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KWM 2022 Whisky Calendar Day 13: Port Askaig 110 Proof

Posted on December 15, 2022

BONUS CONTENT: Read Andrew's write-up on two Amrut KWM Casks here!

by Evan

Lucky Day Thirteen is here! This means we are past the halfway point in our 2022 KWM Whisky Calendar. We made it this far everybody – there is no turning back now! What is hidden behind Door Number Thirteen? Well, how about something peated? Wrench open that door and reveal the Port Askaig 110 Proof.

So, with this bottle of Port Askaig being 110 Proof, you should expect it to be higher alcohol than the Port Askaig 100 Proof we tasted last year, right on Day 17 of the 2021 KWM Whisky Calendar, right? Actually, it is not.

Wait, what?!?

The Port Askaig 110 Proof is bottled at 55% ABV, while the Port Askaig 100 Proof is bottled at the higher 57.1% ABV. The reason for this is the difference in proofing systems between The UK and the United States.

Port Askaig 110 Proof is a special bottling of Port Askaig that was made specifically for the American market. In the United States, the Proof amount of a bottle of alcohol is calculated by multiplying the alcohol level by a factor of two. That means 40% ABV is considered 80 Proof in the USA, 50% is 100 Proof, and thus 55% is 110 Proof.

The British proofing system, however, is different. 100 British Proof is actually 57.1% ABV as stated on the Port Askaig 100 Proof bottle. 105 British Proof, as in the Glenfarclas 105, equates to 60% ABV.

It is almost as bad as the battle between metric and imperial or Fahrenheit and Celsius, isn’t it? Only this time, I think the Americans might be right and have the easier version.

Here is a link to the Port Askaig 100 Proof in our 2021 KWM Whisky Calendar on Day 17 last year, just in case you want to check my tasting notes and compare. As of this blog post, I have not tasted them side by side.

Let's do a recap on the Port Askaig label itself.

For many of us that have made the pilgrimage to Islay, Port Askaig is where we the ferry landing where we disembarked from the CalMac Ferry and went off to explore the rest of the island. Port Askaig is on the east coast, on the Sound of Islay. East of the Town and about 1 KM across the Sound is the Isle of Jura. Distillery-wise, Caol Ila is closest to the town and ferry landing and is about a five-minute drive to the North. The new Ardnahoe Distillery and Bunnahabhain Distillery to the north are also within seven and twelve minutes by car, respectively. While the Port has been used for hundreds of years as one of the main berths between Islay and Jura as well as the Scottish Mainland, the town at the port itself only consists of a handful of houses, a hotel, a gas station, and a shop or two.

The Port Askaig Islay Single Malt label is owned by Elixir Distillers. The company also owns a few other brands you may have heard of, including The Elements Of Islay, The Single Malts Of Scotland, The Whisky Trail, and The Black Tot Rum brand. Over the past three or so years, Elixir has become one of our most trusted partners and go-to indie bottlers for sourcing single casks to be bottled for our store. Thanks to their supply and trust in us, we have been incredibly lucky to select and sell our own casks under their Single Malts of Scotland label including a Caol Ila, a Clynelish, a Ben Nevis, and multiple casks from the closed and demolished Imperial Distillery during this time. The first label that was released in Canada belonging to Elixir was Port Askaig, so it is exciting for us to be able to showcase it in our 2021 KWM Whisky Calendar.

The main range of the Port Askaig lineup consists of the 8-Year-Old, the 100 Proof, and limited runs of older whisky including a 12-Year-Old, 15-Year-Old, 19-Year-Old 25-Year-Old, 28-Year-Old, 34-Year-Old and 45-Year-Old. Many of these small batches have long since sold out, but we will hopefully see more bottlings in the future. Though it is a line of mystery Islay single malts and the source of each batch of Port Askaig is not usually disclosed, much of the whiskies bottled under the label are reputed to come from the Caol Ila distillery, not all of them are likely Caol Ila, though. Other distilleries that have possibly been bottled under the Port Askaig name include Bunnahabhain and Laphroaig.

So, what does the difference of 2% ABV mean, beyond a great deal of confusion? Well, it means that once again, we Canadians get to act smug and above this petty bickering while being stuck between two different versions of the same thing – and in this case getting to taste both if we want to.

Enough of this for now. My head hurts from attempting British Proofing math. Let’s try today’s bottle!

Port Askaig 110 US Proof 55%

Only available in mini bottles

Evan’s Tasting Note

Nose: Salt and brine with bucketloads of malt and barley underneath – almost like you are standing in the middle of an in-use malting floor. Oyster shells, pan-seared scallops, dried seaweed snacks, green apple skins, and fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice.

Palate: A lot of sweetness up front; just before the salt and peat notes crash onto your tongue like a tidal wave. Salted peanuts, apple juice, salt and pepper squid, sliced habanero pepper, canned pears, oatmeal with honey drizzled on top, and shortbread cookies with almond shavings baked in.

Finish: Smoky and salty and peanut brittle sweetness on the fade.

Comment: Did I mention this whisky is salty? It also packs a lot of sweet notes. The smoke and peat are along for the ride and do express themselves but seem to play second fiddle to the salty and sweet notes.

It is not even 9:30 AM as I write this in an attempt to get the tasting note done for our KWM Whisky Calendar blog post, and I feel like I have already gone over my daily salt intake. Not that truly matters this time of year – I will just balance it out with sugar and caffeine! 

Cheers,
Evan
evan@kensingtonwinemarket.com
Twitter and Instagram: @sagelikefool

This entry was posted in Whisky, Whisky Calendars, Independent Bottler, KWM Whisky Calendar 2022

 

 

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