Batch 149

Big, smoky, barbecue notes cut with sweet black fruits (damson, stewed prune), giving the effect of sweet glazed ham. The fire continues to smoulder and, in time, seashore elements develop. The effect is both robust and bouncily appealing. There is a sulphury edge, however, when water is added, and this slowly starts to dominate.

Immediately smoky, with charred meaty notes retronasally. It’s pretty hefty for a Caol Ila, but has the distillery’s distinctively oily mid-palate, allowing things to slide into the centre of the tongue, where the burnt crackling effect can be fully discerned. Then it spins off in a new direction with refreshing green elements. It doesn’t cope too well with water.

Roasted fruits and smoke.

Keep it neat and it’s a fruity, smoky treat.

Keep that fire burning to get Cracklin’, Rosie.

More bracing than the Hermitage finish, with an almost saline effect that calls to mind shore breezes and a slight vegetal/herbal element. There’s a whiff of paraffin as it starts to open, alongside white pepper and top notes of geranium and star anise. The smoke builds steadily, so give it time (if you can) to allow it to become richer, softer and oilier. When water is added, you are down on the shoreline, tangled in sweet kelp.

An instant and massive smoky impact with gunpowder, dried sage/oregano, smoky bacon and hickory that develops into spice and bog myrtle. When water is added, more floral elements start to emerge and the smoke becomes more scented, but without losing any power.

Creamy, smoky, long.

Big, profound and deep. A belter.

While knee-deep in seaweed, I Had a Kiss of the King’s Hand.

Smoky from the off – kindling, firelighter – then light smoked trout and beach bonfire. Some pear-like notes add the necessary sweetness, alongside cooked agave and pimenton. This is Kilchoman in muscular guise, with touches of kelp and old banana skin. Water doesn’t diminish the impact, but does add an earthy funkiness.

A light start, which seems surprising given the bulkiness of the nose. It leads off with smoke, which gives a drying effect before some clove kicks in, along with Kilchoman’s mid-palate softness. The two elements then move together to add weight and suppleness to the back-palate along with iris, heather and hot sand.

All the elements resolve themselves here, adding a rounded complexity and length.

A robust and rewarding Kilchoman.

Heading to the beach, singing a Surf Song.

Bright pink and very vinous, this plunges you headfirst into buckets of red fruits: strawberry chews, pomegranate and forced rhubarb with an added creaminess. The smoke is masked by this sweet overload, though water helps to release it – and some cranberry.

If the smoke is a latecomer on the nose, it is immediately apparent on the palate, along with a real peppery heat. This does need water and, when it is added, a balance is finally achieved between the OTT fruitiness and the peat. There’s now a mix of vanilla sponge, strawberry jam, beetroot and drying smoke.

Fruity juice, rosehip syrup and peat.

It’s not yer average Kilchoman but, somehow, it works.

Islay turns into Fire Island and you don’t know Which Way is Up.

Light floral elements are the first thing to come across here, along with an aroma that somehow brings to mind cool marble. It’s hard to believe this is cask strength. Ok, there’s some heft, but it is pretty closed aromatically. When water is added, there’s a cereal element, light woodsmoke, some lemon peel, melon and, weirdly, greater heat.

Rounded, perfumed and quite minty to start with, the smoke a sensation rather than a dominant element and, as with the nose, no great heat. The mid-palate has a thicker feel, with a light grip alongside that bonfire-like smokiness in the back. Water brings pineapple to the front, more of the smoke and some Wintergreen-like heat.

Lavender elements, lightly acidic.

Fresh, smoke-accented and vibrant.

As enigmatic as a Blue Marble Girl.

A mature and well-integrated nose, with the peated element still in evidence: pipe smoke, creosote, peppered mackerel; then dried orange peel, rich toffee and black fruits. Things edge towards supple leather, but the deeper notes are balanced by fragrant smoke. When water is added, you get a touch of banana skin, kippers and nori. Broad, slightly oily and complex.

It starts with exotic woods, cocktail bitters and that orange peel element. There’s a light astringency, but it is balanced by oiliness and dry smoke. In time you get just-lit sandalwood incense and, with water, some dried red fruit bite which counteracts the slightly drier smoked element and leathery maturity.

Long, layered, lingering and balanced.

A great example of an aged peated whisky. Recommended.

Weatherbeaten but still alive, a Hemingway’s Whiskey.