[andy_e]

Hmmm, only 2% higher than Jameson's... I think I'll definitely take it with a huge pinch of salt... Maybe with an entire box of Maldon flakes... Can't see that Ardbeg at work, how does it rate?

[moose]

The Ardbeg Uigeadail is fantastic, providing you're an Islay fan.  It's pretty much the top of every review list you will ever find (on Connosr it's 7th in the rankings - but everything above it is far more expensive / very limited edition).  It's basically a sherry-cask finished, cask strength'ish (55%abv) Ardbeg.  Costs around £50, so pricier than your initial range but still good value (not much more expensive than the standard Lagavulin). 

Port Charlotte and Kilchoman do some cheaper, peat-tastic whiskies - not as alcoholic or complex - but still good in a youthfully aggressive way.  And, there is an attraction to getting something from a distillery that is still developing.

[andy_e]

Thanks, I'll look into that then! I couldn't work out whether the Machir Bay was a blend or a single malt, does it still count as a single malt if it's from the same distillery but blended different ages?

[moose]

Machir Bay is a single malt from Islay's newest distillery - Kilchoman.  Virtually all single malts are blended from different aged casks from within the same distillery - the age statement refers to the youngest component.  An Ardbeg 10yo might have some spirit that's been aged for 30y but the youngest spirit is 10yo and gives the age rating. 

Blends are when it's products of different distilleries that are mixed (usually with a load of grain spirit as a diluent - but that's a whole other matter - the difference between "scotch blends", "blended scotches" and "vatted malts").

The Uigeadail, Machir Bay and most Port Charlottes are all "No Age Statement" (NAS) whiskies.  The distillery won't admit how young some of the contents are for fear of putting off customers (it might be as young as 3 yo - the legal minimum).  Not that that makes them bad whiskies - a dose of youth can be a positive benefit - especially with Islay's.

The only whiskies that don't blend different ages are "Single Cask" single malts where all the spirit is drawn from one cask.  Generally very limited edition and expensive; although, some fairly cheap bourbons are single cask - with the precise filling and emptying dates of the cask on the label (Evan Williams Single Cask - only around £30 and very nice).

[Fultonius]

Dad has a bottle of Illeach on the shelf so I'll try and have a wee nip in the next few days to remind me of how it tastes. From memory, standard Islay fare so if you can get it cheap.

My sister went a bit mad and bought me a Single Cask 30yr old Caol Ila (bottled by Douglas Laing and Co. Bottle number 9 of 270) for my 30th birthday. Very nice, very nice.

[andy_e]

What a selfless act! Cheers, let me know how it tastes!

[Fultonius]

Ok, The Illeach: - I'm no "expert" whisky tester but I like what I like and that's peaty islay netar!

So, I'm sitting having a wee Ileach after another hard day working on the campervan conversion (haven't climbed in 3 weeks!!) .

Nose: Pungent!  Salty/Sea smell. No sweetness, some peat and hint of smoke. Definitely medicinal.

Taste: Sharp, hint of smokey peatiness. Definite medicinal tangs, tcp. Again, no sweetness. Spicey.

I like it, but it's not easy going. I could agree with it being a young Laphroaig.

[andy_e]

You've sold it to me! Nice, anyone seen it in any shops or will I have to mail order it? Bought a Bunnahabhain 12 at the weekend, pretty decent! Quite a few things on offer in Waitrose at the moment including the bunnahabhain, laphroaig quarter cask, talisker and many others.

[moose]

Heads up, the Otley branch of Waitrose was clearing out stock.  Picked up two bottles of Talisker Distillers Edition for £21 each (RRP £52). They were also selling off Mount Gay Extra Old Rum for £10 (RRP £31). Might be worth popping in your local branch, just in case it's a national bargain bonanza.

[andy_e]

My girlfriend's brother works in Waitrose and he often gets good staff deals on stock, such as Bunnahabhain for £10. We recently managed to get a Dalmore 15 (£52) for £30. Not bad!

[Eddies]

Ok it not a malt but I was given this bottle the other day by my girlfriends grandma, it was her husbands and he died 15yrs ago so it's old and I can't find ewt about it online...
Probably tastes like turps!?

It's streng tho!

