WHISKY MALT ISLE OF ISLAY

Ardbeg Uigeadail (pronounced Oog-a-dal), takes its name from the brooding mysterious loch which provides the peat-laden water for Ardbeg.  This is a special vatting of different styles of Ardbeg, marrying together its traditional deep, smoky notes with the luscious, sweet, raisiny tones of old ex-Sherry casks.

At just 5 years old, this feisty and intensely powerful smoky whisky, is untamed by age.

From elusive sea creatures to eerie hillside half-breeds, the Ardbeg Distillery has a history of exploring inexplicable legends in their bottlings. However, this next unearthly expression is said to have emerged from the peat bogs of Islay themselves. Ardbeg Wee Beastie has been described as a ?monster of a dram?? with a formidable bite. 

Matured in ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, Wee Beastie bristles with intense aromas of cracked black pepper, sappy pine resin and sharp tangs of smoke. An explosive mouthfeel bursts forth with chocolate, creosote and tar. As savoury meats sink into the palate, the long salty mouth coating finish slinks away.

Aroma: Very fresh, herbal, with hints of vanilla, pear, freshly cracked black pepper and
honey-glazed ham. Rich Turkish coffee, sappy pine resin. With water, more herbal notes like vetiver and fennel, along with aniseed, green apple and leather.

Taste: A rich, explosive mouthfeel with lots of chocolate, tar, creosote and smoked bacon,
followed by a burst of antiseptic lozenges, eucalyptus and more aniseed.

Finish: A long, salty and mouthcoating finish with hints of cocoa, fudge and savoury meats.

Casks: Ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry

Scarabus means ?rocky place? in Old Norse, named after a mystical area of Islay.

The yearly Diageo Special Releases always pack some surprises and it's fair to say an unpeated Caol Ila is probably one of them. This single malt Scotch promotes the distillery's lesser-known side as a sherry-forward Caol Ila that swaps smoke for elegant sweetness. It was matured for 15 years in refill and rejuvenated American-oak hogsheads and ex-bodega European oak butts before it was bottled at a cask strength 59.1% ABV.

Nose: Opens with marmalade-laden buttery toast, milk chocolate and fresh orange notes, before red cherry, strawberry and raisin comes through. Lashes of vanilla and a suggestion of spearmint, too.

Palate: Leads with more of that creamy chocolate, fruity yoghurt and honey. Peach is in there too, and in with all the oiliness is a pine-like quality.

Finish: Yoghurt-covered almonds with some liquorice and, yes, some distant smoke.

Overall: It's an viscous drop that packs a creamy-fruity punch.

Created by Jim McEwan from whisky matured in a multitude of different American oak casks, and chosen to represent the classic, unpeated distillery style. Bruichladdich's new signature bottling is made with 100% Scottish barley.

Nose: Elegantly sweet with honeyed barley, boiled sweets and orange petals. Wafts of sea air and a splash of sulphur.

Palate: Red apples and white grapes, with touches of sweet cinnamon and brown sugar. Still softly coastal.

Finish: Mineral-rich malt, with toffee and more honey.

Laphroaig single malt from Islay aged for three decades! Twice matured in bourbon casks, expect this peated whisky to be complex, rounded and absolutely full of flavour.

Nose: Mandarin and mango rise to the fore tempered by toasted almond and coconut. Aromatic peat oils are interwoven, appearing as cedar, wintergreen and smoked sage.

Palate: A superbly oily mouthfeel with orange peel, vanilla, and coriander leaf, in a cedar cigar box alongside wild root ginseng.

Finish: Long and complex with lingering pulpy stone fruit and chewy green hand-rolled tobacco.

53.5% ABV

The Vintner's Trilogy from Bowmore showcases the impact of lengthy wine-cask-finishes on the terrific Islay single malt. The 26-year-old expression began its maturation in ex-bourbon barrels for 13 years, before being moved over to French oak barriques (that previously held wine) for the remaining 13 years.

Nose: Bonfires on the beach (with some grilled pineapple) leading into earthy smoke. Fruity coffee, too.

Palate: Chewy raisins and smoked oak, with a whiff of brandied cherry. A coastal tang develops.

Finish: Salted chocolate and quince jam.

The Monsters of Smoke trio pack includes 3x20cl bottles of whisky from
Ardbeg?s Core Range. They are: Ardbeg Ten Years Old, the original giant
which has stalked the whisky world for decades; Ardbeg Wee Beastie, a
feisty young creature with a formidable bite; and Ardbeg An Oa, a complex
whisky that sits in a web of flavour notes.

Distilled in 1989, this rare single malt whisky has been carefully nurtured for three decades in our finest sherry hogsheads and bourbon barrels. Bottled at a cask strength of 45.3%, this 30-Year-Old is a celebration of Bowmore’s rich fruity and subtly smoky style. With only 2580 bottles available in 2020, Bowmore 30-Year-Old inspired by the terrain that surrounds the Bowmore Distillery and the legendary landscape that defines our whisky. Capturing the art of time, this whisky takes cues from the detailed markings on driftwood and the refined polish of sea glass, reflecting its eternal connection with Islay .

