PORT ELLEN TO REOPEN IN 2023

 PORT ELLEN SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

Established on Islay's south coast in 1825 by A K Mackay and Co., Port Ellen is reputed to have been the first distillery to have incorporated Septimus Fox's spirit-safe design in the distillation process. Closed in 1983, Port Ellen has since become one of the most sought-after whiskies in the world. Increasingly rare, spirit produced at the distillery demonstrates some of the finest characters found on the island of Islay.

Its innovations did not stop at spirit-safe design, however. After having been taken over by the shrewd and energetic John Ramsay in 1836, Port Ellen became the first distillery to trade with North America in 1848. Ramsay secured the right to export in larger casks and store the casks in bonded warehouses prior to export, a system which persists to this day. The export of single malts in wooden barrels has been prohibited by the Scotch Whisky Association for over a decade. They may be exported only in readily sellable bottles, with full provenance.

Ramsay was a busy man, it would seem. As well as helping Robert Stein and Aeneas Coffey develop their continuous stills at his distillery, he was also instrumental in the establishment of the Islay to Glasgow steamboat service, imported Sherry and Madeira into Glasgow, was at one time the Liberal MP for Stirling and served as the chairman of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce.

As far as many people are concerned, Port Ellen is one of the great lost distilleries of Scotland. After John Ramsay's death, Port Ellen stayed in the hands of his family, but they sold their interest in the 1920s and it was acquired by DCL/ John Dewar & Sons in 1925. It was mothballed in 1929. No whisky was distilled at Port Ellen for almost 40 years, but it continued to operate maltings and bonded warehouses until it was re-opened in 1966-67. In 1973 a large drum malting was built that continues to supply malt to all the distilleries on Islay to this day.

In 1966 the number of stills was expanded from two to four and Port Ellen started producing whisky again in April 1967. Their four stills were initially heated by mechanical coal stokers but later the distillery switched to steam heated coils. The Port Ellen distillery was closed again in May 1983 and not long afterwards the license to distill whisky was cancelled. However, the nearby drum maltings are still used by Diageo UDV – and supplly the malted barley for a few other distilleries that belong to the group, Lagavulin, Caol Ila and Port Ellen (until the distillery was closed in 1983). Later on Port Ellen started to produce malted barley for other distilleries on Islay as well.

In fact, the factory of malted barley can be visited during the annual 'Feis Ile' whisky festival on Islay. It is interesting to 'have a look in the kitchen' where you learn that the various distilleries require different 'recipes' for their malt with different peating levels and how these demands are met.

In 1974 the old fashioned floor maltings at Port Ellen were replaced with a brand new type of installation to malt and dry barley; so-called drum maltings. These drums are fully automated installations, not unlike modern domestic washing machines.

Initially Port Ellen malted barley exclusively for Scottish Malt Distillers (SMD, a predecessor of Diageo) which owned three distilleries on Islay in the early 1970's; Port Ellen, Caol Ila and Lagavulin. The management of SMD felt that the traditional floor maltings of these distilleries couldn't produce enough malted barley cheap enough anymore. By building one single (modern) malting facility, SMD would be able to supply all three distilleries' with the malted barley they needed. With that in mind, the Port Ellen maltings facility was built in 1972.

This facility (including nine barley silos) was commissioned in 1973; the malting drums are the largest in the UK. Because the Port Ellen maltings supplied its malted barley to three Islay distilleries all malted barley was (heavily) peasted. The peat that is used at the Port Ellen maltings is harvested from Castlehill moss, which is located less than three miles from the Port Ellen distillery.

The Port Ellen maltings worked normally until the early 1980's when the whisky industry experienced a significant decline in demand. Almost two dozen distilleries (including Port Ellen) were closed in the year 1983 while others (including Caol Ila and Lagavulin) reduced their production. Due to the reduction in production it appeared doubtful whether or not the Port Ellen maltings would be able to remain active at these relatively low levels of production. Fortunately, some other distilleries on Islay and Jura agreed to start using malted barley from the Port Ellen maltings. It took a while to arrive at an 'gentleman's agreement'; the Concordat of Islay Distillers.

The local distilleries agreed to take at least a proportion of their malt from the Port Ellen maltings. In the future the maltings had to produce malt to the requirements of each individual customer. As a result, the Port Ellen maltings produce not only high peated, direct fired malt these days, but unpeated malting as well.

2001 - The first of a series of annual official releases of Port Ellen appeared on the market. In the same year the two oldest independent bottlings of Port Ellen we know of were released; the Port Ellen 31yo 1969/2001 (42.9%, Douglas Laing OMC for Alambic Germany, 41 Bts.) and the Port Ellen 31yo 1969/2001 (40%, Silver Seal, First Bottling, 156 Bts.)

One of the requirements of the Excise Act of 1824 was that distillers had to install a spirit safe, which allowed the government to monitor the production of a distillery. At the time some distillers claimed that a spirit safe might have a negative effect on the quality of the spirit. They felt that experiments with a spirit safe should be carried out - and they selected Port Ellen distillery to hold these trials.

The aforementioned Concordat of Islay Distillers is not as important as it used to be in the 1980's (due to changes in distillery ownership and senior management), but demand for malted barley from Port Ellen remains high, especially from the Lagavulin and Caol Ila malt whisky distilleries.

Port Ellen was closed in the slump of 1983, but the whisky made in the 17 or so years between its re-opening and final closure has acquired a reputation as some of the finest to have been made on Islay in that time. Following two outstandingly successful Rare Malt bottlings in 1998 and 2000, Diageo has released an official bottling of Port Ellen every year since 2001, ending at 17 editions in 2017. There have also been myriad independent bottlings, particularly from Signatory and Douglas Laing. 

Prices for Port Ellen have increased steadily over the last decade as the reputation of the distillery grows and supplies dwindle. The first official bottling from Diageo, released in 2001, has spiralled in price to around £3,000 at the time of writing, while older independent bottlings can now fetch prices up to £3,500-£4,000.

Port Ellen is a versatile malt, with considerable differences of style evident between different bottlings. Some sherry-casked Port Ellen can be beautifully rich, spicy, sweet and leathery; bourbon and refill casks often show a more austere, peppery medium-weighted style. Common characteristics, though, are a high level of peatiness and, in the best examples, a phenomenal complexity that Islay fans adore. For these reasons, Port Ellen has become one of the most sought-after of the lost distilleries by collectors, investors and aficionados.

Iconic “Lost” Distilleries To Be Revived On Islay

In 2017, Diageo issued a Press Release stating that Port Ellen and Brora, two of the most revered “lost” distilleries in the global spirits industry, were to be brought back to life in a powerful statement of confidence in the future of Scotch whisky. The distilleries, which had been silent since they were closed in 1983, were to be brought back into production through a £35 million investment by Diageo.

In the 34 years since Brora and Port Ellen were closed, the whiskies they produced have become some of the most highly prized and sought-after liquids in Scotch whisky, renowned for exceptional quality and character; elevating the ghost distilleries to cult status amongst whisky enthusiasts and collectors.

For many years whisky fans around the world have called on Diageo to reopen these closed distilleries. The decision was partly a response to those demands from existing enthusiasts but it also reflected the strong growth in the single malt Scotch market and the opportunity to create new generations of whisky consumers.

Port Ellen Distillery on the famous whisky island of Islay (and Brora on the remote eastern coast of Sutherland) would be reinstated to distill in carefully controlled quantities, with meticulous attention to detail, replicating where possible the distillation regimes and spirit character of the original distilleries. Cask filling and traditional warehousing would also be included on-site.

The new Brora and Port Ellen distilleries would be among Diageo’s smallest distilleries, capable of producing 800,000 litres of alcohol per year. They were to replicate as closely as possible the previous taste profiles of Port Ellen and Brora, with medium-peated characters at both sites.

Subject to planning permission and regulatory consents, detailed design, construction and commissioning work, it was expected the distilleries would be in production by 2020.

Unfortunately, they had not reckoned with the vicissitudes of Nature in the form of the Covid 19 pandemic that brought the world to a standstill.

The Port Ellen Distillery build is currently under the management of Alexander McDonald, an Islay resident with previous positions held in Kilchoman, Lagavulin and Caol Ila distilleries. As of today, plans are for the distillery to reopen next year, 2023.

PORT ELLEN: UNTOLD STORIES SERIES THE SPIRIT SAFE

Port Ellen released a 39 YO single malt from original, finite stocks in April 2019. This was the first exclusive release of the “Untold Stories Series” worldwide, an exploration into the innovative and trailblazing background of this iconic Islay distillery. Port Ellen: Untold Stories The Spirit Safe, a 39-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, was one of the oldest releases from the revered distillery. With only 1,500 bottles produced, it was available from selected luxury retailers globally. Closed over thirty years ago in 1983, set to remain silent for all time, the Port Ellen distillery is now to be reopened in 2023. While the world waits for it to start production again, only a finite amount of its original stock remains. Since 2001, the small batch releases of Port Ellen stocks in the renowned Special Releases Series from Diageo have been highly sought after. This launch marks the first global release since the Single Malt stopped being part of the yearly releases, making it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own one of the finest Single Malts around the globe.                             

