Port Askaig 100° Proof

Another sample dram from my gift set. An interesting no-age-statement spirit from a hidden distiller on Islay... but who? To be fair, I haven't tasted enough Islays on my still-short malt tasting journey to make an educated guess. Without any official tasting notes or many user reviews, I had no preconceptions, other than I figured it would be peaty, being an Islay, and expected it would be potent, considering the 57.1% ABV. I don't even know what kind of cask finishing this whisky underwent. But, I went ahead and added about a 1/4 teaspoon of water to the 1 oz dram and let it rest for 15 minutes to open up. Pale in the glass with minimal legs on swirling. On the nose, it is malty, with a sweet tart note similar to perhaps a Riesling. Also, a healthy dash of cigar ash asserts itself with an intensity equal to the other notes combined and then some. No sea spray, ships ropes, boat house, kelp, brine, or other nautical/maritime themes seemed to be present. On the palate, it is surprisingly sweet. Plenty of honey to offset some of the harsher qualities. Make no mistake, this stuff gets your attention. The cigar ash, although not as prominent on the palate as on the nose, is integrated throughout, from first introduction on the tip of the tongue to the fairly long finish. The heat of the high ABV coupled with the ash gives the impression of smoking a very peppery cigar. There is very little of the salt and iodine expected from an Islay, and none of the rubber or bandaid notes that often accompany Islay malts. However, after the finish subsided, I noticed upon exhaling through my nose that there was the distinct essence of Cephacol sore throat spray, giving it a medicinal quality at the very end. Overall impressions? Oddly enough, I rather liked it, although I doubt I would go through the pains of seeking it out. I don't think I could get it locally. I would give it 3.5 stars for being good at what it does, which is giving the impression of drinking a strong single malt while smoking a peppery cigar. It doesn't offer waves of morphing and changing layers of complexity like a good peaty Highland (think Talisker or Highland Park) or lots of maritime and medicinal notes of some of its Islay brethren. Very nice to sample, though.

APPEARANCE Pale straw AROMA Stone fruit (peaches, pears, dried apples), peat smoke, malted grain sweetness, vanilla, honey, mineral notes and a hint of plastic. Immature, fresh and invigorating. It presents a somewhat spirited scent that reminds me of "Caol Ila". TASTE Minerality, smoke, dried fruit, citrus zest, vanilla cake and some malted grain sweetness with a touch of spice. Similar to the scent, it has a spirited quality, but it functions rather well here. It's a strong, zesty dram. AFTERTASTE Lingering -> Smoke, honey, spice and minerality. HARMONY, WEIGHT and TEXTURE Good harmony, medium to full body, slick texture.

One of the most balanced, smooth, and controlled sweet-peated drams I've experienced. Nose: It smells like I'm smoking meats over hot embers. A faint hint of lemon zest with a subtle sweetness. Palate: Surprisingly, the peat isn't overwhelming here - it tastes like sweet apple cider with the lemon zest being more noticeable. The smoked meat is more prominent. Finish: A long, smoky-peat finish - drawn out, similar to strong Lapsang Souchong tea. While it may not astound dedicated peat enthusiasts, this dram is refined and well-balanced. Incredibly smooth and elegant.

Let me start by saying this whisky's pale wine hue is noticeable, and not positively. Could this be a very young spirit? Setting that aside, the aroma is truly fantastic and invigorating, featuring a blend of lime, malt (like a wheat beer) and smoke. The taste brings in more smoke, and at 57% ABV, it requires some water to mellow, but wow, this is excellent. Even the conclusion is a win, with a lengthy and flavorful end. Maybe I'm off base, but I suspect this whisky bears a strong resemblance to the Caol Ila 12. I suggest giving it a try!

The aroma brings sake to mind at first, then I detected salt and smoke. The taste was totally unforeseen, particularly given its light color in the glass. I double-checked to make sure it wasn't colorless! Then, upon sipping, it offered sweetness, spice, and all things delightful! It was among the most astonishing drinks I've sampled recently.

Pale straw color. The nose presents a blend of lemon and subtle smoke, with just a whisper of barley sugar and menthol. It hits the palate with lemon, citrus peel, a mineral quality, and a white pepper spice that finishes the taste by drying the mouth. The medium finish brings more lemon, concluding with a dry heat.