· Bowmore
Surrounding Scotland's rugged coastline are the even more rugged Islands. The whisky producing islands run from the southwest to the northeast. Just off the coast of Campbell town - once a large whisky producing town - is Islay, home to eight distilleries all with a taste of their own. To the north is Jura, then Mull and farther north is Skye home of the Talisker, the smokiest of all whiskies. Around the top and to the east one finds the Orkney's home of the northern most whisky distillery in the world and one of my favorites, Highland Park. Each and every one of these islands has it's own unique flavour due to the water, peat and some say the most important of all is the ocean air. It is the salty, sea weedy air that permeates the casks from the outside, meeting the whisky seeping out from the inside creating, incredible flavours. In the world of whisky Mother Nature gets to play her part, and play it well she does!
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Ardbeg - legally distilling since 1815 |
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Situated just 2 miles up the coast from Lagavulin, this distillery was closed from 1981 until 1987 and was mothballed once again in 1996. In 1997 it was sold to Glenmorangie. |
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Ardbeg 10 year old |
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Very smoky like Talisker, yet smoother and gentler, the perfect Islay malt. |
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Ardbeg 17 year old |
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Full of peat yet not as smoky as it's younger sibling, it is absolutely wonderful. |
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bunnahabhain 12 year old - established in 1883 |
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Pronounced "bunna - harv'n" this malt was distilled almost exclusively for blending until the late 1970's. this islay malt is lighter in peat than it's island brothers, using water from high in the mountains, but tastes of the western islands with spicy tones and a long finish. |
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lagavulin - founded in the early 1800s |
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Located on the southern coast of islay, these malts have the driest start of any single malt. In 1875 it was producing 75,000 gallons of whisky. |
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lagavulin 16 year old |
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A strong sherry & peat flavour with a huge powerful peaty, salty finish. |
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lagavulin 1980 |
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This malt has been double distilled creating a very smooth yet powerful dram. |
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laphroaig 10 year old - built in the 1820s |
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Located just a stones throw from the lagavulan distillery, this malt has a big flavour and but is just the opposite, it starts smooth and explodes with flavour down deep it's very peaty and smoky. |
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highland park distillery |
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It is said to be established in the 1790s and is the northernmost distillery located on the shores of scotland's orkney islands. |
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highland park 12 year old |
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Smoky with a heather-honey accent, the finish is clean, heathery, delicious and very smooth .. |
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highland park 18 year old |
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Only 60 bottles in total came to canada smoky with a heather-honey accent, the finish is without edge, heathery, delicious and very smooth. |
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highland park 25 year old |
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Only 30 bottles in total came to canada in 1999 smoky with a heather-honey accent, the finish is without edge, heathery, delicious and very smooth. Since 2001 we have had limited shipments that always sell out quickly. |
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isle of jura 10 year old - established in 1810 |
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Not as peaty and full as the islay malts but it is very smooth and seaweedy it warms the mouth with a building lingering finish. |
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McClelands islay malt - bottled by bowmore |
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This islay bottling carries characteristics of the bowmore islay malts, peaty and seaweedy. |
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scapa 12 year old - established in 1885 |
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Matured high on the cliffs overlooking the waters of scapa flow on the orkney islands, where time began , this honey gold unpeated malt is exceptionally smooth and carries hints of heather, salt and oak with a light finish. |
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talisker - established 1831 |
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The distillery remains the only distillery on the isle of skye. |
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talisker 10 year old |
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This malt is very smoky and very peaty with a long peppery finish, a powerful malt. |
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talisker 1986 |
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Finishing this malt in amoroso cask-wood rounds out it's rugged peaty character. |
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tobermory 8 year old - traces it's history to 1798 |
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This is the only distillery on the isle of mull, a light nose with a touch of peat, smooth with toffeeish notes with a light soft finish. |
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