Distillery	Port Ellen (silent)
Series / Description	Untold Stories - The Spirit Safe
Vintage	1978
Year Bottled	2018
Age	39 years
Alcohol ABV	50.9 %
Cask Strength	Yes
Cask Wood Type	American & European Oak
Single Cask	No
Number Bottled	1500
Packaging	Wooden Box
Bottler	Distillery
Country of Origin	Scotland
Stopper	Cork
Bottle Type	Standard
Bottle Size	70cl

An elegant and complex Single Malt Scotch Whisky, expertly married from a selection of ex-US Bourbon and ex-European Sherry refill casks, never before has a whisky of this age been released to the community, at a global level. Renowned for its alluring, peaty wilderness and unforgiving coastline, Port Ellen has been established as a cult whisky with unrivalled depth. This release embodies the regular smoke from the local Islay peat but comes across as slightly softer. Radiant in appearance, with exquisite beading, its smooth texture and sweet, salty then smoky taste give a complex yet balanced finish.

Setting a rare precedent for exceptional whisky since the beginning of 1825, this release is a perfect exploration of how early innovation at the distillery played a role in shaping the whisky industry as a whole. There’s an ethereal quality to Port Ellen and to the distillery itself. It is not easy to grasp what makes it so unique, but the people definitely matter. John Ramsay was an early innovator in the whisky industry, and not many people know how important Port Ellen was in the early days of the whisky industry. Through this release, Diageo hopes to give more insight into why it is so special a liquid, not just for its flavour, but for its history.

This Port Ellen: Untold Stories The Spirit Safe, 39-Year-Old, is an exceptional Single Malt Scotch whisky from the storied distillery on Islay. Its ground-breaking founder skillfully harnessed the island's alluring, peaty wilderness and unforgiving coastline to create a distillery which produced cult whiskies with unrivalled depth. There is regular smoke from the local peat, but this one is softer. As this release has been selected from a small number of casks, it is very different to other Port Ellen releases. Authentic in character, as it came from the casks and natural in colour, this liquid will no doubt inspire connoisseurs and collectors alike to own this once-in-a-lifetime piece of history. 

The then oldest global release of Port Ellen whisky marked the return of Port Ellen bottlings from Diageo after a long hiatus. The Untold Stories' first release, called The Spirit Safe, is a combination of ex-bourbon and ex - European sherry casks, bottled at cask strength and stated as a 39-year-old whisky. A treasured whisky from the beginning, exquisite details from the spirit safe’s traditional craftsmanship have been woven into the design of the release. Only the holders of two unique keys can unlock the precious single malt from its box. The first key unlocks the wrapping, and the second key opens the window to the bottle, beautifully telling a story of innovative spirit and industry standard setting. To add a human touch, this 39-year-old Port Ellen - the legend of single malt from Islay - is a strong, fierce choice for a power-packed, wild but equally romantic personality.

Port Ellen: Untold Stories The Spirit Safe was available from selected luxury retailers globally from early April 2019 onwards. In the UK (domestic), RRSP of £4,500 per 70cl bottle. Proper transactions were hampered by the pandemic.

Port Ellen Adds New 40-Year-Old Whisky to Untold Stories Series

The 40-year-old whisky was drawn from some of the last remaining casks laid down before the distillery closed.

Port Ellen introduced the second release in its Untold Stories Series. The 40-year-old single malt Scotch whisky was drawn from nine rogue casks, representing some of the last to be laid down before the distillery’s closure in 1983.

Despite closing its doors 37 years ago, the Islay distillery remains one of the most prestigious names in Scotch whisky. Owners Diageo can only work with the limited number of casks available, so releases are limited and thus highly prized by collectors. Port Ellen was distilled for just 16 of the last 90 years, and not a cask more since its closure, making the original dwindling stocks finite.

The Port Ellen 9 Rogue Casks release is no exception. There are only 1380 bottles in the world. It was presented during the (virtual) Feis Ile 2020 and is a vatting of 9 casks which were found to ‘hold unusual flavour characteristics that stood out from the typical Port Ellen distillery character’ and were deemed unsuitable for the needs of the blenders at the time. For the pedants among us, the vatting consists of these 9 ‘rogue casks’: 4 American hogsheads (#1469, #1680, #1747 en # 5176) and 5 European sherry butts (#4890, #4913, #4914, #6806 en #6816), all laid down in 1979. It represented one of the final opportunities for collectors to own a part of Port Ellen's history. It was also the final release before the distillery reopens its doors in 2023 following a £35m restoration project.

Collectors did dash to secure a piece of whisky history, but they had been forewarned not to expect a typical Port Ellen profile from the 9 Rogue Casks release. The stock was first identified in 1979 as holding unusual flavour characteristics that stood out from the distillery’s typical character.

Unsuitable for the needs of the blenders at the time, the casks were marked and set aside for further maturation and future blending. The blending came down to Dr Craig Wilson, who carefully selected the identified four American oak hogsheads and five European oak butts to create a liquid unlike anything seen from the distillery before.

The whisky was unveiled during a virtual tasting session with future master distiller Georgie Crawford. Crawford previously worked as a distillery manager for Lagavulin but left her post to oversee Port Ellen’s revitalisation. The new project will see the distillery blast back into life and lay down new casks for the first time in almost four decades.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Light tan

Nose: Surprising delicate nose on bergamot, linseed oil, almonds and walnuts, lime zest and a cold firepit (the day after). Not necessarily in that order. Each time I put my nose in the glass, it offered something different, but always very pleasant. The peat smoke is there but like a whisper. There is also a lovely, floral note. Orange blossoms. And even some peach, giving her some lovely sweetness. Very impressive. At cask strength, opens up a little with the addition of water, crème caramel/roasted coffee, red fruit compote and ripe peach skin.

Palate: Much more pronounced bonfire smoke, pipe tobacco, leather, wood spice. Wonderful! We have a winner! This Port Ellen is indeed somewhat atypical, but what a taste! This one is not only very elegant but is also sexy to boot! Delicious notes of pink grapefruit with some pepper, soft oak, lemongrass, capers, cardamom, pipe tobacco and the peel of a lime. The peat is more outspoken than on the nose, creating a lovely smokiness, while still remaining delicate. Some eucalyptus offers a fresh lift. But everything is so delineated, tight, chiselled.

Finish: In the lovely long finish I get hints of tea, lime juice, eucalyptus and a wispy smoke finish… incredibly good.

Like its predecessor ‘The Spirit Safe’, it was bottled at cask strength, and as luck would have it (?) at the exact same: 50.9%. The price is not the same though. This one has an RRP of £6,500 or some €7,000. This Port Ellen is a veritable diva. Rightfully so.

For me, this is a winner!” It is simply a fantastic and absolutely intriguing malt, that effortlessly glided into my personal top 10. And to think there are plans for a third release in the Untold Stories to celebrate the reopening of the distillery! Dream on...

PORT ELLEN MALTINGS

Peat is the magic stuff that imparts its wonderful signature flavour and aroma to many of your favourite Scotch whiskies. No type of scotch is more closely associated with a peaty profile than what’s made on the island of Islay. Behind the scenes on little ol’ Islay, one single facility is responsible for much of the peated malted barley used across the island – Port Ellen Maltings.

The name Port Ellen is an important one for whisky fans who are enamoured with the defunct distillery’s remaining whisky stocks and super-exclusive releases. (It was announced in October 2017 that Port Ellen Distillery was reopening with production to begin in 2020.) But while the distillery closed in 1983, the maltings house, which had opened in 1973, lives on. The Diageo-owned facility provides its peated malt to seven Islay distilleries.  Even the Islay distilleries who take pride in performing their own floor maltings on-site still acquire somewhere between 75 and 90 per cent of their peated malt from Port Ellen. That makes it a singularly important player in the production of Islay whisky.

From The Bog To The Maltings House

In today’s world of whisky geekdom, phenol levels as measured by PPM (phenol parts per million) are intricately tracked and debated. Of course, hundreds of years ago that was far from the case. Peat was never even originally used for flavouring at all. Rather, it was simply the abundantly available fuel which was on hand for all types of fires and heat. So when barley needed to be dried it was the logical go-to material for the job.

Luckily, despite some rumours to the contrary, there’s enough peat on Islay to last near indefinitely. “Islay will never run out of peat, it’s everywhere,” explains an exuberant Iain McArthur. He’s spent more than four decades in the industry and is today a prominent face of Lagavulin, which sources its peat from the Castlehill peat bog on Islay.

It’s easy to take McArthur at his word after seeing a peat “bank” in person. Each of these numbered lots is only 120 yards long, and each season, just two rows of peat bricks are cut down the length of that 120-yard distance. Even with dozens of numbered banks on the island, it’s hard to envision this rate of usage ever depleting Islay’s rich peat stocks.