[shurt]

En France at mo. Can get The Singleton for about £17 or so here. Anyone had it? Is it worth a punt?

[Stabbsy]

Has anyone tried Benriach Birnie Moss? Not normally one for Speyside malts (with a few exceptions), but this one's excellent. Quite peaty, but still different to the Islay malts.

Ok it not a malt but I was given this bottle the other day by my girlfriends grandma, it was her husbands and he died 15yrs ago so it's old and I can't find ewt about it online...
Probably tastes like turps!?

It's streng tho!

70% proof = 40% ABV, so no stronger than normal. Have you tried it yet?

[Eddies]

No not yet. Ill wait untill Huntingtower respond to my email... If its worth fuck all ill stamp on the lid over xmas and tuck in! Slange var

[GCW]

En France at mo. Can get The Singleton for about £17 or so here. Anyone had it? Is it worth a punt?

Yes, it's quite nice.

[shurt]

En France at mo. Can get The Singleton for about £17 or so here. Anyone had it? Is it worth a punt?

Yes, it's quite nice.

Oh right, nice one. Will stick it dans le trolley (im almost fluent after two weeks!)

[moose]

Heads up - Tesco are selling Genlivet Nadurra for £38 - that's around £10 cheaper than even online.  Lovely stuff - a far cry from the bog-standard 12yo.  It's a 16yo at a cask strength 58%abv so good bang-for-your-buck (non-chill filtered too for those particular about such things).   I'm not one for highfalutin' tasting notes (I'm generally limited to "does it taste of someone barbecuing antiseptic, if yes, then hurray for Islay!") but this stuff is beautiful - tastes like an orchard on a hot sunny day.

[andy_e]

I'd written it off because I'm a brand snob (definitely highfalutin) but on that description I might have to invest (although I'm now envisaging some lovely summer taste half-way between whisky, honey and calvados...)

[moose]

An aggregate of reviews for Nadurra here:

http://www.connosr.com/whisky/speyside/glenlivet/glenlivet-16-year-old-nadurra/

[horn]

Heads up - Tobermory 10 is a ridiculous £21 a bottle at Booths, not for long though. Ignore their 'reduced from £42' nonsense, it was never that pricey to start with, but it is an absolute bargain! Complex coastal freshness.

I rate it, and so does Ralphy:

[andy_e]

Good spot Si. If I hadn't have just spent this month's allocated whisky money on a Bowmore Small Batch Reserve (down to £28 in Sainsbury's) I'd be giving that a try.

[shurt]

just got given a bottle of Penderyn Peated. I've had their normal single malt before which i thought was really good but this is something else. i'd high;y recommend it.

[Monolith]

Dearest UKBers new and old, I have spent almost every day over the past fourteen months working on setting up my own independent bottling business. I'm delighted to share with you news of its imminent launch.

The first single cask release of a very special Glentauchers 11 year old single malt is currently being bottled. At a blind tasting I conducted at an independent wine and spirits shop, this was offered at cask strength (60.3%) and at circa 46% (the final bottling ABV) where it received some very favourable feedback. Glentauchers is a hugely underrated distillery largely due to the fact that the vast majority of its output has historically served the Ballantine's blended whisky. Inasmuch as I am aware, this might now be the only (if not among the few) 11 year old expressions currently bottled and available to buy as of the 2013 releases. Whether you love or loathe Jim Murray, it's worth taking a look at the tasting notes in his 2014 Whisky Bible and the associated scores for some of the other independent bottlings of this little known but absolutely brilliant distillery.

There will be 240 hand numbered bottles available for sale at a number of selected wine and spirit shops nationally. I'll happily let any interested parties know of these locations when a few things are finalised. The price point is still to be confirmed to the retailers but the margins to all in the selling chain will be fair and modest. A note to the Sheffield and Leeds contingent (of which there are many here!), I am attempting to retail stock at a few selected retailers in these cities.

In the early part of the new year, the company website will be fully fledged and I should have the necessary licensing laws in place to be able to sell directly to any of you lovely malt lovers.

In the meantime, please feel free to add your name and email address via the holding page signup in order to be notified when everything becomes fully operational:

Malt of The Earth

[Turboman]

Just signed up for email.
Good luck with this venture Mono. 

[galpinos]

 

Signed up. Good luck!