Which Islay malt do you prefer?
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Topic: Which Islay malt do you prefer?
Posted By: OT Räihälä
Subject: Which Islay malt do you prefer?
Date Posted: May 03 2012 at 02:06
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There are several different types and ages available in most labels, but each distillery has so strong individual character that it shouldn't be too hard to decide which you prefer. I'd be intrigued to even know your views on them.
------------- http://soundcloud.com/osmotapioraihala/sets" rel="nofollow - Composer - Click to listen to my works! |
Replies:
Posted By: ColonelClaypool
Date Posted: May 03 2012 at 02:54
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Laphroaig, followed by Lagavulin and Ardbeg. Haven't tasted Port Askaig, Port Charlotte or Kilchoman. I like the peaty malts :) ------------- With magic, you can turn a frog into a prince. With science, you can turn a frog into a Ph.D. and you still have the frog you started with. |
Posted By: Equality 7-2521
Date Posted: May 03 2012 at 07:53
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We already have a beer thread.
------------- "One had to be a Newton to notice that the moon is falling, when everyone sees that it doesn't fall. " |
Posted By: OT Räihälä
Date Posted: May 03 2012 at 13:06
And your point is...  ------------- http://soundcloud.com/osmotapioraihala/sets" rel="nofollow - Composer - Click to listen to my works! |
Equality 7-2521 wrote:Posted By: DamoXt7942
Date Posted: May 03 2012 at 19:02
But beer is not so smokey than Islay malt.  Anyway, recent Islay malt has got more and more alcohol-smelled rather than older one. I love official Port Ellen. ------------- http://www.facebook.com/damoxt7942" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: RoyFairbank
Date Posted: May 03 2012 at 19:07
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The hell is Ishlay malt? I mean, I try to read about alcohol when I can on wikipedia, but I don't consume much of it partly as it is banned where I am, and if I do (back home) my mother is inevitably around me and saying "DON" CHUG YOUR ALCOHOL!!!" which ruins it for me. Also my father insists my license won't work in restaurants despite the fact I am 23 and climbing. Apparently the state ID license is not good enough...... you need a drivers license. Oh well, hand over the diet pepsi. |
Posted By: OT Räihälä
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 02:36
The problem is, Port Ellen's distillery has been closed since 1984, and there are not enough bottlings left to be available for others than those with several thick wallets. I included in the voting only those malts that are bottled nowadays, or that there is good supply of (Port Askaig). Myself, I've only tasted Port Ellen once, back in 2001. I can't remember which bottling that was, but it wasn't anything that would have left an eternal remark. ------------- http://soundcloud.com/osmotapioraihala/sets" rel="nofollow - Composer - Click to listen to my works! |
Posted By: ColonelClaypool
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 03:16
Islay is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland that has a grand total of eight active whisky destilleries. An Islay malt, therefore is a single malt whisky from one of the destilleries on the isle of Islay. If you are unsure of what constitutes a single malt, read this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_malt" rel="nofollow - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_malt
Normally, a single malt will have a much more distinctive character than a blended whisky like The Famous Grouse or Johnnie Walker. The best selling whisky in the world, Jack Daniel's (tastes like horse **** in my opinion), is technically a bourbon and made primarily from corn, thus not qualifying for the single malt label. ------------- With magic, you can turn a frog into a prince. With science, you can turn a frog into a Ph.D. and you still have the frog you started with. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 04:09
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^I like a Jack Daniels. Great sour flavour. I never tasted horse sh*t but I might start if it's that good. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: ColonelClaypool
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 04:36
 ------------- With magic, you can turn a frog into a prince. With science, you can turn a frog into a Ph.D. and you still have the frog you started with. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 04:42
I really must try "something nasty, inedible and poisonous crawled into a bottle of liquor and died there". Sounds good. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: ColonelClaypool
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 04:52
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I can understand why people drink JD, it's just not for me. But then again, if we didn't have different tastes and opinions this entire forum would be pointless so I guess we should be happy we do ------------- With magic, you can turn a frog into a prince. With science, you can turn a frog into a Ph.D. and you still have the frog you started with. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 04:53
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^hey I like most whiskies too. I prefer a scotch or an Irish. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: ColonelClaypool
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 04:55
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I'm primarily a Scotch single malt kind of guy, but one of the most pleasant surprises I've had is a Japanese single malt, Kawasaki 18 years old. Also the Swedish single malt, Mackmyra, is surprisingly good. ------------- With magic, you can turn a frog into a prince. With science, you can turn a frog into a Ph.D. and you still have the frog you started with. |
Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 06:05
Enjoy  ------------- 
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: ColonelClaypool
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 06:42
 ------------- With magic, you can turn a frog into a prince. With science, you can turn a frog into a Ph.D. and you still have the frog you started with. |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 07:28
| I haven't tried them all yet but Laphroaig is my favourite so far. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 07:30