The Different Types Of Peat

All peat isn’t the same, either. First, there’s black peat, found nearest to the water level with more oily compounds and closer to charcoal in terms of its burning qualities. Then there’s the top layer of brown peat, which has more vegetation. And then there’s the middle, called caff, more akin to soil. A mix of all three types may be used to stoke a fire.

After being cut, the peat blocks are stacked and left to air dry for six weeks. Then they’re hauled off to Port Ellen, which is actually the largest building on Islay. Within the facility is a load of appropriately mammoth machinery. Notably, there are eight 25-ton steeping tanks, along with the largest germination drums in Europe, if not the world. These monstrous cast iron beasts have enough capacity to hold two steeping tanks worth apiece.

Every two weeks, the Islay Trader vessel drops off 1,600 tons of barley to the facility, predominantly Concerto. This is due to its high starch levels and therefore high distillation output. A multi-phase steeping process brings the moisture content of the barley up to 45% over a period of approximately 42 hours.

It’s then transferred to those germination tanks, where they’re left for approximately 100 hours to begin germinating, with the white chit emerging from each individual grain. Then it’s time to cut off that germination – we’re here to drink whisky, not sow fields – and that’s where the peat finally comes into play.

                         

Enter The Peat

“This is Islay,” says Colin Gordon, the site operations manager, as he unveils the kilning room at Port Ellen. Orange embers of peat are busy sending wafts of smoke to a chimney, the barley above and within awaiting to soak up all of its lovely essences.

Port Ellen kilns six tons of peat per batch, and they complete about 11 batches per week. They’re essentially maxed out on their production with a 24/7 cycle.

The first step of the kilning process is known as the low burn, lasting for 16 hours. Flavour is the name of the game here, not drying. That’s why it’s also called “free drying” because it’s more of a byproduct than a goal. This is the only time when peat is actually utilised, as after this period the barley is not actually able to further absorb phenol compounds. The second phase, known as “force drying,” lasts for a further 14 hours, and this is where higher heat is used to purposefully dry out the barley.

Controlling PPM Levels

What controls the actual PPM level is essentially the ratio of peat to barley. More time doesn’t impart higher PPMs, because as mentioned, there’s a finite period where the barley accepts the compounds. Therefore, it comes down to controlling that peat: barley ratio. Further, fresh-cut peat is known to provide the most phenols.

On a batch-to-batch basis, it may be impossible to produce an exact PPM level. As such, they measure the result after the process and may combine and blend with different batches.

Each brand provides its own specifications to Port Ellen. For instance, the sister distilleries of Lagavulin and Caol Ila each get the same exact peated malt, looking for PPM levels in the mid-30s. They may tweak a weekly order though based on what they’re actually seeing in the spirit after distillation.

So the next time you eagerly raise a dram of your favourite Islay whisky, take a moment to appreciate the journey that peat went on before it reaches your glass.

The next article also deals with peat but in a different manner. You’ll get a dekko into the highest-peated Scotch Single Malt whiskies in the market.

THE ROLE OF PEAT TODAY

 the Most Heavily Peated Scotch WhiskIES

ARDBEG BRUICHLADDICH LAGAVULIN TO THE FORE

This century began on a promising note for the Scotch Whisky Industry. Interest in Scotch whisky was quietly picking up after a long slump, and Single Malts were elbowing their way to the forefront. People were asking, ‘What’s the most heavily peated? What's got the most smoke?’—soon to be called peat freaks. And you could show them whichever, but there was really nothing that was off the charts in terms of peat level. The most heavily peated single malts at the time included Caol Ila, Lagavulin, Bowmore, and Laphroaig, which at 40 to 50 PPM (phenol parts per million) were as peaty as it got. The previous article also deals with peat, but with a different focus.

John Glaser, a former Park Avenue client who had set up the blending company Compass Box in London a few years back, was commissioned to create a custom-peated whisky for New York City’s Park Avenue Liquor. A peat monster was wanted and Glaser started with around 30 PPM, about the peat level of Talisker. “I want it peatier,” said Glaser. So he sent him Caol Ila and the peated Ardmore at cask strength, by far the most heavily peated whisky Glaser had ever made. “These are monsters. I hope you like it.”

He did! Compass Box Monster sold out, and Glaser re-released it as a widely available offering, dubbing it “The Peat Monster”—kicking off a trend that would eventually reshape Scotch whisky.

When The Peat Monster was launched in 2003, Islay’s Bruichladdich Distillery was laying down early runs of a super-heavily peated whisky that would be called Octomore. Bruichladdich had only just reopened, after years of closure, in 2001. Though Bruichladdich initially sourced its peated maltings from Port Ellen maltings, the Go To maltings for every distillery on Islay, financial constraints led it to switch to Baird’s Maltings in Inverness, a fortuitous masterstroke. Baird’s, like most malting operations, supplied barley malted to a range of specific PPMs by combining a single heavily peated malt in different proportions with unpeated malt.

Bruichladdich’s master distiller at the time, Jim McEwan, saw an opportunity. Why not distill just the heavily peated malt to make a super-smoky whisky? The problem here was that Baird’s hit different phenol levels in every batch, the peating process being somewhat imprecise—meaning if a distiller worked with that malt alone, they would end up with an inconsistently peated whisky from run to run. Baird would then tone them down to specs. But McEwan didn’t care. He would just label them differently. The Octomore Series had set sail.

20 miles away Ardbeg Distillery was doing the same thing. By 2009 it was re-established and turning out compelling releases for a growing legion of fans. Always heavily peated to around 55 PPM, Ardbeg had rarely been released as a single malt before this era, so the distillery had plenty of leeway to develop a name for itself.

Dr Bill Lumsden, currently the director of distilling, whisky creation, and whisky stocks at Ardbeg, oversaw the distillery’s revival and devised its many experimental and innovative releases, including one that seemed designed to go head-to-head with Octomore: Ardbeg Supernova. Peated to 100 PPM and first launched in 2009, the limited-edition Supernova sold out quickly, with fans worldwide clamouring for a bottle. Subsequent editions in 2010, 2014, 2015, and 2019 met the same reception.

At around the same time, i.e., after The Peat Monster’s debut, other blending houses came out with similar products, like Peat Chimney from Wemyss Malts in 2005, Ian Macleod’s Smokehead in 2006, and Big Peat from Douglas Laing & Co. in 2009. At Bruichladdich McEwan pushed the maltings to attempt ever-higher peat levels, topping out in 2017 with the launch of Octomore 08.3, made with malt peated to a whopping 309 PPM. It was the highest peat level so far achieved by Bruichladdich or anyone else—though a drinker comparing 08.3 with a different iteration of Octomore might have a hard time telling the PPMs apart, since differences in production and maturation can dramatically impact the phenol content and its perception in the final whisky. Distilleries cite the PPM of the malted barley used as the base ingredient rather than measuring and sharing the PPM of the finished product.

Today, the peat arms race has reached a plateau. Though Octomore always hits well above 80 PPM, it has little competition in the super-heavily peated space. But the evidence of the peat wars is everywhere, starting with consumer expectations of flavour in a whisky touted as “peaty.” The PPMs of yesteryear no longer suffice.

After Ardbeg and Laphroaig and Octomore, Bowmore (25 to 30 PPM) and Lagavulin (35 PPM) still stoke the fires of many peat freaks. Port Charlotte (Bruichladdich’s less heavily peated line, at 50 PPM), Laphroaig (40 to 50 PPM), Kilchoman (50 PPM), and the core expressions of Ardbeg (55 PPM) fill out a spectrum with more offerings than ever before.

Let’s have a look at the peated whiskies you could drink:

1.  ARDBEG

Starting out with the obvious, Ardbeg’s whiskies are some of the most famous smoky scotch brands in the world. They’re a great place to start. Most releases over the past decade have been carefully crafted youngish expressions, with only one bearing its age, the Wee Beastie at 5 YO. The Standard Bearer is the Ten YO, very pale in colour, with a typical yet classic style of Islay peat on the nose; light flavours at the front palate showing lots of iodine, as expected of peat cut from coastal bogs. You can't go wrong with this one! So here are the heavy hitters:

ARDBEG HYPERNOVA, THE SMOKIEST ARDBEG… EVER!
Age: NAS  ABV 51%

Hypernova is the late-2022 Committee Release from Ardbeg. There’s usually at least a couple of these limited edition bottlings each year but what makes this one particularly eye-catching is the ppm count, in other words, the amount of peat smoke in the malt. Hypernova apparently has a ppm count of 170, making it officially the smokiest Ardbeg of all time. However, the ppm count of the barley is only part of the story.

