Fiona Macleod 33 Years Old

By Barry Bradford on August 3, 2020 • ( Leave a comment )

Fiona Macleod 33 Years Old (46.3%, TCoIWC, 2020)

ABV: 46.3%
Age: 33 Years Old
Bottling: The Character of Islay Whisky Company
Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky
Cost: £399.95
Origin: Undisclosed
Vintage: Undeclared

What they say

Another incredible Islay single malt from The Character of Islay Whisky Company, which has been matured for an impressive 33 years! Over three decades of rest for this expression (which was distilled during a time of great uncertainty in the whisky industry) has resulted in a flavour profile packed with mature oak, rich smoke and flashes of lively tropical fruit.

The name Fiona Macleod is a reference to the pen name used by 19th century Scottish writer and poet William Sharp. Rather fitting that it’s being used for a whisky from an undisclosed Islay distillery, don’t you think?

Official tasting notes:

Nose: Ripe tropical fruits with hints of barbecued banana, giving way to smoky vanilla and a pervasive peatiness.
Palate: Opens with salty iodine, damp wood smoke and develops into sweet mango and candied ginger. Develops with a briny character, citrus and dried fruits.
Finish: Sweet, barley sugar, dried pineapple and bonfires extinguished by ale.

What I say

A 33 year old Islay single malt from an undisclosed distillery bottled by The Character of Islay Whisky Company!

My tasting notes:

Appearance: Champagne gold (5/20) medium tears and long, fine legs.
Nose: Tropical fruits, pineapple, mango, passion-fruit, fruit salad, chalky and perfumed, lavender, violets, passion flower, dusty and dry wood smoke
Taste: More fruit salad on the palate and again tropicality abounds, mango, pinapple, banana, dusty dry smoke, again perfumed and chalky/mineralic, parma violet sweeties, lavender and coal-tar soaps.
Finish: Long, lavender blossom, heather honey, peppery smoke.