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Islay Mist 17 Year Old

Average score from 3 reviews and 3 ratings 90

Islay Mist 17 Year Old

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@talexander
Islay Mist 17 Year Old

Well, my birthday was actually last week but I finally have a chance to try this wonderful and generous birthday present from Igor Kossov. It is a mini of Islay Mist 17 Year Old, but from the 1970s! Where are you ever going to find this?? My lucky stars!

The colour is a deep, rich gold. On the nose is a burst of aromas: dark chocolate, salted caramel, leather book binding, musty library. It's that mustiness that you only find in old bottlings that I absolutely adore. The gentle smoke flows beautifully within the caramel and chocolate. Mint and eucalyptus. I swear to God I get parmesan rind. A few drops of water helps, bringing more smoke forward.

On the palate, silky smooth, with a bit more caramel, and this time milk chocolate. The peat has retreated a little but it is still there. A wee bit of spice - truly savoury (sage, light beef stock), not too sweet. A little shy, unless you add a few drops of water, and everything comes forward in harmony.

The finish is briny, herbal and delicious. Literally mouthwatering. This is top-notch and in that excellent category of old-school scotches - meaty, musty, savoury. Too bad I don't have a current bottling of Islay Mist 17 Year Old handy, but when I reviewed that one back in February of last year, I scored it an 84. This one scores rather better - keep in mind the new one is 40% whereas the older bottling is 43%. Thanks Igor, ya bastard!

Nice review. Time In a Bottle.............Ex: Igor of Scotch.

Correct, Mark of Rye, correct.

B

Well you'll know its Laphroaig, but I like Laphroaig, but hey its smooth, smoother than a 16 year old Lagavulin, with a taste of honey like Springbank. I paid £30 for it, it is a bargain and half.

@talexander

Well, this hasn't been my week. My kid has head lice, my washing machine is acting up, my car heater doesn't work properly (this is Toronto in January, ya know), work is ballistic and my grandmother is dying and on her last legs (which is OK - she's in her late 80s, is having multiple strokes, losing her mind, constantly out of it due to medication, and it's her time to go peacefully anyway, so it's all good. Kind of.)

So if you are actually still reading this after that depressing start, rest assured that we are switching gears thanks to a pleasant dram that has improved my day. Islay Mist is a blend created in the 1920s by the then-owner of Laphroaig, Ian Hunter, to celebrate the 21st birthday of the son of the Laird of Islay House, Lord Margadale. But who wants to celebrate with a Laphroaig single malt? Too much iodine, smoke and peat, too challenging and singular. So Ian mixed it with some grain whisky, threw in some Glenlivet and other single malts, and voila - partay in da Islay House! MacDuff International markets this as Islay Mist, offering a standard Deluxe, 8 year old, 12 year old and this 17 year old, which won Best Scotch Blend (13-20 years old) at the 2008 World Whiskies Awards.

The colour is dark buttery gold (thanks to some caramel, no doubt). On the nose, there is dark honey, a hint of peat smoke, toasted almonds, briny sea - and fish! Of course, medicinal iodine as befits Laphroaig, which gets a little more pronounced with water.

The mouthfeel is thinner than you might think, but with a little more peat. There is a light, slightly herbal sweetness, with vanilla from the oak. Buttery with water. Incredibly easy to drink but still with that hint of Laphroaig in the background. Nice but leaves me a little wanting - perhaps because of my affinity for Laphroaig and other Islay malts.

The finish starts off short, then develops deeper into something long and ashen. Lively and rich, the balance of smoke and sweet works well. This is a very good Scotch, a blend for the committed Islay single malt lover looking for something more approachable but still hitting the desired flavour profile. My day has gotten a little better.

@michaelschout - the Islay Mist 17 is definitely worth it's price.

ps. I'm starting to get really frustrated with this website. My review of Islay Mist 17 Year Old has a picture of Compass Box Spice Tree FOR NO REASON (not to mention no expression in the Islay Mist range is represented internally at all). And next to it, the "Best Price Online" features Evan Williams 1783 bourbon and Glen Garioch 1797 single malt. I guess the number "17" is causing all sorts of paranormal activity in the server. But hey, it's a free website, so who am I to complain.

Wish we could add our own pictures, as we can for our cabinets, for expressions not in the database. Just a thought.

Hope life is better for you soon, @talexander. Great review, as always. By the way, did you mean "pissed" in the American or British sense?

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