Peat`s Beast 30 Year Islay Single Malt
$614.99
We know absolutely nothing about this, other than that it is 30 year old Islay single malt, matured in "oak casks", and bottled at 50.6%. Early Whisky Base Score is 89pts.
Smokehead Sherry Bomb Islay Single Malt
$114.99
Bottled at 48% after finishing (presumably) in "Spanish Sherry casks," the whisky is rumoured to hail from the Ardbeg Distillery; but we can't really be sure!
Smokehead High Voltage
$84.99
We can't be 100% sure that this is a cask strength NAS Ardbeg, but it sure as hell tastes like one. We weren't looking for a new exclusive Islay mystery malt, but when we tasted it, we had to have it. 58%
Big Peat 12 Year
$114.99
Producer Note: "Big Peat is a marriage of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies only from the island of Islay. With Caol Ila spirit bringing sweetness, Bowmore the perfect balance, Ardbeg a medicinal, earthy quality and Port Ellen, a degree of elegance, Big Peat represents all that is Islay in a bottle. Part of the Remarkable Regional Malts range, the ultimate distillation of Scotland’s Malt Whisky Regions."
Big Peat is an Islay icon at this point, but it's the variants in the range, such as this 12-year-old, that are keeping it in the spotlight. And if they're still declaring 'Port Ellen' on the label, you know that the 12 year age statement is more than three times younger than the oldest whisky in this bottling.
Natural colour, non-chill filtered, and bottled at 46% abv.
Laphroaig 33 Year Ian Hunter
$2,499.99
This is the third release in Laphroaig's Ian Hunter Series, a work-in-progress 15 bottle collection meant to tell the tale of Laphroaig's history under the careful stewardship of Hunter Ian, the last of the Johnston line to run the distillery. Each bottle in the series is framed inside a book. This third edition is titled Book 3: Source Protector, presumedly having to do with that infamous period in Laphroaig's history when they were bogged down (pun fully intended) in the 'water wars' with neighboring Lagavulin.
33-year-old Laphroaig, distilled in 1987, and matured entirely in ex-Bourbon. Trust us, there is simply no better better way to showcase the majesty of Laphroaig than ex-Bourbon maturation and a high age statement. Apex Islay single malt.
Non chill-filtered, and bottled at 49.9%.
Innis & Gunn Islay Whisky Cask 2 Pack
$15.99
Cut Point Caol Ila 2011 Single Cask
$139.99
Excellent young Caol Ila from local darlings Cut/Point. This is brash and loud-mouthed young Caol Ila, make no mistake, but there's also a sort of hidden complexity here; not in the sense that it's tough to unravel, but more like there's a rather difficult balance being struck here. There's a lot of youth on display - which is great when drinking peated whisky, as youth generally equals big smokiness - but it drinks far from underripe. A style that perfectly suggests the aromas you'll encounter at the distillery.
279 bottles from ex-Bourbon Hogshead #307974. 56.6%
Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2012
$124.99
Distilled in 2012, from a 2011 harvest of 100% Bere barley grown by the Agronomy Institute of Orkney College. The whisky was matured in 10 years in First Fill ex-Bourbon casks before bottling at 50%.
Producer Description
"Bere is Britain’s oldest strain of cultivated cereal and would have been used by Scotland’s early distillers through distant centuries. However, in the 20th century an emphasis on efficiency and commercial return encouraged the pursuit of yield over flavour – favouring varieties that would produce the easiest crop and greatest extract.
"As champions of flavour, we’ve been working with the University of the Highlands and Islands’ Agronomy Institute since 2005 to reintroduce Bere barley to the distilling of single malt whisky.
"However, its importance stretches beyond whisky making. It is believed that this varietal has huge potential for the future of food production.
"Sown in April for a September harvest, the 2011 growing season was mostly warm and dry, until the crucial cutting time when there were very few days free from rain. Maturing for over ten patient years in first fill ex-bourbon casks, the understated maturation of this 2012 vintage delicately balances an unctuous texture and malty, sweet fruit flavour."
Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2013
$101.99
The 2022 edition of Bruichladdich's Islay Barley is a 2013 vintage release, produced from barley grown at 7 Islay farms in 2012. The whisky was matured 8 years in ex-American and European oak casks before bottling at 50%.
Producer Description
"For almost two decades now, we have shown the permanence of our commitment to barley provenance. Aided by the determination of our farming partners, this Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2013 is our eighth edition of unpeated, locally grown single malt.
"While each expression from the individual growing season is subtly nuanced, a signature maritime-citrus, barley forward style has developed in these complex single malts.
"Our newest vintage of unpeated Bruichladdich Islay Barley features the harvest from the 2012 growing season, later distilled in 2013.
"The crop was raised across seven island farms, by Hunter Jackson at Cruach, Andrew and Donald Jones at Coull, Mark French at Rockside, Ian McKerrell at Island, Alistair Torrance at Mulindry, Raymond Fletcher at Dunlossit and Raymond Stewart at Sunderland.
"The resulting spirit was matured in a combination of ex-American and ex-European oak casks for eight aged years."