Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2008

The PC Islay Barley was supposed to arrive here in november but, I read somewhere that some storms prevented some whisky getting off the Island on time. But now it's finally available:) I wanted to try this one for quite a while, I got sucked in by the Islay terroir/old fashioned approach story of this one and luckily a website even sold samples so i could try before the buy.

It looks quite pale in the glass, but in this young one its all about the spirit so that was to be expected.

Nose: Very summery, fresh cut hay, very soft smoke from the farms and fresh herbs and oak. With water more fruity and floral notes, like peach cream, chamomile and lime oil. Its quite spirity, but in this case that is not a bad thing.

Palate: It comes in quite soft, but the flavors build up quickly and it becomes more powerful. I get sweet grain, roasted cashew, bitter grapefruit, herbal oil, seasalt and chamomile first before the peat really starts kicking in. The peaty flavors are complex, farmy, a little bit salty and again very herbal. The oakiness is light but fresh so also some white mashed fruit gets through. At 50% its not rough at all, just very powerful with bright flavors

Finish: Huge green hot chili peat smoke at first and then some bitter oak, grains, more smoke and coals and it leaves you with the herbs again. Its not a very long finish but it has different goods to show.

This young, feisty and very tasty PC reminds me of the Kilchoman Machir Bay, but then a bit cleaner (as in less farmy/dirty) but with intriguing herbal notes. You can certainly taste that the graininess is a bit different from most other Islay whiskies. I wouldnt be able to detect it in a blind tasting, but if you focus on it you can really pick some differences out. Also it's not really like the other PC's I tried, it has an own character and some depth in the peaty and grainy flavors. This whisky is doing pretty well at its age, yes it's young, but this way the complexity of the spirit gets highlighted. Now I want a full bottle for spring.

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