Islay Whisky

Sanaig, named after an inlet on Islay?s rugged Atlantic cost, is a vatting of Kilchoman matured in both sherry and bourbon barrels. This sherry cask scotch whisky is matured in a high proportion of oloroso barrels, imparting a balance of dried fruits, dark chocolate and rich peat smoke into the spirit.

The 2020 Kilchoman Small Batch Release is a vatting of Bourbon & Oloroso Sherry matured Kilchoman at 47.4% with one specially selected Pedro Ximenez Sherry Hogshead at natural cask strength.

Expect to find the classic Kilchoman citrus and peat smoke with added layers of treacle, toffee & cooked fruits.

This is batch 2 of the Small Batch Releases with 1,260 bottles produced.  

This new expression from Kilchoman has seen their spirit fully matured in ex-Cognac casks from Tonellerie Bossuet (France). 

These casks impart a herbaceous, sweet and spicy character that balances against the robust peat smoke character of the whisky. The palate carries a toasted oakyness, with lush fruit laced with crystalised ginger warmth.

 A tang of citrus oil lifts through the smoke and sweet wood in the finish.

Originally released as a Travel Retail Exclusive, behold this 10 Year Old from Islay's Lagavulin! Having rested in first fill American oak bourbon casks for a decade, it's a glorious combination of sweet, salt and spicy notes, all wrapped up with fragrant peat smoke.

Nose: A sea breeze runs throughout rock salt, ripe apple, burnt sugar and maritime peat smoke.

Palate: Sweet and salty, with a good kick of chilli pepper, followed by roasted almond and more smoke.

Finish: A creamy, smoky, spicy finish.

Inspired by the spirit of intensity and pride that shines through a Lagavulin history more than 200 years long, our Malt Master explores the famed symbols of the ancient Mesoamerican art of tattoo, rich in story and significance. The whisky, finished in Don Julio An?ejo tequila casks, pulses with herbal flavors ancient and modern, engraving an indelible story.

Tasting Notes:

Appearance: Bright pale sunlight. Good beading and legs.
Nose: The immediate aromas are slightly more medicinal than smoky, showing hints of carbolic soap and soothing rub that soon mingle with aromatic wood smoke from a driftwood bonfire on the beach. As the intense, herbal smoke takes over, a savoury note drifts through it, suggesting barbecued pork. A drop of water reduces the intensity yet adds more maritime and darkly fruity notes, making the smokiness yet more aromatic.
Body: Medium.
Palate: At natural strength, the robust texture is creamy-smooth and mouth-filling, while with its ever-richer swirling flavors the taste is sweet at first and citrus-like, adds a good sprinkling of salt, then reveals notes of juicy plum in an increasingly smoky and lip-tingling finale. With a dash of water, it?s a little sweeter and smokier still.
Finish: Long, with a salty tang and finishing very smoky, with just a hint of that light meatiness in a smoky aftertaste that is both lingering and mouth-cooling. It is drying, with a lovely warm-heartedness.
ABV: 56.4%

Aged in oak casks for at least sixteen years, this much sought-after single malt has the massive peat-smoke that's typical of southern Islay - but also offering a dryness that turns it into a truly interesting dram.

Back in the 1880s Alfred Barnard, author of The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom, enjoyed an 8 year old Lagavulin he described as "exceptionally fine". As part of their 200th anniversary celebrations, the distillery have therefore decided to recreate an 8 year old! It's bottled at an exciting 48% abv and was matured in refill European and American oak casks.

Nose: Salted popcorn, honey-roasted nuts, tarry ropes and light hints of freshly-chopped cedar. A touch of burnt sugar sweetness lingers.

Palate: Smokey peat appears first on the palate, followed by coriander seed, barley sugar, cumin powder, smoked kipper and marzipan.

Finish: Layers of apple crumble, toasted almond and ash. Another kick of cooking spices right at the end.

THIS ITEM WILL SHIP FROM OUR HAMILTON WAREHOUSE.

In just a fraction of a second, this bottling takes us to Laphroaig to breathe in the particularly invigorating salty sea air. Next, acting as a link between the peat and the other ingredients of the aroma and flavour palette, incredibly smooth dark chocolate brings us irresistibly towards the malting floors filled with the utterly divine fragrances of germinating barley.

Nose: clean, complex. On the first nose, traces of rubber, intense smoke and gentian root dig furrows into an anthracite-coloured peat. Allowed to breathe, this peat becomes more oily and medicinal (band-aid, merbromin), salty and even hot (cayenne). Gradually, the gamy character takes over (smoked fish and bacon). At the same time, the aromatic palette is undeniably jaunty, spring-like and bright.

