Isle of Skye 30 Year

Scotch Whisky Review : Isle of Skye 30 Year

Distillery: Blend.

Bottler: Ian MacLeod.

Region: Blend of “exceptional peated Island malts” and “smooth Speyside and Highland malts and grains”.

Age: 30 year.

ABV: 40.0%.

Price: $270.

Color: 1.5, Auburn / Polished Mahogany.

This is the twenty-fourth installment of this year’s Christmas Countdown. You can find previous installments here.

Nose: It is rather wood forward but not in the way I’d generally associate with oak heavy drams. While there is a bit of oak spice, it’s more like a sandalwood note. You get some red berry notes before taking a turn toward earthier ones that specifically remind me of being in a damp forest. It leaves behind a minty note as well, fresh sweet mint like we have in the planters out in front of our house.

Palate: Silky is probably the best way to describe the mouthfeel and it goes down very smoothly. Flavor wise, there isn’t a whole lot to pick away beyond being stupidly easy to drink. You get a bit of Christmas spice with nutmeg coming to mind most along with some brown sugar.

Finish: Medium-to-long in length. The finish provides a lot more complex than the palate. It starts with a black tea that has a few sugars in it. You then get a bit of the fresh mint from the nose along with some more Christmas spices and raisins.

Conclusion: I’m not ashamed in the slightest (okay maybe a little, I do call this my “taterbait” whisky) to say that I bought this whisky for the box. The box is really something else, an impressive wooden construction that looks fantastic on my shelf. Thankfully, there is a surprisingly decent whisky with a rather complex nose and finish. It has a super silky mouthfeel that ultimately makes this very easy to drink. Considering there almost certainly 30-year old Talisker in here, it is rather hidden. The palate comes across grain heavy with more similarities to bourbon than not. While you certainly could do better from a value standpoint, this probably would make a killer gift for someone – especially given the presentation.

Rating: 81.

Scotch Whisky Review , Blended Review , Whisky Network Review

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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