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First Cask Isle of Islay 20 Year Old

Overwhelming

0 088

@markjedi1Review by @markjedi1

31st Dec 2011

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  • Nose
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  • Taste
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  • Finish
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  • Overall
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  • Brand: First Cask
  • ABV: 54.2%

First Cask is the label of Whisky Import Nederland (Netherlands), that guarantees quality cask strength whiskies. This is something special, to say the least, namely a sherry matured Islay whisky of no less than 20 years of age. It has a beautiful bronze color, thanks to the first fill sherry cask. Only 300 bottles of this Isle of Islay were produced at a whopping 54,2%.

If you like sherried whisky, this nose will be very pleasing. But don’t go looking for Islay here. There is hardly any peat to speak off and the little bit of smoke that I do find is easily overwhelmed by the heavy sherry notes like nuts, raisins on syrup, espresso, mint and balsamico. I also get a late hint of cured ham.

It is very soft and creamy on the tastebuds. The sherry is again overwhelming and chases the Islay character off the stage. Sweet easily overcomes salt. Towards the end, I get a bitter touch, but not over the top. This is very good stuff indeed.

The long finish on cloves and dark fruits is nicely warm and drying.

The sherry is so strong that the Ileach becomes unreconizable. If I were a gambling man, I would say this is Bunnahabhain, the softest of all Ileach. A bottle will set you back about 80 EUR and can still be found left and right.

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