I've had it. I even have one in my fridge right now. Wonderful brew. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 09:45
Bringing in the big guns, eh? Sorry, can't beat that! -------------
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 10:01
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i like the taste of a good ol'Oak
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Posted By: akamaisondufromage
Date Posted: May 04 2012 at 12:10
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I have only ever tried one of those that I remember, although I once spent a long evening in a bar in Edinburgh that had over 100 different whiskies as far as I remember. The thing is I prefer a good blended Whisky I just don't like them too smoky/ peaty. I can't imagine there are more than three people on this site that have tried all these? Infact I'm willing to bet. ------------- Help me I'm falling! |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 06:09
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Well I'm simply not an Islay malt or western Islands (in general since there are more than the Islay that produce single malts) single malt drinker, since they way too smokey or peaty for me (there is a difference between these two particularities... In the first case (somkey) you feellike you're drinking out of an uncleaned ashtray, where a few giggie butts have marinated for a few months... In the second case (peaty), you feel like you're drinking from an old uncleaned medieval glass that you've just unearthed.... Xhoosing between the anvil and ther hammer, I prefer the peat expression
The actual correct way to say this , is that the distillery has been "silent" since 1984, because before it was "expressing" itself. This may sound a bit snobby, but then again single malts and prog are relatively snobby
Yeah, but it's not dissing the Islay to be included in with the rest of the west coast malts (including Jura, Skye, Mull, Aaran abd the Campbeltown peninsula), which in comparison to the east coast (North Sea), are all very peaty and smokey (a few exceptionlike Oban, a mainland but west coast malt) ------------------------ For what it's worth, if push must come to shove, I'll choose the "weaker personality" expressions in this area of Scotland, like Bruichladdich, Jura (of the island of Jura) or Bunnahabhain... or even Oban And if pushed further, I'll choose the Lagavullin or Caol or Bowmore peaty end-flavours instead of or rather than the Ardberg or Laphroiag smoky stench ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 06:18
Yeah, but after a few years of straight oak maturing, one gets tired of the vanilla flavour, that's so typical of the oak barrels... I'm really in with those doublewood finish, like porto or sherry cask finishes... it really adds character , IMHO. Purists might balk at these out-of-character barrels, but using second-hand barrels was always the case in often-broke (financially) Scottland... Remember that if you buy a new oak barrel, you won't be able to re-use for 10 years minimum, during which your investment is totally blocked... Wine makers don't have that problem since the wine sit two or three years at the max (most never touch a barrel anymore), and the rest of the ageing maturing is done in bottles. ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: OT Räihälä
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 06:32
It's amazing how quickly an old barrel can effect whisky. In 2006, Jim McEwan at Bruichladdich made some experiments and gave a barrel of 1970 Bruichladdich 25 weeks of maturing in a Pinot Gris barrel. I happened to be around to make an article of single malts for a Finnish food&wine magazine, and he let me taste both the original and the one from the PG barrel. The difference was incredible! OTOH, even the original was probably one of the finest whiskies I've ever tasted. BTW, Ardbeg and smokiness: I don't find the basic 10 years old as especially smoky. It's rather very, very peaty, but with less smoke. Have anyone of you tasted Ardbeg's Corryvreckan? (I haven't - yet)
------------- http://soundcloud.com/osmotapioraihala/sets" rel="nofollow - Composer - Click to listen to my works! |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: May 15 2012 at 05:37
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I bought me a 4cl mini-bottle of Ardberg for tasting purposes with buddies learning the Scotch thing It's been decades since I actually tasted it, but I hated it so much, that I never forgot the ashtray taste and smell (I wouldn't call it "nose", but will politely avoid the "stench" word as well)... ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: OT Räihälä
Date Posted: May 15 2012 at 06:39
Goodness, your tongue is soft. If Ardbeg tastes ashtray to you, how can you drink anything else but smoothies?  ------------- http://soundcloud.com/osmotapioraihala/sets" rel="nofollow - Composer - Click to listen to my works! |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: May 15 2012 at 09:23
When you look at the taste map, it's kind of difficult to be more extreme than Ardberg, really!!!
Smoky, Medicinal, rotten or fermenting fruits... definitely not my stuff
 But I did decide to splurge €4.00 for my initiating class of SM snobbery rookie, just to get the full panel of possibilities. if they (rookies) actually like it , good for them, though.
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Notice that all shades of blue represent Island Malts (which includes the Scapa and Highland Park, both from the Orkneys, but that first one is more at the opposite of the table), and that they all occupy the upper third of the table, which tends to show that they are not that well-balanced, but for their defence, this is by design, not by flaw
All Purple are Speyside, the Greens are Lowland malts and all Brown-Orange-Beige are Highland malts
------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: May 15 2012 at 09:32
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So my Jura would be pretty nice for you? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: May 15 2012 at 09:47
That one and Bruichladdich and Bunnahabain are definitely more up my alley, yes. ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: OT Räihälä
Date Posted: May 16 2012 at 04:52
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That's a very good graphic, Sean. I hadn't bumped into it before. However, the taste/nose might be a bit more individual thing. I don't think it's possible to spot your favourite without tasting (I'm not saying the graphic would claim that to be the case).
