Which Islay malt do you prefer?

Well I'm simply not an Islay malt or western Islands (in general since there are more than the Islay that produce single malts) single malt drinker, since they way too smokey or peaty for me (there is a difference between these two particularities... In the first case (somkey) you feellike you're drinking out of an uncleaned ashtray, where a few giggie butts have marinated for a few months... In the second case (peaty), you feel like you're drinking from an old uncleaned medieval glass that you've just unearthed.... Xhoosing between the anvil and ther hammer, I prefer the peat expression

 

 

 

 

OT Räihälä wrote: DamoXt7942 wrote: But beer is not so smokey than Islay malt. Anyway, recent Islay malt has got more and more alcohol-smelled rather than older one. I love official Port Ellen. The problem is, Port Ellen's distillery has been closed since 1984, and there are not enough bottlings left to be available for others than those with several thick wallets. I included in the voting only those malts that are bottled nowadays, or that there is good supply of (Port Askaig).

 

The actual correct way to say this , is that the distillery has been "silent" since 1984, because before it was "expressing" itself.

 

This may sound a bit snobby, but then again single malts and prog are relatively snobby

 

 

Yeah, but it's not dissing the Islay to be included in with the rest of the west coast malts (including Jura, Skye, Mull,  Aaran abd the Campbeltown peninsula), which in comparison to the east coast (North Sea), are all very peaty and smokey (a few exceptionlike Oban, a mainland but west coast malt)

 

 

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For what it's worth, if push must come to shove, I'll choose the "weaker personality" expressions in this area of Scotland, like Bruichladdich, Jura (of the island of Jura) or Bunnahabhain... or even Oban

 

And if pushed further, I'll choose the Lagavullin or Caol or Bowmore peaty end-flavours instead  of or rather than the Ardberg or Laphroiag smoky stench

 

 

 

 

 

It's amazing how quickly an old barrel can effect whisky. In 2006, Jim McEwan at Bruichladdich made some experiments and gave a barrel of 1970 Bruichladdich 25 weeks of maturing in a Pinot Gris barrel. I happened to be around to make an article of single malts for a Finnish food&wine magazine, and he let me taste both the original and the one from the PG barrel. The difference was incredible! OTOH, even the original was probably one of the finest whiskies I've ever tasted.

BTW, Ardbeg and smokiness: I don't find the basic 10 years old as especially smoky. It's rather very, very peaty, but with less smoke.

Have anyone of you tasted Ardbeg's Corryvreckan? (I haven't - yet)

Goodness, your tongue is soft. If Ardbeg tastes ashtray to you, how can you drink anything else but smoothies?

 

For example, I find Ardbeg not that light, but much, much peatier than the graphic; definitely less smoky than Laphroaig 10. And to me, Lagavulin 16 isn't that smoky, but very peaty. Also, Taliskers should be higher up, very close to the top border.

 

Words aren't after all very precise expressions when describing a malt. I just can't understand how anyone can find anything delicate in Glenfiddich...

 

I'd agree that the worded descriptions are not really 100% reliable (every palate is different too) - I think the Rich-Light axis should be somewhat renamed, although I suspect that they're  talking about concentration of phenols in the malts, more than pure taste.

 

And neither is the actual map placement 100% accurate (ex: Dalmore - my utmost fave - is 10 km away from Glenmorangie and should not be in Beige, but in Orange colour), but it's certainly fairly trustworthy enough an  indication to my (and most) tastes.

 

Yes, I find Laphroaig more smoky than Ardberg (from memory at least - I'll know more when I open the sample next week or after), I also think Talisker  (only tried the 10Y)  should be at the top of the Y-axis, but centered (it is quite peaty compared to Ard and Laph) and Laguavullin is also tops on Y-axis, but indeed very peaty

After all, it's only fairly recent that I was able to distinguish clearly smoky from peaty

 

On the other hand, if not delicate Glenfiddich is one of the more "grassy" malt I've tasted, along with the Dalwhinnie, but the chart separates them

 

 

 

Snow Dog wrote: Sean Trane wrote: Snow Dog wrote: So my Jura would be pretty nice for you?   That one and Bruichladdich and Bunnahabain are definitely more up my alley, yes. Well pop around and lets's finish a bottle.

It's intriguing how different bottlings there may come from one single distillery, and Bowmore is perhaps topping the list of the wideness and variety. From Darkest's tar-like heavyness to Surf's light-heartedness, and when you put a dram of Mariner under your nostrils, you can almost hear the seagulls.