The peat smoke absorbed by barley changes and evolves, even decreases, throughout the distillation process. Therefore, a high ppm count pre-distillation doesn’t always translate into an ultra smoky whisky in the bottle. The unique quirks in production that can be found at each distillery have an effect on the flavour of the whisky, with Lagavulin and Caol Ila providing the  example. Those two Diageo-owned distilleries use the same malt from the same maltings, are peated to the same ppm, yet the whiskies are very different.

Bruichladdich’s Octomore series has rather set the bar for outrageously high ppm levels but that whisky often surprises people. The slender stills at Bruichladdich promote lighter, elegant spirits, meaning Octomore often isn’t as smoky as expected. At Ardbeg, the stills are of a very different design but, thanks to the addition of purifiers on the lyne arms of the spirit stills, a similar effect takes place. The purifier filters away some of the heavier vapours that make it to the lyne arm. Those heavier compounds drop into the purifier pipe and return to the pot to be distilled again, whilst the lighter vapours carry on toward the condensers. So whilst Hypernova is, without a doubt, a very heavily peated whisky, it may not be as intense as you imagine it to be.

Ardbeg is well-known for its brightly-coloured, often bizarrely-named limited editions, which seem to annoy some purists, a somewhat baffling response. The clientele is getting younger as the world grows older. Should we go back to the days of old-fashioned labelling, when bottles were adorned by stags and tartan and glens and bens? Of course, people are free to choose how they spend their money and if the latest release from Ardbeg isn’t to their taste, that’s completely understandable. It would be boring if everyone liked the same thing. The internet is totally globalised. So it is with whisky marketing strategies. Not every release needs to be tailored to the individual’s personal taste.

Why Hypernova? Doesn’t hyper sound more upscale than super? There’s your answer. The previous “smokiest ever Ardbeg” was called Supernova and the definition of a Hypernova is “a very energetic supernova.” So in the canon of Ardbeg releases, the name makes sense.

It’s bottled at an un-chill-filtered 51% and retails for £185. Interestingly, the malt was smoked with non-Islay peat. This was done for purely logistical reasons – the maltsters on Islay couldn’t achieve the numbers required and shipping Islay peat to a maltster on the mainland would have led to a dramatically increased carbon footprint, so mainland peat was used instead. Strange logic, considering that the Octomore has crossed the 300 ppm barrier, but sound to its owners.

EYE: Pale gold.

NOSE: Powerful, pungent and almost brutal in its intensity, waves of tar, smoke, sea salt and brine in an almost ‘barnyard’ aroma fill the void. Smoky – yes but perhaps not as in-your-face as you might expect. Ethereal whispers of fruit, reminiscent of flowering blackcurrants. Seaweed. Seashells. Tobacco ash and cigar smoke. Stoor burning on old radiators. Beyond the smoke, there’s also liquorice, pepper, a touch of citrus and grass. Even a wee touch of menthol. Water releases a flurry of more rounded top notes, with a touch of lavender and a slightly chocolaty sensation, before finally arriving at curious hints of plasticine and burnt rubber.

PALATE: An explosive, peppery mouthfeel launches the palate into a most bizarre juxtaposition of flavours. The smoke is more to the fore. It’s there from the first sip but it smoulders and glows menacingly rather than blazes out of control. Charcoal. Sea salt and black pepper. Brine – like breathing in a damp, sandy beach in winter. There’s also some creamy malt under all the smoke and some fresh lemon citrus with a wee touch of young oak. The smoke builds in intensity over time.

FINISH: Descend into a finish that collapses in on itself with enormous, heavy smoke, before returning to earthy notes of roasted coffee and smoked heather.

OVERALL: This new Ardbeg is not for the faint-hearted and is a big and bold whisky. This is only to be expected from the pre-release hype and for something pitched as the distillery's peatiest and smokiest release ever. It is certainly the most intense Ardbeg that one can remember sampling. But is it any good? In a word - yes.

Hypernova shows Ardbeg in a slightly different light and hopefully, the brand will release something like this to a wider audience in the future. It shows that you can have super powerful peat smoke but in an interesting and balanced way, and is a definite step up from the regular bottlings.

Given the marketing of the whisky, you almost expect it to blow you away but in fact, it develops over time. At first, it seems only a wee bit smokier than standard Ardbeg expressions but with each subsequent sip, it grows. By the time you’ve reached the end of the glass, you’ll be wondering if you’ll ever taste anything but smoke, for the rest of your days. Maybe I could accuse the whisky of lacking complexity? There certainly isn’t a great deal of cask interaction. Indeed, the whisky feels young but I’d argue that’s kind of the point. What do people want from the Smokiest Ardbeg Ever, if not lots of smoke? Personally, I’m really enjoying it – perhaps a little too much. Given the price, I’d prefer to savour my bottle for a long time, if I can.

PRICE: It would be ridiculous to try to claim that it offers value for money. Sure, the production costs are higher than normal but £185 will never not be a lot of money for a young single malt. That said, I knew what I was getting into, so no complaints from me. I tasted it first and still wanted a bottle. Will obviously not be for everyone at the price, however. Good luck.

Ardbeg Supernova 2019: 100 ppm; 53.8% ABV only to be overtaken in 2022 by the Ardbeg Hypernova on Ardbeg Day at Feis Ile, 04 June 2022. Each Supernova is also examined there.

The distillery notes state: This limited edition bottling, will change your sensory perceptions of what whisky can be. A heavily peated Ardbeg of stellar proportions, this dram is an abduction of the senses. Enter into realms of sweet treacle toffee, navigate thick clouds of aniseed, menthol and soot, before finally re-emerging through a dense nebular of peat and smoke. Whisky will never be the same again.

Vital Stats: This single malt whisky matured in ex-bourbon barrels is 100% malted barley. Released October 2019; Limited release; Non-chill-filtered at 53.8% ABV; no age statement; 750 ml.

Appearance: Pale bronze

Nose: It’s a full-body peat that wafts into your nose. The smell is quite voluptuous and intense, yet pleasant. There is no “knock your socks off” smoky peat smell nor is it acrid. For a scotch, the smell seems very balanced between peat and sweetness which seems weird for the being the peatiest whisky brand.

Palate: The flavour of this single malt scotch is very buttery and spicy with a smoky finish. It’s very smooth going down. For possibly being one of the peatiest whiskies in the world this is one of the smoothest ever encountered.

With Ardbeg Supernova every sip is a journey, from the nose to the lips to the back of the throat the flavour changes. The long-lasting flavours smoulder in your mouth and the aftertaste shines with a eucalyptus afterglow. A small sip gives a strong flavour. If you are a peated Scotch fan and you’ve never had this one, it’s a must for sure. The Hypernova may surpass it, but till then, Supernova it is. 

The label upfront on the Hypernova gives us standard but mandated data. The 750 ml bit shows that this bottle is heading into the USA. Then the trademark Ardbeg dramatic para:

Propel your palate at full force towards the smokiest dram ever to mature into existence at Ardbeg. Discover fabric-tearingly intense notes of tar, creosote and soot. Venture further into the glass and explore ethereal whispers of aniseed, smoke and dark chocolate.

The rear label also reveals a lot. The phenol content is very high at more than 101 ppm. "Possibly the smokiest dram in the world (this one at least), Hypernova possesses a malty magnitude never before experienced. This is a brutally smoky dram that radiates flavour in every direction. Undoubtedly Ardbeg's smokiest spirit, HN22 is a cataclysmic event for the Distillery. It's big, it's intense and it's pulling palates into a whole new dimension...

Ardbeg Corryvreckan: NAS 57.1% ABV

As a replacement for the much-loved 1990 Airigh nam Beist, Ardbeg Corryvreckan had some pretty big shoes to fill, but the good news is that this is a belter, winning World's Best Single Malt Whisky at the World Whisky Awards 2010 and Best No Age Statement Scotch from Jim Murray.

Corryvreckan is created from a mixture of “French Oak” casks which, rumour has it, includes some Burgundy wine casks and is named after the second largest whirlpool in the world (located north of Jura which is north of Islay). It’s a powerful and brutish whisky with subtle notes and undertones that move and shift like the undercurrent that surrounds its namesake.

Bottled at a pounding 57.1% ABV, this dense dram brings a lot of multilayered facets with it and like most whiskies bottled above 45%, it benefits from a bit of water to help unlock the true potential it holds. Just a light splash will get this whisky churning, starting a chain reaction that opens the whisky and allows notes that were previously hidden deep to float to the surface. A fine dram indeed.

Distiller: Ardbeg Age: NAS ABV: 57.1%

Cask Strength

Non-Chill Filtered

Natural Colour

EYE: Dark amber

NOSE: Peat and a sherry raisiny sweetness move out first and trailing behind is a complex aroma of sweet and savoury notes like vanilla frosting, leather, baklava, smoked meat, honey Teddy Grahams and mild dark fruit. Water kicks up some cumin like spice and dark sweets.

