A delicious combination of sweet milk, vanilla buttercream icing and earthy and turfy peat smoke. 87/100
Williamson 9 Years Old 2010 Monologue
Williamson 10 Years 2010 Old Strictly Limited
Rich, complex and nutty a fantastic example of how peat and sherry really work well together. 89/100
Laphroaig 10 Years Old Cask Strength Batch 12
Nom nom nom. Another fantastic Laphroaig cask strength expression with all sorts of weird fruitiness showing up in the depths of this alcohol. Perhaps if watered down this would reveal even more but frankly it really didn’t need it! 87/100
Islay #3 13 Years Old Batch 4
Islay #3 13 Years Old Batch 4 whisky review: A fantastic Islay expression with plenty of milk chocolate / peanut butter and salt that combine perfectly into Reeses peanut butter cups and lots of herbal thyme thrown in for good measure, awesome! 89/100
Laphroaig 10 Years Old
Laphroaig 10 Years Old whisky review: A simply classic expression from Laphroaig, sweeter and milkier than my memory serves. I always remember the smoke and creosote from this dram although I’ll not be tasting that until tomorrow! I can’t believe it has taken me this long to sit down and collect notes from this. After quite a break from drinking this regularly it has been a pleasure to return and remind myself what great quality Laphroaig has even in their most basic expression. 84/100
SMWS 29.249 Sweet black tea in the surgery
SMWS 29.249 Sweet black tea in the surgery whisky review: OK so it is a finished whisky and my conscience still tells me that doesn’t sit right with the old ‘Product of a single cask’ statement the bottles used to carry. Finishing is not only here to stay within SMWS, but has apparently been around since 1991 according to John. So here’s to there being a little more explicit information or openness around finished casks. It only occurred to me after the tasting, but I wonder if finished casks have previously failed the tasting panel so badly they get sent for finishing? Whatever the history of this cask, it is undeniably tasty and drinkable now – in case a 21 year old PX sherry finished Islay malt hadn’t piqued your curiosity… 89/100
Williamson 6 Years Old 2011 Single Cask
Williamson 6 Years Old 2011 Cask #130 whisky review: Probably would have been my dram of the night if the Cask Islay (Caol Ila?) hadn’t been so darned good! A lot earthier in its peat this one and some substantial cask influence despite the use of a bigger vessel (butt) over a relatively short period. Perhaps if left a few more years this one could have been truly amazing? 87/100
Laphroaig Cairdeas Madeira Cask
Laphroaig Cairdeas Madeira Cask whisky review: A long sweet twist on your standard Laphroaig, the Madeira cask finish certainly isn’t dominant but the sweetness pervades both the smoke and spice. Undulates across the palate as flavours fight for dominance but overall quite harmonious and very enjoyable. 87/100
SMWS 29.244 Weaving wondrous dreams
SMWS 29.244 Weaving wondrous dreams whisky review: A deliciously smooth and malty dram from Laphroaig with their characteristic medicinal peaty nose and malty body. 87/100
Williamson 6 Years Old 2010 Strictly Limited
Delicious *Laphroaig* briny peat smoke and sweetened sherried maltiness at its finest. These Islay whiskies really do drink well young before the peat influence dissipates with over-maturation. 87/100
