Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Best Islay Single Malt Scotch

Any opinions on this? I tried and like: Lagavulin 16 year, Laphroig 10, and Ardbeg 10 year.

Any outstanding or memorable Islays?

Laphroaig or Ardbeg Uigeadial if you like em with serious peat and smoke.

My opinion, basically in order but things change here and there and some bottles are better than others:

Best:
Lagavulin Distillers Edition

Excellent:
Laphroaig 18
Ardbeg Uigeadail
Laphroaig 10 cask strength

Very good:
Lagavulin 16
Laphroaig 10
Lagavulin 8
Laphroaig triple wood
Ardbeg 10



The Lagavulin Distillers Edition is a 16-18yr old whisky depending on the vintage that has been matured in sweet sherry casks. It is, in my opinion, a lot better than the 16 yo offering. Compared to the 16yr the DE has more smoke (less clean peat), more depth and complexity, a better finish and an all around more savory taste. It is fantastic. I've had several vintages and they have all been great. The 1996 was the best but that's gonna be harder to track down and cost more money. The current vintage out is very good. Overall I'd say it's the best whisky I've ever had with a few small caveats.

Bunnahabhain 18 year old The 18 YO stuff, the 25 is positive nectar of the gods but @ $900.00 a bottle it ain't in my pay grade. I did have some once at a rich guys place, yummy, did not want to swallow it.

So one of the caveats I mentioned in my post I believe was a 25yo Bunnahabhain. Friend bought me a glass years ago before I was experienced and thought a $50 glass of whisky was insane and I tried to talk him out of it. It was divine, whatever it was. It was a 25yo non-peated scotch and to spare a longer story, I believe it was Bunnahabhain.

Bunnahabhain 12yr is quite good as well, a solid non-peated Islay whisky. I have a bottle of Bunnahabhain Marsala finish that I'm curious about but haven't opened it.

The 12 has a bit more bite and back taste compared to the 18 IMHO.

T Lee if you wanna gamble on an independent bottling, you can have a Bunnahabhain 26yo for just over $300 shipped.

Nobody touches Laphroiag when it comes to an Islay scotch, IMO.

Had some Lagavualin, Bowmore, Brucchhlauhdi(sp?) and others that were close, but Laphroiag is my fave.

Octomore

Laphroaig is a great distillery. Laphroaig 10 is such a solid whisky. It's got great peat and enough complexity to make it interesting. It's awesome.

Lagavulin and Laphroaig are about tied overall for first place in my opinion although Ardbeg's Uigeadail is fantastic. Islays are king.

It is my opinion that the Scots make the finest whisky. Malted barley makes one of the best spirits in my opinion, impressionable and develops better complexity than anything made with corn and virgin oak. The addition of smoke, peat and salt really separates scotch from the pack and the Islays from the rest. Smoke and peat add both savoriness and complexity and the Islay malts often have a touch of sea water that really elevates it for me.

The only Highland I can afford that runs with the Islays is Aberlour A'Bunadh... no, it is not the intense smoke and peat, but it is richer, denser, more complex, and just plain wonderful compared to most of anything I can afford from Islay.

Ardbeg Uigeadail is phenomenal and in the same World as the Aberlour A...

I think I will stay in known territory as I rarely get the chance to indulge.

Talisker is my favorite, especially the 18 year old.

1. The Free One
2. All the rest

Confessions of a whisky whore.

I need to check out the A'Bunadh. Hear such good things.

I'm a fan of Talisker and Springbank as well.

Anyone try Ben Brachen 22 year?

Ardbeg Uigeadail is tops. Book recommendation: "Peat Smoke and Spirit" Author Andrew Jefford. published 2004. All about Islay and the several distilleries on Islay. About half on the island, history, geology, etc. But the other half goes into great detail about the distilleries, the stills, the routine methods they use, etc. This was published before Kilchoan got started but it's definitely THE book on Islay malts even if it's about 15 years old. Still available on Amazon.
If you ever get to Islay, remember to hit Ardbeg at lunch time because it's the only distillery with a café. Of course Bowmore is in town so you can get something to eat there as well.
Slainte

I don't often see those mentioned. Outstanding choices.