For example, I find Ardbeg not that light, but much, much peatier than the graphic; definitely less smoky than Laphroaig 10. And to me, Lagavulin 16 isn't that smoky, but very peaty. Also, Taliskers should be higher up, very close to the top border.
Words aren't after all very precise expressions when describing a malt. I just can't understand how anyone can find anything delicate in Glenfiddich... ------------- http://soundcloud.com/osmotapioraihala/sets" rel="nofollow - Composer - Click to listen to my works! |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: May 16 2012 at 04:55
Well pop around and lets's finish a bottle.  ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: May 16 2012 at 07:30
I'd agree that the worded descriptions are not really 100% reliable (every palate is different too) - I think the Rich-Light axis should be somewhat renamed, although I suspect that they're talking about concentration of phenols in the malts, more than pure taste.
And neither is the actual map placement 100% accurate (ex: Dalmore - my utmost fave - is 10 km away from Glenmorangie and should not be in Beige, but in Orange colour), but it's certainly fairly trustworthy enough an indication to my (and most) tastes.
Yes, I find Laphroaig more smoky than Ardberg (from memory at least - I'll know more when I open the sample next week or after), I also think Talisker (only tried the 10Y) should be at the top of the Y-axis, but centered (it is quite peaty compared to Ard and Laph) and Laguavullin is also tops on Y-axis, but indeed very peaty
After all, it's only fairly recent that I was able to distinguish clearly smoky from peaty
On the other hand, if not delicate Glenfiddich is one of the more "grassy" malt I've tasted, along with the Dalwhinnie, but the chart separates them
I may just take you up on that oiffer next time I "island-pop", but it certainly won't be before the olympics... But i am planing to do something in the mid-future (say before 2014) between Wales, Lake District, Loch Ness/Inverness area and Edimburg (where my parents lived from 85 to 90)
------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: Green Shield Stamp
Date Posted: May 23 2012 at 15:35
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I voted Laphroaig, but I think that Islay malts are very much an acquired taste. The first time I tasted Bowmore Legend I thought I'd made a mistake by drinking it and should have rubbed it on. The phenolic, medicinal flavour is not for the faint hearted.
------------- Haiku Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |
Posted By: OT Räihälä
Date Posted: May 25 2012 at 14:51
It's intriguing how different bottlings there may come from one single distillery, and Bowmore is perhaps topping the list of the wideness and variety. From Darkest's tar-like heavyness to Surf's light-heartedness, and when you put a dram of Mariner under your nostrils, you can almost hear the seagulls. ------------- http://soundcloud.com/osmotapioraihala/sets" rel="nofollow - Composer - Click to listen to my works! |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: May 25 2012 at 18:11
I read a review of Laphroiag (can't remember which bottling) that spoke of smoked salmon  I guess the proverbial Scot stinginess took on an unexpected twist, when one thought that he could cast two shots from one stone, and he used the same fire for his Salmon and the germination of the barley... But he probably put the fish below the cereal instead of the other way ------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: May 30 2012 at 08:19
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Well Opened that Ardberg sample bottle with my two single malt tookie colleagues and we all agreed that one should stay away from that extreme upper left corner.... But Laphroiag is more somky than Ardberg for sure
------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: OT Räihälä
Date Posted: February 06 2014 at 15:12
Just to let you know: my new album Peat, Smoke & Seaweed Storm is out http://www.alba.fi/en/shop/products/5109" rel="nofollow - on sale now . Including Ardbeg - The Ultimate Piece for Orchestra. ------------- http://soundcloud.com/osmotapioraihala/sets" rel="nofollow - Composer - Click to listen to my works! |
Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: February 06 2014 at 15:23
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Not really a fan of Islays--I don't like saltiness and brine in my scotch--but I think I'd like Lagavulin and the "B" scotches more than I like Laphraoig and Ardbeg.
------------- http://soundcloud.com/drewagler" rel="nofollow - My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want! |
Posted By: Bald_Jean
Date Posted: February 06 2014 at 15:28
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I am more a fan of Campbeltown (if only for Springbanks, but there are many more), but when it comes to Islay i will vote for Bunnahabhain. it is a tough decision though; Lagavulin and Laphroiag are strong contenders |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: February 06 2014 at 17:05
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Bunnahabhain is OK, but Lagavulin made me think that I was in heaven. ------------- 
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Posted By: Bald_Jean
Date Posted: February 06 2014 at 17:21
that's the feeling I get from Springbanks |
Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: February 07 2014 at 00:20
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Springbank 10 was rather good, but the price gets pretty high here (~$70) and I can't really justify it for a 10 year when it's just shy of a 15 year for a lot of other scotches.
------------- http://soundcloud.com/drewagler" rel="nofollow - My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want! |