PALATE: Peat and a tarry sticky sweetness slide across leaving notes of raisins, sherry, dates and figs sprinkled with hints of vanilla, leather, spice and an odd note I can’t quite place. It’s not a bad note in any way and adds a nice dimension to it, I just can’t fully describe it as anything more than a dark earthyish note. Water kicks up the spice a bit more along with a dark honey note and makes the overall flavour come across as richer.

FINISH: A long slow fade of peat, dark fruit, leather, cinnamon, mint and a light touch of woodiness.

BALANCE, BODY & FEEL: Spot on balance, round smooth body and a thick slick heavy texture that is so easy to drink you forget it’s 100 proof/57.1% ABV.

                      

OVERALL: Ardbeg Corryvreckan is awesome. Complex overall but nothing to sneeze at either. That dense rich dark aroma is pleasant from the first sniff to the last as is the complex and dark flavour that shifts and moves across the palate. This whisky is an experience and one I recommend whisky lovers have!

The Ardbeg Uigeadail is an absolutely stunning whisky, and following the demise of Airigh nam Beist, this, along with the Corryvreckan, probably represent the best values in the core range. I will leave it out of this article because it is a 54.2% ABV expression.

2.  BRUICHLADDICH

Bruichladdich is a bit unique in that there is no prescribed recipe for each release, no single way they have to make any given label. Instead, they distil, age and blend to make the best whisky they can from any given vintage or age range and their best result gets put out. A, slightly, inconsistent profile that’s consistently good.

The Bruichladdich 10-Year Port Charlotte Single Malt Scotch Whisky is very close to the best, if not the best heavily peated whisky. A 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Double Gold Medal Winner, this Port Charlotte 10-year-old has been conceived, distilled, matured and bottled on Islay alone. Bruichladdich is a young team with deep-rooted values, and an ambition to make the ultimate “Islay” Islay whisky.

Port Charlotte whisky gets its name from the village of Port Charlotte, a white-walled and windswept sort of place just a couple of km down the road from Bruichladdich. like all of Bruichladdich’s whiskies, without colouring or chill filtration. A focus on island-grown barley and barley provenance, on-island warehouses, and environmental sustainability remains an unconventionally central component of Bruichladdich’s operations.

After many limited releases, Bruichladdich finally has a permanent age-statement expression of Port Charlotte, with a satisfying number of years under its belt. Distilled from Scottish-grown barley, it is matured predominantly in first-fill American oak casks, along with second-fill American and second-fill French wine casks. It is peated to 40ppm, in line with other Islay heavy-hitters, but the peat is never a blunt instrument, retaining sufficient restraint to allow other characteristics—maritime notes, the sweetness of caramel, coconut, and orchard fruits—to shine through.

Tasting Notes: Port Charlotte 10-Year-Old

Vital Stats: 10 years old. 100% malted barley. Cask: 1st Fill ex-Bourbon (65%), 2nd Fill ex-Bourbon (10%), 2nd Fill ex-French Wine (25%), 50% ABV. Bottled without chill filtration or colouring.

Eye: Very pale gold

Nose: Balanced and harmonious, with bright tangerine, cereal grains, and a kind of Madeira-like nuttiness. A combination of almond, allspice and lime is vaguely reminiscent of tiki drinks. Atop it all floats a somewhat neutral smoke that reads more like a wood fire than the antiseptic, industrial character of some other Islay malts.

Palate: Dry, dense, and woodsy, with plenty of deep, nutty caramelized flavours. I get very dark caramel, and chocolate as well as a smouldering, Incense-y kind of smoke as well as a savoury meatiness. A splash of water releases a plume of warm campfire smoke, burnt barley sugar, salted lemons, peppercorns, and a bitter herbal tone like chamomile or yarrow.

Finish: Long, hay-like malt, salted butter, oat cookies and smoke.

Balance, Body and Feel: Great balance, medium to full body, warm lightly oiled feel.

Overall: 

Aroma is an oily rich delivery of balanced, sweet, rustic and coastal notes that starts out warm and turns a tad sharp as the coastal notes grow and evens out with the sweet BBQ smoke – it’s like a coastal bonfire BBQ party; Palate carries the same oily rich delivery of notes holding a nice balance of fruity, coastal and homey rustic notes; Finish is warm and carries the most earthiness to it but doesn’t lack any coastal or sweet notes. This is a sit-by-the-fire-and-enjoy-the-moment whisky, it’s something to slow down and enjoy.

It’s not aggressive, it’s not weak, it’s just well-balanced and damn good. It may shift and change a bit from one release to the next, but it’s always a solid, tasty, Islay Scotch that covers an array of notes to cover an array of preferences. From fruity to coastal, Port Charlotte 10 Years is simply yet magnificently pleasant.

                      

 THE OCTOMORES

In the world of Scotch whisky, how smoky is too smoky? Apparently, Scotch distillery Bruichladdich has not reached the upper threshold yet, as proven by the annual release of the extremely, heavily peated Octomore series. With the launch of every edition, they show that, once again, there’s a lot of nuance behind the smoke.

The Islay distillery’s core expression, The Classic Laddie, is unpeated and has nary a whiff of smoke on the palate. The Port Charlotte series starts to get pretty smoky, but Octomore is where the fire really erupts. This series of whiskies is an exercise in not just peat, but the effects of barrel maturation, barley provenance and terroir on the flavour of a whisky. And it’s also proof that a single malt Scotch doesn’t have to be aged for at least a decade to obtain a complexity of flavour. The head distiller pushes this liquid to its very limits to make it a pleasure and a welcome challenge year after year. This series is made up of a selection of incredible single malts with real complexity and depth of flavour. Each one has its own distinct character while still staying true to the Octomore DNA, balancing intense peat smoke with its elegant signature style.

That said, it is not possible, nor is it tried at Bruichladdich to maintain consistency re the series. There are too many variables from grain to PPM to copy any one of the lot. Octomore 13.1 is sort of the control whisky here, as is the case each year with the first whisky in the series. It was distilled in 2016 from 100 per cent Scottish Concerto barley and matured in first-fill bourbon barrels for five years and then re-casked in 2021 into fresh first-fill barrels to add a burst of toffee, coconut and vanilla flavours, according to the tasting notes. The peat level is a whopping 137.3 ppm, which translates to super-duper smoky for the uninitiated. This whisky was bottled at 59.2 per cent ABV and is non-chill filtered with natural colour, as is all the whisky at Bruichladdich.

Octomore 13.2 shares the vintage and barley type with 13.1, but differs in its maturation. This whisky spent its entire five-year ageing period in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks from Spain, offering a counterpoint to its sister whisky in flavour and style. The peat level is the same astronomical number, and it’s bottled at a slightly lower 58.3 per cent ABV with notes of nut, orange, dried fruit and a hint of “maritime tang.”

Octomore 13.3 is a study in Islay terroir, having been distilled from 100 per cent Concerto barley grown on the Octomore Farm near the distillery. This too was distilled in 2016 but was matured in a combination of first-fill American whiskey barrels and second-fill French oak casks for five years. The peat level is a bit less aggressive here at 129.3 ppm, and it’s bottled at a higher 61.1 per cent ABV with notes of vanilla, brown sugar and green fruit.

The new Octomore series are expensive, ranging in price from $219.99 to $299.99. Make no mistake, these are intensely smoky single malts that will put hair on the soles of your feet, but it’s not just a marketing ploy—there is a range of nuance of flavours here that come into play as you sip.

The Islay distillery’s Octomore Masterclass 08.3 edition contained barley peated to a phenol level of 309ppm (parts per million). Until then the peatiest whisky on record was Octomore 06.3, released in 2015 and containing barley peated to 258ppm. The new Octomore Masterclass 08.3 contains whisky distilled in 2011 from barley harvested by the nearby Octomore Farm the previous autumn.

Bruichladdich said drying the Islay barley with peat smoke during the malting process produced ‘unprecedented’ results.‘Using HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography), the readings came back at 309.1ppm,’ the distillery noted. ‘The nature and variety of Octomore depend on far more than simply numbers, but these were staggering. Off the scale.’

A whisky’s ppm usually refers to the number of phenols imparted onto the barley during the drying stage of the malting process, rather than being a direct indication of the ‘smokiness’ of the whisky itself. The ppm level can vary depending on whether a colorimetric reading or one from HLPC is taken, the latter producing higher figures.

However, Bruichladdich claimed that Octomore 08.3 is the peatiest malt yet made at the distillery. A spokesperson said: ‘We believe it to be the peatiest Scotch ever produced, but then we are not some omnipotent, all-knowing Yoda.’ Following distillation, the heavily peated spirit was matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon casks, and ex-wine casks made from European oak, for five years.

The expression is the only release in the new Masterclass series not bottled as an eight-year-old.

