Reviews by: Rowey
lagavulin 12 year old natural cask strength
- Reviewer
- Rowey
- Color
- Pale Straw
- Nose
- A good whiff of butterscotch-toffee, followed by peat, smoke and the sea. Very slightly medicinal.
- Body
- Full and bold.
- Palate
- A short, sweet, fruity arrival is followed by white pepper, sea-salt and classic Islay peat.
- Finish
- Long, dry and slow-developing. Intense peat smoke slowly fades to a gentle brine, seaweed and smoked oysters, finally settling on pine and sea air.
Not as much a gentleman as its older brother, but more exciting, and sufficiantly different to warrant the purchase... well, that's my excuse.
bruichladdich 12 years old
- Reviewer
- Rowey
- Color
- Pale gold.
- Nose
- Fruity, dried apricots and pears, Light sea-mist and smoke.
- Body
- Medium - lovely mouth-feel.
- Palate
- As the nose would suggest. Add touches of vanilla, spice and buttery toffee.
- Finish
- Long and dry with a peppery woodiness.
Extra points for no E150, no chill filtration and for being beautifully presented at an outstanding price (at least in Australia). A delightful spring afternoon dram.
glenmorangie port wood finish
- Reviewer
- Rowey
- Color
- Copper-rose???
- Nose
- Nutty, with manderine zest, dark chocolate, raspberries and minty pine. Slightest hint of peat.
- Body
- Medium
- Palate
- Sweet, fruity arrival, with buttery oak drying quickly. Nuts, some honey and citrus.
- Finish
- Long... very long, and dry - woody, slight pepper and spice. More peat and soft smoke.
Not what I was expecting at all. Counter-intuitively, the extra years in the Port casks seemed to have tamed the sweetness of the regular 10yo with a complex dry woodiness that one would not normally associate with a Port finish. The subtle Port flavours integrate so beautifully with the famous Glenmorangie spirit, it's hard to know where one starts and the other stops.
laphroaig 10 year old cask strength
- Reviewer
- Rowey
- Color
- Rich Amber
- Nose
- Smoke, band-aids, some honey, peat and sea-air.
- Body
- Very full bodied.
- Palate
- Smoky honey, wood and iodine, with a firm, peaty base.
- Finish
- Very long and warm to hot. Spicy pepper, clove and hot cinnamon with salty sea air.
I think the other reviewers here have got this one absolutely right. I agree that water is really not necessary, but a few drops lifts the smoke in the nose a little and really brings out the briny finish. A powerful, but surprisingly well-mannered Laphroaig that every Islay fan must have on the shelf.
johnnie walker green label 15 years old
- Reviewer
- Rowey
- Color
- Rich Amber
- Nose
- Lovely, gentle floral and fruity aroma, with soft smoke and seaside smells - nothing over-bearing or unruly.
- Body
- Medium bodied with plenty of warmth.
- Palate
- Not as sweet as the nose might suggest. And excellent balance of fruit, floral notes, gentle smoke and salt.
- Finish
- Warm and drying, woody with slight sea-salt and smoke.
The first blended malt I've had in many years and I must say I'm quite impressed. A beautifully balanced and very drinkable whisky. Ideal pre-dinner dram.
ardbeg 10 years old
- Reviewer
- Rowey
- Color
- Very pale straw
- Nose
- Smoke, medicinal iodine, charred wood and coal tar.
- Body
- Full bodied.
- Palate
- Powerful smoke and peat, suggestions of sweetness and wet charred wood.
- Finish
- Long and warm with peat smoke and wood.
Very quickly becoming my favourite 'entry level' Islay malt: it's less medicinal than Lagavulin, more smokey than Laphroaig and wilder than Bowmore.
scapa 14 year old
- Reviewer
- Rowey
- Color
- Amber gold
- Nose
- Sweet vanilla and honey, heather, floral and fruit notes.
- Body
- Creamy and mouth coating.
- Palate
- The flavour lives up to the nose. Sweet butterscotch, honey and soft smoke.
- Finish
- Slowly warming, slightly peppery. Can be a little bitter sometimes, but another sip fixes that!
I really like this malt. An excellent dram to have with dessert.
lagavulin 16 year old
- Reviewer
- Rowey
- Color
- Golden
- Nose
- Peat, medicinal iodine, coal, smoke, wood, salt.
- Body
- Soft, slightly oily.
- Palate
- Salt, peat, iodine, pawpaw and smoke, Politely understated.
- Finish
- Long, smokey and earthy.
Beautifully balanced and elegant. The gentleman of Islay malts.
bowmore 12 year old
- Reviewer
- Rowey
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- Smoke, peat, vanilla and a hint of sea air.
- Body
- Soft and oily.
- Palate
- Smokey and peaty, charred wood, sea-salt, vanilla-honey notes. Very controlled and smooth.
- Finish
- Long smokey finish with some clove and a hint of sweetness at the end.
An excellent introduction to Islay malts.