It's fair to say distillery 3 is rather popular if they're up to cask 168. It's also fair to say 3 is a very well known and respected Islay (Bowmore).
So cask 168, it's been bottled at 11 years, 58.1%, 1st fill sherry butt, and only 269 bottles. One reason it interested me was that the sherry finish Islay appealed.
Nose: sherry, sweet, rubber, sweet, cucumber, glue, very dark colour, no hint of salt or bacon
Body: ahhh there's the salt, raisins, sherry, hint of pepper, honey
Finish: spicy, heat builds, long raisin finish
It's not an Islay, at least not as you'd know one. I would have liked more salt coming through, but it is a very strong sherry cask, hiding most of the salt/bacon. I would have guessed a Spey or Highland, but close to the coast.
So definitely worth it for interest value, taste is interesting, warming and different. This should go down well at our tasting.
Rating: hmmm actually tricky 8/10. It's like the nose promises more than it delivers, but it is very very good. Strange. But then, that's the point of the SMWS.
No comments:
Post a Comment