Aerolite Lyndsay 10 Years Old (46%, The Character of Islay Whisky Co, 2019)

• ABV: 46%
• Age: 10 Years old
• Bottling: The Character of Islay Whisky Company
• Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky
• Cost: £38.95
• Origin: Undisclosed
• Vintage: Undeclared

What they say

From The Character of Islay Whisky Company comes a mysterious Islay single malt that goes by the name Aerolite Lyndsay. The peaty whisky has been sourced from an undisclosed distillery on the island, though we have been told that the liquid was aged for 10 years in a mixture of bourbon barrels and Spanish oak sherry quarter casks, which sounds thoroughly delicious.

Oh, and the name? If you hadn’t miraculously worked it out already, Aerolite Lyndsay is in fact an anagram of the words ‘ten year old Islay’! See what they did there? Very nifty.

Official tasting notes:

• Nose: Lots of maritime peat, with notes of iodine intertwined with honey sweetness, paprika, salted caramel and old bookshelves.
• Palate: Smoke returns alongside mint dark chocolate, espresso and new leather, with honey and soy sauce mixed together.
• Finish: Boiled mint sweeties, liquorice allsorts, bonfire smoke and toffee penny, with a pinch of salt.

What I say

The first bottling from The Character of Islay Whisky Company launched September 2019 was this anagramed Aerolite Lyndsay (or Ten Year Old islay), presented at 46% and was  matured in 70% ex-bourbon barrels and 25% Spanish oak sherry quarter casks, with the final 5% coming from specially-selected ‘character’ casks – all from an undisclosed islay distillery.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Champagne gold (3/20), medium-large tears and thick legs.
• Nose: Unmistakably Islay, fresh ozone, sun-baked beach, on the minty side of medicinal, tarry, wintergreen & TCP, smoked sea salt and coal-tar soap, perhaps kippers with a dash of fresh lemon juice.
• Taste: Full-bodied and oily/silky on the palate, creamy almost, fruits, apple, lemon, peach, green olives in brine then smoke unravels, Lindt dark chocolate balls or perhaps with a sprinkle of sea salt and chalk minerality and occasionally mint, vanilla pods and salted caramel.
• Finish: Long, quick fruit burst, vaporous and then long, rolling peat smog with a touch of honey and black pepper

Overall

A fairly complex construction leave classic Islay peat and maritime influence and me guessing at distillery character, I guess the point here is to focus on some of the great characteristics of Islay whisky that can make a powerful yet extremely drinkable dram and present them with age-statement and at wallet-friendly prices, well done TCoIWC.

Score 85/100

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