into flavors of salty licorice and aniseed, with a finish that evokes furniture polish. It's not unpleasant, but it is distinctive and not particularly characteristic of whisky.

Evokes the feeling of sitting on a hay bale beneath a birch tree, observing raindrops falling from the branches. I was apprehensive about trying this after reading the reviews, but we purchased it at duty-free in Reykjavik, so I felt compelled to taste it. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised. It is exceptionally smooth – no harshness, which I typically dislike – and while it does have a wet alfalfa hay flavor, I detect a significant amount of birch tree, sweetness, and a spice akin to clove or nutmeg towards the finish.

A connection of a connection brought this back from Iceland. It smells and tastes like vegetation that has been left in a refuse container for a week during hot weather. The malt on the initial palate isn't bad, but then the unusual, damp barnyard aroma emerges. It's certainly unique and somewhat intriguing, and not entirely disagreeable as it sounds, but you certainly wouldn't ask for another serving.

It has a flavor reminiscent of cleaning a rabbit hutch. Wet timothy hay. I also detect birch wood. Very sweet, which is somewhat unusual given the hay flavor. Very mellow/soft with minimal burn. A slight spicy finish. I'm uncertain if I would ever choose to drink it, other than as an interesting talking point.

Aroma of corn, decaying leaves, portable toilet, farm animals, earth, and fish. It tastes similar, but primarily of farm animals, aged fish, wood, and excrement (I'm guessing this last one, as I admittedly haven't tried it). I'm glad I experienced it, but it's not to my preference.