The four whiskies comprising the Octomore Masterclass Eight series are:

Octomore Masterclass 08.1
Strength: 59.3% ABV
Distilled: 2008; bottled as an eight-year-old
Phenol level: 167ppm
Cask: First-fill American oak barrels
Availability: 42,000 bottles; global release September 2017
Price: £120

Octomore Masterclass 08.2
Strength: 58.4% abv
Distilled: 2008; bottled as an eight-year-old
Phenol level: 167ppm
Cask: Six years in refill ex-Sauternes, French Mourvèdre and Austrian sweet wine casks. The casks are vatted and finished in first-fill Italian ex-Amarone casks for two years
Availability: 36,000 bottles; global travel retail release in 2017 September
Price: £125

Octomore Masterclass 08.3
Strength: 61.2% abv
Distilled: 2011; bottled as a five-year-old
Phenol level: 309.1ppm
Cask: 56% ex-Bourbon American oak; 44% ex-Pauillac, Ventoux, Rhône and Burgundy European oak casks
Availability: 18,000 bottles; global release in September 2017
Price: £165

Octomore Masterclass 08.4
Strength: 58.7% abv
Distilled: 2009; bottled as an eight-year-old
Phenol level: 170ppm
Cask: 20% virgin oak casks; 80% first-fill American oak casks, finished in second-fill virgin oak from France.
Availability: 12,000 bottles; global release in 2018
Price: £150

3. LAGAVULIN

When Lagavulin 16 Year Old joined the Classic Malts portfolio in 1989, the belief within owner UD [now Diageo] was that it would be the single malt which only the most dedicated – even crazy – drinker would attempt to conquer. Smoke, it was felt in those early days of single malt, was a step too far for most people. And how wrong they were!

What actually happened was that Lagavulin became a runaway success, to the extent that it had to be put on allocation. That its growth coincided with a period where the mature stock was limited (the bad old days of the 80s and early 90s) didn’t help. Today, it runs nonstop, 24/7 in distillery terminology, just to try and keep up with ever-growing global demand. The world has fallen in love with smoke and Lagavulin’s complex mix of seashore and moor, pipe smoke, Lapsang Souchong, bog myrtle and rich dark fruits is a destination for many.

Though fermentation times have been cut, introducing a cereal note to the new make, the second distillation remains extremely long, maximising reflux. Ageing is predominantly in refill casks, but in recent years some ex-Sherry casks have appeared as part of a controlled programme of small batch releases, while a small amount of a higher strength 12-year-old is released annually for the real peat heads.

                      

The Offerman Series: In 2019 the Lagavulin 11yo Offerman Edition was released with the direct involvement of the actor and single malt enthusiast, Nick Offerman. This 11-year-old Single Malt has matured in a mixture of refill and rejuvenated Bourbon casks, before being bottled at 46% ABV.

“I have travelled the world and sampled many attempts at pleasing nectars,  but it is solely this distillation of Islay; a tiny charismatic Scottish isle, that has claimed my palate…this 11-year Lagavulin is like a top-shelf brass and…blowing smoky jazz and marching straight down your gullet.” Nick Offerman

The whisky is said to carry the signature Lagavulin peatiness but with extra spices and notes of dried fruit to carry the smoke. It offers a full-on tingle from the split second it hits your lips, with pronounced fresh berry character combined with spiciness. Elevated top notes provide a more direct flavour journey than other Lagavulin expressions. It was originally released for around £65 per bottle but now can only be found for £200 or more.

Eye: Pale gold; very pale straw. Good beading. Body Medium.

Nose: Mild overall, with light prickle. The top notes are unusually ashy for Lagavulin, but familiar hints of linseed oil soon reassure. Gradually fruity notes of hard candy (boiled sweets) emerge, as does a clean, fresh suggestion of the sea, like sniffing the sea air in a fishing harbour. With water, the aromas reduce and the more pungent, smoky notes come slightly forward.

Palate: At natural strength, soft and smooth in texture with a big taste that is sweeter than expected. Smoky too, with a little salt. A clean, fresh Lagavulin that is very lightly drying mid-palate. The sweetness is more prominent with water when the tastes are reduced yet broadly unchanged.

Finish: Long and very smoky, as the smokiness comes through much more strongly. Lightly drying, with an appetising salty aftertaste. With water, sweeter, though the smokiness still reasserts itself in the aftertaste.

The second bottling from this unique partnership was released in 2021 and aged in Guinness casks. For all the wisdom Nick Offerman carries, he has one man to thank: his dad, Ric.  They invite you to pour a dram of the newest release from Nick Offerman and Lagavulin Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Lagavulin Offerman Edition: Guinness Cask Finish. This limited-edition 11 Year Old Lagavulin aged for four months in former Guinness Beer casks from the Open Gate Brewery in Maryland is a true father-son creation.

Good things come in threes and for Nick Offerman, the rule of thirds is resoundingly true as he introduced his third Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Charred Oak Cask Aged 11 Years, released in October 2022. An aficionado of all things wood, steak and scotch, Nick Offerman merged these three passions within his smokiest creation yet, a whisky aged in American and European oak casks that are shaved down then heavily re-charred, posing the perfect pairing for well-barked, medium-rare steak.

Marking the longtime collaborators’ 48th video spot together, Offerman and Lagavulin debuted this one-of-a-kind whisky in a thrilling, action-packed film that reveals Offerman embarking on his most dangerous Tale of Whisky to date: Nick Offerman’s Smokiest Adventure Yet: Lagavulin Offerman Edition: Charred Oak Cask. For those that dare to taste this coveted Single Malt, the bottle has an SRP of US$79.99 and was available for purchase for a limited time only at select U.S. liquor retailers and at select retailers globally in Canada, Australia, Great Britain, China and The Netherlands.

The third Offerman Edition—the “three-peat”—uses American red wine and European oak casks that have been shaved down before being heavily re-charred. Deviating from the previous Offerman Editions, the spirit was fully matured for at least eleven years in these barrels—versus a shorter-term cask finishing. The result is Offerman’s smokiest whisky to date, 46% ABV. And its devout carnivore creator recommends pairing a dram with a medium rare steak.

The Lagavulin 12 YO Special Cask Strength Release:  

The King of Islay in his prime, fiercely rampant, with a clarity of vision and a sense of purpose none can deny. A glorious and classic Lagavulin, with an intensity, saltiness and sweetness that balance perfectly as perfumed wood smoke rises to envelop them all; absolutely delicious. This is a cask strength bottling at an ABV of 57.3 %, ex-American Oak.

Eye: Lustrous pale straw-gold.

Body: Medium.

Nose: Mild, drying and soon, wonderfully aromatic; clean, fresh and maritime, with top notes of sea air and Himalayan salt, supported by fragrant smoke-dried Lapsang Souchong tea, mineral salts and light cleansing salve. Beneath these lie drier notes of cocoa powder and dried seaweed, with a squeeze of lemon zest, this salty sweetness imbued with wood smoke from a distant bonfire on the shore.

Palate: The texture is smooth and attractively oily; the taste is sweet to start then soon growling with intense lemon acidity, with a sprinkling of sea salt and persistent char talking each sip. The overall salty-sweet taste is rounded, softened and sweetened by a drop of water.

Finish: Long, with great waves of smoke, and roaring with chilli pepper warmth. Even better with a dash of water. Smoke lasts wonderfully in the aftertaste.

The Lagavulin 8 YO Special Release:  

Released to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the founding of Lagavulin distillery by John Johnston in 1816, this eight-year-old is big and smoky, with sweet spice that becomes apparent with a drop of water. Inspired by the visit of Alfred Barnard to the distillery in the 1880s when he tried an 'exceptionally fine' eight-year-old from the distillery, this is a fitting tribute for the milestone.

This is an interesting move by a distillery, to put out something that’s younger than its flagship whisky (Lagavulin 16) to celebrate the milestone. OK, the ABV is 5 points higher, but then, most distilleries put out something older or pull from the archives to create something unique and rare, so what was the reasoning for putting something out that’s 1/2 the age of the standard Lag?

According to Dr Nick Morgan, Diageo Director of Whisky Outreach, it was done because they “wanted the anniversary to be something that could be celebrated by as many people as possible”. In our current age-statement-obsessed culture it’s a bold move by the distillery.

Distiller: Lagavulin
Mashbill: 100% Malted barley
Cask: Mostly ex-Bourbon casks
Age: 8 years
ABV: 48%
Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Colour

Eye: Light yellow, almost clear

Nose: A pungent nose missile straight to the olfactory centers of the brain. BOOM! Piercing peat with unmistakable Lagavulin character. A blossom of salted caramel, honeysuckle, fresh hay, and refined, clarified, condensed ocean-flecked peat. Be careful with the nose tickle – it is sharp much deeper than the rim of the glass. Pears and apples bowl out of the glass followed by notes of cinnamon, honey, peat and vanilla rich spirity malt with a light bit of bubblegum. I’ve never encountered bubblegum in any Lagavulin I’ve had, but that’s the thing about young whisky; it reveals characteristics that might get covered up the older it gets.

