Port Askaig 100⁰ Proof
The brand Port Askaig has been around for some time now. So far we’ve seen plenty of bottlings with an age statement, but now Specialty Drinks (sister company of The Whisky Exchange) has released one without a specified age. The alcohol percentage however is at 57,1 percent, higher than any other Port Askaig, most of which are bottled at 45,8 percent.
The 100⁰ Proof is supposed to be an ongoing release, so it will be available for years to come. It’s unknown at which Islay distillery this whisky is actually distilled. Caol Ila is the usual suspect, but including the latest Port Askaig-releases, there are now whiskies from three different distilleries in the range. So there’s no way to really know.
Port Askaig 100⁰ Proof (57,1%, NAS, Speciality Drinks)
Nose: Fresh peat, campfire smoke and licorice. Hint of smoked bacon. Some coastal aroma’s, fairly salty. Or salty sea spray, if you like your tasting note a bit more poetic. Sweet vanilla and white chocolate. Very well integrated and lovely mellow for such a high abv.
Taste: Warm arrival. Here the alcohol percentage does show. Peatier than the nose. More of a vegetal peat. Black pepper, some ginger as well as fresh citrus.
Finish: Slightly bitter, and the peat is more intense than before. Drying oak.
Rating: 84
The nose outshines the palate. The balance of the aroma’s is great, a little less so with the flavours on the palate, but still above average. So a very good nose plus an above average palate equals a good rating in my book. Islay-enthusiasts will surely appreciate this.
Sample provided by Speciality Drinks.
Thijs is a spirits writer and accredited liquorist from The Netherlands. He runs the blog Words of Whisky and contributes to a number of Dutch and international publications.
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