45.3% ABV

A feast of tropical fruits, berries and creamy toffee blooms into sweet oak, vanilla and toasted nuts; this is a whisky to truly behold.

Four long decades have crawled by as this precious whisky slowly and silently matured within our warehouses by the sea. Indeed, the casks that this whisky was maturing in were all but forgotten, until our blending team discovered them whilst reviewing the warehouse ledgers. Sourced from the legendary wines and spirit merchant, J.G Turney, these casks have been home to this stunning whisky for the past forty years.

This unique 40 Year Old is as rare as it is prized – if you’re ever lucky enough to hold one, be gentle, you’re holding a piece of history!  As with all our single malt whiskies, this is non-chill filtered and natural colour.

Colour

Rich lemony gold

Nose
Hints of tropical fruits, banana, berries, creamy toffee, vanilla, rich nuttiness and delicate sweet oak.

Palate
Sweet malt, creamy caramel, vanilla, creamy berries, with hints of toasted nuts, tropical fruit, banana and pineapple.

Finish
Long, sweet and fruity.

The newest, oldest whisky to join the core range. This supreme expression proves unequivocally that age cannot tame Ardbeg's smoky power. But it can yield some of the most complex and majestic flavours ever to burst forth from Ardbeg Distillery.

Bottled from incredibly rare casks filled during some of the Distillery's darkest days, this is Ardbeg at its most intricate, balanced and beguiling.

Majestic aromas of smoked cream and earthy bonfires are masterfully interwoven with layers of pine and fragrant candle wax. Hot pepper rises on the palate, twisting around lemon sherbet sweetness, while hints of carbolic soap and tar flow into a long aftertaste characterised by delicate aniseed entwined with lingering cream and fudge.

Non chill-filtered with a strength of 46%

Ardbeg Grooves was released in celebration of Ardbeg Day 2018, and as ever, the Islay-based distillers have created a most intriguing expression. Part of the whisky that makes up Grooves was matured in red wine casks that were very well-charred, resulting in heavy grooves in the surface of the wood. A mellow though flavoursome dram.

Nose: A thick, spiced aroma of iodine, seaweed and golden syrup leads among a herbal note of lavender. An earthy funk from damp bonfire wood, old oak and dried grass is complemented by lighter touches of butterscotch, stone fruits and a little marzipan icing.

Palate: Vanilla fudge, toffee popcorn and tarred orchard fruits rise through a big, salty opening. Savoury BBQ notes of cured Italian meats are percolated by paprika, green chilli and scorched herbs. Antique leather and damp oak form an interesting backdrop.

Finish: Seaside bonfire and smoked salts percolate through a mellow sweetness.

This is the third release in Laphroaig's The Ian Hunter Story; a 33 year old Islay single malt, which enjoyed its lengthy maturation in ex-bourbon casks. The series honours and celebrates the impact that Ian Hunter, the last member of the Johnston family to own and manage Laphroaig, had on the distillery. It comes in a beautiful presentation and the whisky fits into the pages of the book.

Subtitled 'Source Protector', this 33 year old ex-bourbon cask whisky comes with the story of how Ian protected the water source and peat fields of Laphroaig.

Nose: the signature Laphroaig peat is certainly there, but it’s rounded by age. Seawater, elegant charcoal ashes, hints of lemon candy and bright peaches. Maybe some pineapple. Sweet almonds and whiffs of vanilla pastry. Menthol and embrocations, evolving to floral honey. A little polished wood, old leather and sheepwool as well. Quite excellent.

Mouth: somehow there’s a rather weak onset, staying silent for a while. After that it shows lots of beautiful fruity notes. Mango, pineapple and creamy papaya. However these are held back a little by a wave of oak, which also brings along peppery notes and ginger. It struggles to show its feathers. Subtle iodine and wax towards the end.

Finish: good length, slightly drying, with mint, cold ashes, hints of white pepper and tobacco leaves.

Cladach means 'coastline' and this whisky is a blend of Diageo's coastal distilleries; Inchgower, Clynelish, Talisker, Oban, Caol Ila and Lagavulin. As you would expect from so many distilleries, there is a superb variety of casks in the final mix first-fill American oak ex-bourbon casks, refill American oak hogsheads, refill European oak butts and ex-bodega European oak butts. 

The nose is driven by gentle savoury smoke, seaweed and petrichor before citrus, vanilla and caramel all appear and lead you to a palate that is much smokier and offers darker fruits and licorice. A delightful coastal number offered at a robust abv.

Bowmore Legend is matured in American oak ex-bourbon barrels, enhancing the fruitiness, mellow peat, maritime saltiness and honey of Bowmore, while adding an extra layer of deliciously sweet vanilla and gentle spice. A fine introduction to this legendary Islay distillery.