islay | Page 2 | NYC Whiskey Review

Dun Bheagan 8 Year Old

July 21, 2020 Scotland

Name: Dun Bheagan 8 Year Old

Color: Yellow gold

Nose: Brine, iodine, orange

Taste: Brine, iodine, orange (yes, smells as it tastes)

Review:

Dun Bheagan Single Malt is an 8-year-old Islay styled whisky that is naturally colored and un-chilled filtered. Bottle by Ian MacLeod (pronounced Mac-Cloud) Distilleries, they sell Brand Name bottles and Private Label bottles. The difference is as simple as it sounds. Brand Name means it is their own brand of whisky they created. Private Label means it is another distilleries whisky in their bottle. They bought the whisky from someone and bottle it under their name. Dun Bheagan is Private Label and tastes a lot like another Islay whisky that I enjoy in over the winter months.

This Single Malt smells and tastes like a cut down version of Lagavulin 16 with lighter color. If it is not Lagavulin stock, I would be very surprised. I always wonder why distilleries do this type of business. Is it because of over production, partnership, shortages, gimmicks, experiments? Who knows? Well, someone knows but they don’t tell me and frankly, I don’t really give a shit.

As Autumn approaches us I like to switch over to peatier, full bodied whisky’s to enjoy in the cold weather. If you have thinking of trying Islay whisky’s but you don’t want to commit to a bottle that costs as much as Lagavulin 16 ($85) or you feel you might get stuck with a $50 peaty whisky you will not like, then this one is at the right price for a newbie. Don’t be afraid to buy this bottle. Whether you like it or not, for the price it is worth having it on your bar at home.

Price around $35 and a decent price for a decent whisky.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009

September 19, 2018 Scotland

Name: Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009

Color: Gold

Nose: Fresh barley, white fruit, pears, vanilla

Taste: Oak, malt barley, sweetness

Review:

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009 Scotch Whisky was distilled in 2009, bottle in 2015 and I am drinking it now in 2018. If you follow my reviews (which I hope you do) you will know I am fan of Bruichladdich. The name is hard to pronounce, the whisky is easy to drink and you look very cool ordering it at the bar.

Barley 2009 is aged for 6 years in oak casks, is non-chilled filter and naturally colored. The nose and flavor of the Barley 2009 is a strong barley with a different, almost odd, type of barely taste. This whisky expression has two types of barley used that are grown at three different farms. The barley is Publican and Oxbridge and the farms are: Claggan, Cruach, and Island & Mulindry. In short; 3 farms + 2 barleys = 1 scotch. The differences between the barleys are too much to go into in a short review but the terroir assist the barley with the flavor. When you have three types of barley in the distillation process you are going to get a much more unique flavor profile instead of one. I have no doubt someone just read that sentence and thought, “No shit Chris”.

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009 is not peated like many Bruichladdich whisky’s. It is smooth and has an interesting flavor that captures your attention without being overbearing or too much in your face with flavor. It tastes simple when you first try it but it has a lot going on at the same time. It is tough to explain but try it and let me know your thoughts.

The tin can cylinder (not pictured) is a nice add on from Bruichladdich when you buy a bottle. I like the protection of the bottle when I travel with it in my backpack around then city.

Price around $65 and well worth the money.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Laphroaig 30 Year Old Single Malt Cask Strength

April 12, 2017 Scotland

Name: Laphroaig 30 Year Old Single Malt Cask Strength

Color: Orange brown

Nose: Sweet mandarin citrus, peat, smoke, reduced iodine

Taste: Citrus, vanilla, peat, smoke, and wood

Review:

“Big boy strong” scotch from the Highlands of Scotland, the Laphroaig 30 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt has arrived from Islay. I am a fan of Islay whisky’s and Laphroaig is one of my go to scotches in the winter. There is nothing better to warm you up after braving the cold weather through the streets of NYC then a glass of Laphroaig as you sit in your tiny-ass 350 sf apartment and warm up.

I got the opportunity to try this scotch at Whiskey Live in NYC and enjoyed a nice sized dram by their brand ambassador. This single malt is 107 proof and has been twice matured in ex-bourbon casks. This whisky has been double matured in first and second-fill ex-bourbon barrels. Those 30 years in the barrels have created a very good scotch, but it comes at a very high price.

Laphroaig 30 Year Old is a very well balanced whisky with great flavor, but at $800 it is not very well balance for my bank account. The thing I find with Laphroaig is this; I can always taste their baseline flavor of smoke and peat and that gets into my head and takes away from what they have created. This is not a bad thing, but I have a hard time separating the flavor from the attempt to create something new versus what I just paid for a bottle. For example, Laphroaig Cairdeas is much sweeter and cheaper, but again has the underlying flavor. Naturally, the 30 year old is far superior to Cairdeas, but that is expected after thirty years of maturing.

Laphroaig 30 Year Old is very good but at $800 per bottle you have to be able to afford it.

If you like it, drink it!

Laphroaig 10 Year Old

January 24, 2017 Scotland

Name: Laphroaig 10 Year Old

Color: Dark Gold

Nose: Peat and wood

Taste: Peat, wood and light seaweed

Review: I jokingly refer to this whisky as “big boy” Scotch as it comes from the Islay region of the Highlands of Scotland and Highlanders are not known to make light flavored whisky’s. This whisky is not for everyone. You need to enjoy a very strong peaty wood flavor to swallow this Scotch. Some people have told me, “it is like drinking smoked wood” and do not enjoy it. Personally, I really enjoy it because I prefer big flavors in my scotch.

I can tell you and little life tip I have learned. For me, I find it very difficult not to have a whisky while enjoying a cigar but I have noticed that the more smoky and peaty the scotch the less I taste the smoke of the cigar. The two flavors fight each other. Big boy whisky sometimes takes away from taste of the cigar but if you like it that way you enjoy it that way!

I recommend if you have not tried Laphroaig to order a small 1oz dram to try this type of big and bold flavor from Islay. Priced around $50 and it’s a great value if you like strong peat and wood flavor.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Dun Bheagan 8 Year Old

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009

Laphroaig 30 Year Old Single Malt Cask Strength

Laphroaig 10 Year Old

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