Palate: Orchard fruit and cinnamon again lead the pack followed by notes of peat, vanilla, malt, saline, white pepper and a bit of bubblegum. I’m fascinated by this bubblegum note. I usually get a cloying bubblegum note with French Oak, but everything I’ve read about the Lagavulin 8 says it’s mostly ex-bourbon casks. So interesting.

Finish: Long peaty road with twists of vanilla, malt, orchard fruit and bubblegum.

Balance, Body & Feel: Decent balance, thin body and a light feel.

With Water: A coupla drops of water actually amplify the nose tickle! There might be an additional orange-peel note on the nose, but it is fleeting. On the tongue there is a little more vanilla sweetness, although the texture is thinner. The finish does pick up a perfume high-note, jasmine maybe. Try both without and then with water.

Overall: Lagavulin 8 Years is a fruity, vanilla laden and slightly spirited rendition of Lagavulin that’s fun to drink even if it’s not wildly complex. It’s a whisky that brings a unique character to the table and fully displays a previously unseen side of the Lagavulin distillery – In the mass market anyways. In the indie world, young Lagavulins have been around for a while, but none have been able to carry the Lagavulin name for legal reasons. The youthful peat is bracing and focussed (and not nearly as wild as some other examples of young peat). The overall effect is impressive. Still, it misses some of the 16 year’s polish and roundness. Its perfect caramel-peat balance is not perfect, nor is there enough wood to fill out the palate. That’s nitpicking, though.

Releasing this as their big anniversary bottling is a bold move by the distillery and might be a portent of things to come. As said, it’s not as rich as older whisky, but good and different, and it’s interesting to see a distillery showcasing it so prominently. I wonder how many other distilleries will follow in the Lagavulin 8 Years’ footsteps and release a younger age-stated version in a way that allows them to test the market and see how it reacts.

4.  TALISKER

Talisker distillery is an Island single malt Scotch whisky distillery based in Carbost, Scotland on the Isle of Skye. The distillery is operated by Diageo and was marketed as part of their Classic Malts series. The brand is sold as a premium whisky. The malted barley used in production comes from Muir of Ord. Talisker now has an annual output of three and a half million litres of spirit.

Talisker was the first Single Malt Scotch Whisky made by the sea on the shores of the Isle of Skye, one of the most remote, rugged, yet beautiful landscapes in Scotland. Torabhaig has just established itself there. Few whiskies tell the story of their origin better than Talisker. Its smell and taste instantly connect the drinker with the rugged environment – like a warm welcome from a wild sea. It’s a powerhouse; challenging but adored; once discovered rarely left.

In 1825, Hugh MacAskill of Eigg acquired Talisker House and the north end of the Minginish peninsula on the rugged, beautiful Isle of Skye Five years later, he and his brother had built what was to become one of the world’s most popular distilleries on the shore of Loch Harport. In fact, by as early as 1898, Talisker was one of the best selling malt whiskies in the UK. Through fire, war and financial crises, this northern outpost – then Skye’s only distillery – has remained strong: producing consistently fine whiskies which, once tried, are rarely forgotten. Sitting amongst the Inner Hebridean Scottish Isles, Skye is rugged, windswept, a place of extremes. The first whisky on Skye, Talisker captures the spirit of its island home perfectly. Bursting with the famous smokiness, the surprising subtle notes of black pepper, and yet rounded with a smooth finish, Talisker is a delicious contradiction.

Triple distillation stopped in Talisker distillery in 1928. It has been a mystery ever since as to what style was made, but Diageo’s boffins believe it could explain the unusual configuration of the stills – two wash stills and three spirit. This results in a highly individual new make which mixes smoke, fruit, sulphur, salt and pepper. The standard malt is medium-peated, the worts clear and the fermentation long. Talisker is now one of Diageo’s most important single malt brands.

The wash stills are very tall with an exaggerated U-shaped bend in the lyne arm with a purifier pipe at its lowest point. This refluxes any heavy elements back into the body of the still to be redistilled. There is little copper contact which provides the sulphury notes in the new make, and could give the signature pepperiness in the mature spirit. The purifier pipe adds oiliness, while the reflux helps to refine the fruity elements created during fermentation. In contrast to most distilleries where the spirit stills are the workhorses, at Talisker the second distillation takes place in small plain stills, again with worm tubs. This adds mid-palate weight. Maturation is in refill and rejuvenated casks with ex-fortified wine casks being used for the occasional special releases.

As legend has it, when the tides at Talisker Bay flowed with an unusual force, a luminous creature was drawn from the blackest depths, flooding the deep-sea darkness with its captivating glow. This powerful luminescence was carried on storm-tossed currents to the Talisker distillery, illuminating its new-make spirit. In that spirit too, the vivid luminosity shone, its classic smokiness fading before a radiant tide of spice-bright sweetness rarely seen. 

Talisker 11 YO Special Edition: 55.1% ABV 2022.      

The luminous octopus-like sea creature is captured on the label of the Talisker 11 YO and on the tube it is packed in.

Light shines in every element here. Amid a deep golden glow, salty, smoky hints of a beach bonfire give the mild nose a maritime feel. First fill ex-bourbon casks gift layers of luminous flavour, the texture smoothly oily, the taste sweet and smoky-spicy, salty and fruity, like an orchard in sea mist. Peaty power appears in the chilli-spiced catch of the long finish. This is a legendary Talisker, of ethereal beauty.

Elemental yet also classic in character: maritime malty smokiness merges smoothly with a tide of spice-bright sweetness to form a salt-laced monster that is truly “Made by the Sea”. First-fill ex-bourbon casks gift layers of flavour; a luminous spiced sweetness bathes storm-tossed notes of smoke and sea in its irresistible glow. Best served neat, the 55.1% ABV Talisker 11 YO is a unique gift that stands out within the Special Releases collection, and is perfect for get-togethers with friends or family.

Eye: Deep, glowing gold

Body: Medium

Nose: Maritime in feel, with light spice-prickle, the first impression suggests a beach bonfire of dry seaweed, then deep-seated notes of maritime saltiness and marine engines take over, on a base of drying fresh linen. Smoked butter and roasted apples emerge, sprinkled with freshly cracked black pepper. All these scents hold together well at reduced strength.

Palate: Intense concentrated apple sweetness becomes singed and mingles with wood smoke. Tarry notes and coiled ropes sit at the core, with an underlying layer of char. Smoothly oily in texture, while the taste is gloriously sweet throughout and smoky-spicy, with a distinct fruity hint, all of which evokes an orchard seen through smoke and sea mist. A fine salty balance in the middle leads the spiciness into a powerful chilli pepper catch as you swallow. With time, the sweet fruitiness and saltiness come into their own.

Finish: Long, sustained and lightly smoky, with lingering warming spice.

Talisker 15 2019 Special Release

The Talisker 15 is the first-ever release of Talisker as a 15-year-old. The separate sensations all swirl around your nose and mouth, offering a tasting experience that is ever in motion. Cask strength Talisker is a prized possession. Some of the absolute best whiskies to be ever tasted have been older cask strength bottlings from the Isle of Skye distillery. After the success of the 2018 special release, Diageo once again included a cask-strength Talisker in their 2019 special release lineup, this time a 15-year-old version. Smokier than the 18, but more perfumed and less balanced, it develops in its own way. The maritime nature of the whisky is reflected by its label, which features images of the briny depths. The release was limited to 42222 bottles.

According to the label, this 15-year-old single malt was matured exclusively in “freshly charred American oak hogheads” (probably ex-bourbon, although there’s no mention of that). The label does not mention whether or not this whisky is non-chill-filtered or natural colour, but thankfully it doesn’t reek of either of those monstrosities. So that’s a good start to one of my favourites this year.

Talisker 15 Review

Type: Single Malt Scotch
Region: Highlands (Islands)
Age: 15 years
ABV: 57.2%

Nose : Big and powerful, typical Talisker nose, with an added blast of sweetness. Treacle-toffee notes hide at the back, with hints of liquorice and creosote. Splintered fence notes build, restrained by stewed apple and tarte tatin. Soft spice develops along with fruity jelly. Fields of damp ferns, sea-splashed rocks and smoky dark sugar. Reminiscent of walking along the boardwalk on the shore, with notes of vanilla fudge, caramel popcorn, salt water taffy, bubble gum, salty sea breeze, and sea-washed wood. Chocolate mint candies. Black pepper. A hint of peat. Cherry syrup. Wonderful.

Palate: Earthy and mulchy to start – piles of damp autumn leaves. Spicy and sweet. Loads of salt and pepper (in a good way). Moderately oily texture. Complex, with a wide range of flavours—I find different notes every time I taste this whisky. One sip it’s key lime pie. The next is cherry cordial. Then sweet vanilla cream and light caramel sauce. Brown sugar, white chocolate, dried mango, banana liqueur… so much going on. The peat smoke is a bit more evident than in most Talisker expressions, although it’s not a peat monster. Just a wonderful balance of flavours.