Palate: powerful, lively. On the attack, blocks of chocolatey peat roll across the palate. Immediately after, iodine tincture and mustard seed bring lots of vitality. The mid-palate is a subtle mixture of herbaceous (hay, malted barley), fruity (pear, Golden Delicious) and vanilla sequences. At the end of the palate, a subtle liqueur of acacia honey and roasted pineapple unctuously floods the entire palette of flavours.

Finish: long, generous. In archetypal Laphroaig style, the start of the finish is peaty/chocolatey, fruity, iodine and phenolic (hydrocarbon, sleet). Rooted in its terroir (gentian, ginger), in a mineral-rich soil. A handful of dried fruits (almond, walnut) and citrus fruits (lemon, grapefruit) dominate the very dynamic end of the palate. On the retro-nasal olfaction, coconut milk, ash and aromatic plants (sage, verbena) stand out for their intensity. The empty glass is vegetal (Havana cigar) and chocolatey.

This exceptional edition was created by current Laphroaig Distillery Manager, John Campbell, to honor those who have gone before him. Starting with malted barley that's gently smoked over a peat-fuelled fire, then distilled along with the clear water drawn from the legendary Kilbride stream, the spirit is aged twice.

The process begins in first-fill, over-charred ex-Bourbon barrels before moving into large, new European oak hogsheads for further maturation. The result is a deep orange-hued whisky which combines the signature peat smoke and medicinal flavor of Laphroaig with caramelized dark fruit. Serve neat, or pour over ice.

Whisky made in tribute to two centuries of Laphroaig master distillers

Developed by John Campbell to pay tribute to his predecessors

Notes of peat, caramelized dark fruit and oiled wood

Perfect balance of bitter, sweet, fruity and smoky flavors

Matured in ex-Bourbon barrels and new European oak hogsheads

Nose - A thick coating of peat isn't enough to cover a soft, oaky background. Iodine appears alongside a pear-fruity sweetness. Delicate for a whisky so big.

Palate - Continuous gentle waves of dry peat lap upon the taste buds but are balanced by a sweet malt middle and the most hesitant of vanillas. 

Finish - Long and peaty, the shy vanilla now begins to show as the oak adds a certain dryness. Comment A gentle giant.

Source Jim Murray

This unique expression from Laphroaig combines the unforgettable flavour of our 10 year old whisky with the sweet, aromatic flavours from the Oloroso sherry casks.

This marriage of casks creates a rich, full bodied flavour with notes of Manuka honey, bacon and maple syrup alongside the classic smoke, seaweed and hint of salt that Laphroaig is known and loved for.

The European oak sherry casks are carefully selected to compliment the unique and much-loved taste of Laphroaig. The additional sweetness and character of the Oloroso casks add complexity and balance to create a unique and exciting expression, but one that stays true to the character of Laphroaig.

NOSE - The nuanced aroma reveals  whiffs of sweet cereals, fresh  oak and pipe tobacco with  touches of leather, nutmeg and  vanilla.

PALATE - The Original Cask  Strength is sweet and  spicy with notes of vanilla,  toffee and sea salt along  with hints of cinnamon  and pepper. Long finish with lingering spice,  oak tannins, iodine and sea salt. 

FINISH - Long finish with lingering spice,  oak tannins, iodine and sea salt.

Matured in second-fill Oloroso Sherry casks and American oak ex-bourbon barrels for 25 years, a well-aged release of this incredibly popular heavily-peated single malt from Islay. Laphroaig aged for quarter of a century and bottled, without chill filtration, at 48.9% abv.

Nose: Vanilla, wood spice, smoke and a little TCP (but certainly not a head banger), some smoked bacon, with a little dried fruit character.

Palate: Very creamy full texture, peppery, spicy, iodine, saline, still plenty of smoke here, green apple fruit.

Finish: Very long and layered, peppery.

Laphroaig single malt from Islay aged for three decades! Twice matured in bourbon casks, expect this peated whisky to be complex, rounded and absolutely full of flavour.

Nose: Mandarin and mango rise to the fore tempered by toasted almond and coconut. Aromatic peat oils are interwoven, appearing as cedar, wintergreen and smoked sage.

Palate: A superbly oily mouthfeel with orange peel, vanilla, and coriander leaf, in a cedar cigar box alongside wild root ginseng.

Finish: Long and complex with lingering pulpy stone fruit and chewy green hand-rolled tobacco.

53.5% ABV

Laphroaig single malt from Islay aged for three decades! Twice matured in bourbon casks, expect this peated whisky to be complex, rounded and absolutely full of flavour.

Nose: Mandarin and mango rise to the fore tempered by toasted almond and coconut. Aromatic peat oils are interwoven, appearing as cedar, wintergreen and smoked sage.

Palate: A superbly oily mouthfeel with orange peel, vanilla, and coriander leaf, in a cedar cigar box alongside wild root ginseng.

Finish: Long and complex with lingering pulpy stone fruit and chewy green hand-rolled tobacco.

53.5% ABV