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McClelland's Islay Single Malt

Ashtray soaked in water

5 670

@NozinanReview by @Nozinan

26th Dec 2018

1

McClelland's Islay Single Malt
  • Nose
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  • Taste
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  • Finish
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  • Balance
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  • Overall
    70

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This is a quick, off the cuff review, inspired by my first taste of a McClelland’s product.

It is Dec. 25 in the evening here in Calgary. I am at a party at friends of my in-laws. My impression is they are wealthy (Ms just bought a gymnastics gym). They have met me before and know of my affinity for single malts. When offered a drink it was suggested by the hostess to her husband that I should have a scotch. So he brings out this bottle and asks “is this ok?” Please tell me, what should I say? Well, I answered that I had never tried it. At least it was in a wine glass.

On the nose I get sweet fruit and peat. A touch of apple. On the palate, first sip, I kid you not, it tasted as if an ashtray had old encrusted tobacco ash, was left to soak, and the dilute liquid was poured off into my glass. On further sippage I get alcohol and peat. It is sweet. The finish is peppery and fairly long.

This is not complex. This is no Lambertus.

I accepted this to be polite and also because I had never tasted it and it’s not cool to be a snob anout something you don’t know. Sadly, I now have the answer, 1 pour too late, to the question “would I accept this if offered at a party?”.

Life lesson learned.

Merry Christmas

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6 comments

@Hewie
Hewie commented

You're a good man and you did the only proper thing. And you've now added to your education (as per @Victor's thread).

5 years ago 2Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote commented

@Nozinan Did you get any impression of where this disgusting stuff comes from? It was at one time rumoured to be very young Bowmore.

5 years ago 0

@OdysseusUnbound
OdysseusUnbound commented

@BlueNote McClelland’s is owned by Morrison Bowmore, so I'd bet that it’s a young Bowmore. I didn’t hate the Islay or the Speyside (rumoured to be a young Macallan), but the Lowland (Auchentoshan), and the Highland (Glen Garioch) were awful, like sub 50/100 points awful.

5 years ago 2Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor commented

@BlueNote, most believe that McClelland's Islay is 5 yo Bowmore.

5 years ago 3Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote commented

@Victor I've only ever had it once, but I suspected that it was around that age or younger. Bowmore have trouble producing a decent 12 year old, never mind a 5 year old.

5 years ago 2Who liked this?

Taco commented

At least it wasn't the Lowland bottling, which is absolutely toxic. I got a bottle of it a few years ago as a birthday gift from my stepson and had to ball up and drink it. I couldn't even mix it with Coke, as it made the Coke toxic as well, so I finally finished it about a year later. Never improved, but at least it never got worse. I'd give it a negative 25. And to think he could have bought WT101 and saved money (and my tastebuds).

5 years ago 1Who liked this?