Finish: Long and spicy. More salt and pepper. A bit more peat smoke. Rich fruit and buttery pastry. Hints of mint and earthiness linger. Lemon peel. Lime juice. A spicy sort of mint… almost like rye whiskey. A bit floral. Roasted oak. Simple syrup.

Overall: Fantastic. Does exactly what it says on the tin – it’s a Talisker, and it’s deeper and spicier than usual. It may have lost its sea-salt and black-pepper trademark character, but it’s still got a touch of shoreline in with a whack of tasty darkness. Other than a few 25-year and older cask-strength Talisker expressions (which are some of the best bottles of whisky I’ve ever tasted), this is the best whisky from the Isle of Skye that I’ve had. And at a reasonable price for the quality (around £110, not exactly cheap, but compared to other similar whiskies, it’s really quite reasonable)! If only this was a core release and readily available.

5. KILKERRAN HEAVILY PEATED 

Glengyle History: The Glengyle distillery—makers of Kilkerran single malt—is one of the darlings of the whisky world. Kilkerran 12-Year-Old is one of the most interesting and tasty 12-year-old whiskies on the planet; Kilkerran 8-Year-Old Cask Strength is also quite good (although it does vary by batch), and a number of other individual releases have been well received and are highly sought after. The spirit itself is Campbeltown to the core, and yet is distinctly different from its sister distillery, Springbank. It has loads of unique character, and the distillery always presents its whisky the right way (non-chill-filtered, natural colour, etc.). There’s so much to like about what Glengyle/Kilkerran is doing.

The Mitchell family was the dominant force in Campbeltown’s distilling community in the 19th century. By 1872, John and his son Alexander were running Springbank; John’s brothers Hugh, William and Archibald had founded Riechlachan, situated next door, while Archibald’s son, William, had just started his own distillery, Glengyle, which was next door again. He sold in 1919 to the short-lived, R&B-backed, consortium of Campbeltown distillers: West Highland Malt Distilleries [Ardlussa, Dalintober, Glen Nevis, Glen Scotia, Kinloch] but the venture failed and, in 1925, it was one of many Campbeltown plants to close down.

Perhaps surprisingly, there was still remaining stock in the 1940s when the distillery and the Glengyle brand name were bought by blenders Bloch Bros which had also bought Scotia (later renamed Glen Scotia) in Campbeltown and Scapa distillery in Orkney. There were plans mooted to reopen but they came to nothing and the plant became a rifle range, and feed store.

In 2000, however, J&A Mitchell [Springbank] bought the site and four years later Glengyle reopened. Because the Glengyle trademark had passed to Bloch Bros (and subsequent owners of Glen Scotia) the brand is called Kilkerran – from Gaelic ‘Ceann Loch Cille Chiarain’ which is the name of the original settlement where Saint Kerran had his religious cell and the original name of Campbeltown. It would be unusual for the old Campbeltown distilleries to be called after a Glen, a custom more usually associated with the Speyside region. The first release was in 2007 and has been followed by the annual ‘Works in Progress’. Their first 12-year-old was released in 2016. Lightly peated and non-chill-filtered, the 12-year-old is matured 70% in ex-Bourbon casks and 30% in ex-Sherry casks. The result is a far cry from the traditional heavy malt distilled at Glengyle during the Victorian era.

Normal Kilkerran distillate is only lightly peated. It often comes across as a less peated sibling to typical Springbank malt. But much like Springbank produces a heavily peated style of malt in Longrow, Kilkerran has also been making a heavy peat style for a few years now in order to satisfy the ever-growing demand for a good peat monster. And a peat monster it is, with Kilkerran’s heavily peated malt coming in at a whopping 84 ppm (a higher ppm than most Islay single malts). 

BATCHES 1 TO 5

Before Kilkerran landed on the beginning of its core range, previews of the whisky were regularly released as it first matured in the form of the Kilkerran “work in progress” series. These releases were quite popular a few years back before the 12-year-old became available. In the same vein, Kilkerran is releasing very young, cask-strength “peat in progress” expressions of their heavily peated malt. An exciting idea for those who want to follow the heavily peated Kilkerran from its infancy until it reaches its target maturation. How many of these releases will we see before there is a core range (hopefully age-stated) version? Who knows, but they’re already up to batch 7. Let’s see how a bottle of batch 1 tastes.

Kilkerran Heavily Peated Review (Batch 1)

Type: Single Malt Scotch
Region: Campbeltown
Age: NAS
ABV: 59.3%
Chill-filtration: No
Natural colour
Bottles: 9,000

Eye: Heavy Gold

Nose: Powerful… nose burningly powerful. Quite a tingly sensation. Plenty of peat smoke. Ash. Lemon peel and lime. Earthy. Mint. Moonshine. Even with water added, the potent, young ethanol and smoke raise the hair in your nose. If you’re suffering from allergies or a stuffy nose, this stuff will clear you right up!

Palate: A real beast without water, quite potent. It requires a good bit of water just to be drinkable. With water, some interesting (although young) notes emerge. Lots of citrus. Lemon especially, but also orange and lime. Plenty of earthy, smoky peat, similar in style to Longrow (which makes sense… same region, same owners). Yeasty. Vanilla pudding. Burnt caramel. Cinnamon spice. Some nutmeg too. New make spirit. The youth is obvious, but the quality of the spirit is also evident. This is well-made whisky, but… it’s too young.

The texture is nice and oily, which is the best part of this dram, but it’s just not enough to overcome the extreme youthfulness, which borders on tasting like peated moonshine.

Finish: Medium in length. Lots of cinnamon and ethanol. A bit of menthol. The peat smoke is still present, but less so.

Overall: There’s a lot of promise in this whisky, but it’s just way too immature and rough around the edges. I enjoy young whisky in many instances, but not when it’s this immature. Some interesting notes are found here and there certainly, but the new make spirit notes ultimately overwhelm the entirety of the dram. Of course, this is not really meant to be a finished work just yet—it’s called “peat in progress” for a reason, after all. Still, I would like to see a little more maturity from a whisky that’s being sold commercially at a not-insignificant price. It’s an interesting experience, but in the end, not a terribly fulfilling one.

This particular release, which is probably aged for only a little over three years, is a disappointment. It’s fun and educational to taste young whisky like this, but when I buy a bottle of single malt, I want more than just fun and learning—I want a whisky that tastes like whisky more than moonshine. Even at a still young age of around eight years or so, I imagine this heavy peat distillate will be quite good.

Buying Advice: If you’re a big fan of Kilkerran and don’t mind a very young-tasting whisky, then by all means go for it. At least it’s not an outrageously expensive bottle (although at around $90, it’s also not cheap). Just understand what you’re getting into—this is not a finished product. It’s a preview. I recommend seeking a sample, rather than buying a bottle, for most people.

Kilkerran Heavily Peated Review (Batch 7)

Type: Single Malt Scotch
Region: Campbeltown
Age: NAS
Non-chill-filtered
Natural colour

Distillery	Glengyle Kilkerran Series
Description	Heavily Peated Batch #7
Range	Peat in Progress
Alcohol ABV	59.1 %
Cask Strength	Yes
Cask Wood Type	Bourbon & Sherry Oak
Single Cask	No
Packaging	Original Box
Bottler	Distillery
Country of Origin	Scotland
Stopper	Cork
Bottle Type	Standard
Bottle Size	70cl
Neck Level	Full

This young, cask-strength Kilkerran is the seventh (and most recent) release of a much-loved (and long-awaited) whisky. Released on Valentine’s Day 2022, it hit the shelves a few days after the sixth release, all in sherry, in a rather unusual double treat for this bottling born in 2017. Matured all in ex-Port casks, as always cask strength and unadulterated, the list price was €70.

Tasting Notes

Nose: The Port doesn’t fail to make itself felt on the nose, nice and tart with plenty of gooseberries, raspberry, lychee and an impression of buttermilk. The notes are dominant but not overpowering, quickly giving way to cooked apple, grilled meat (more roast than smoke), blackberry jam, soy sauce and a dirty vegetal vein of damp undergrowth. Over time, the aromas compact into a sweet and sour compote. Maraschino cherry, heavy saline, high minerality,

Palate: On the palate, it’s quite full-bodied, an elusive menthol note opens up a profile suspended between sweet and bitter, where red fruit jam intertwines with liquorice, aniseed, cocoa, baked apple and a hint of herbs, with a pinch of pepper acting as a trait d’union. Smoke and grill are largely subdued, a tapestry of memories in the background, while the dirtier side of leather and earth plays on the counterpoints. Remarkably viscous, integrated on the palate, but a hint of powdered sugar coming through to remind you that this isn't all that old.

Finish: Not very long with vegetal and vinous impressions, chocolate, red fruits, dull embers. Dry, chalky, heavy smoke, intense pepper, lingering herbs.

The risk of maturation entirely in Port was high, and it was partly averted: the casks didn’t crush the distillate, but there remains a certain discordance in the notes that never seem to find real balance, with an unusual but not very incisive dram.