.port charlotte - islay barley - 2008

"Port Charlotte Islay Barley represents a milestone. For the first time, perhaps in the island history, a heavily peated single malt has been distilled using Islay grown barley. The wind-driven rain that lashes Islay's fields, and the Atlantic air breathed by the casks as they mature by the shores of Loch Indaal, gives the whisky its signature salty, citrus tang." Let's see for ourselves...

50% abv, €60, single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: young-ish, cookie dough, sweet, honey, floral, heather, red fruit, cherries, smoky, stables, fresh hay (although that is dried grass, so how fresh is hay actually..?), slightly earthly, mushrooms, chalky

Palate: raw, young, hot, red peppers, smoky, sweet, honey, honeycomb, floral, heather, red fruit, cherries, briny

Finish: hot, red peppers, sweet, ash, smoky, briny, really really dry crispy bacon, pleasantly long
Mark: ++++/+

Conclusion: as with many young peated whiskies, it is quite fitting. Personally I am a big fan of these types of whiskies, and this is one that would fit really well into our cabinet.

More info: "Harvested in September 2008 from the farms at Coull, Kynagarry, Island, Rockside, Starchmill & Sunderland, peated to 40 PPM, then distilled in December of the same year, this is a whisky of flawless provenance. A true Ileach."

Many thanks to Bruichladdich for sending us a very generous (20cl!) sample.