The Ileach Peaty

July 2024 - Poker Club - Nancy Amber color Nose is slightly alcoholic and spicy First sip is crystalline Second sip is honeyed and spicy Third sip is woody and slightly peaty but not smoky Then a strong spicy tamarind takes over the mouth and erases the peaty notes from the third sip. An industrial taste bothers me... Like an industrial aroma (although one cannot assume such a hypothesis for a whisky of this quality) This whisky lacks peaty and woody aromas to be truly interesting. It remains, however, acceptable if you have nothing else available! Drunk during an intense poker game, chips change hands, cards fly, jacks dance with queens, kings watch the show, full of dignity and wisdom... But it's the Aces that set the pace of this evening! May this whisky give me the boldness to bluff my hands, as the cards are not with me tonight...

Another sample from my Christmas gift set. Interesting aroma. Malty, with dried cherries, cherry syrup, and some smoke. Slightly sweet palate at first, leading to a quick, hot, smoky finish. Surprisingly hot considering the low ABV. I would compare this to decaffeinated coffee: it lacks a certain roundness in the middle. The flavor doesn't match the aroma. I give it a C-, 70 points, a scant 3 stars.

The nose offers minimal peat or smoke, but it is present. The initial taste is a pleasant sweetness that transitions into a mild spice, without becoming unpleasant. Following the spice, the smokiness truly emerges and persists even in the aftertaste. Overall, I find it very enjoyable, not spectacularly WOW, but a reliable choice, especially considering the price.

Aroma: very subtle, light oak, smoke, indistinct fruit, ash Palate: thin, peat, a touch of iodine, ash Finish: short, ash I conducted a direct comparison with Caol Ila 12, assuming this might originate from the same distillery. For what it's worth, and unsurprisingly, Caol Ila 12 is a superior whisky from start to finish! This would be suitable for making a penicillin cocktail.

Nose: Peat, oak, herbal, vanilla, seaweed/saline Palate: Smooth, damp peat, black pepper, oak, ash. Hints of salt. Caramel sweet, burnt sugar Finish: Medium long finish. Peat, leather, oak, tannic. Sweetens on the aftertaste. Sweet and a little ashy. Tastes a bit too watered down, but it's smooth and quite tasty.

While I haven't tried the 40% version, the cask strength offers a pleasant flavor profile. It could use a bit more body in the middle to connect everything, but it's decent. Flavors include seasoned wood smoke, sweetness, a hint of cherry and citrus, with the alcohol appearing at the end.