To corryvreckan or not to corryvreckan

In my opinion the taste and enjoyment is what matters when determining if something is worth it's price. And since you already tasted it you're already ahead. The age and even the reputation of the distiller is not that important. Except if you are a collector of course.

I would go with your instinct and splash out on the Corryvreckan. I've not had the chance to try it but I've only heard great things.

I think it will have a lot of qualities which set it apart from the standard 10 year old, plus its limited addition so all the more reason to snap it up if you can lay your hands on a bottle.

@sbl what did you decide in the end?

This was a hard one to crack... Unfortunately I couldn't retaste it during the weekend as the pub hadn't got it delivered yet. I did taste two new ones Yamazaki 12 and Auchentoshan 21 both very nice and interesting, the Auchentoshan being the favorite. I have finally decided to (drumroll ;) get a bottle and I'm actually just about to go out for lunch and will pick it up then (15 bottles left at my closest "systembolag") Thanks for the input btw as Stefan said it's all about the enjoyment. It is quite different from the other whiskies I have and I think it will be a complement rather than just another whisky thats the same as the rest . It will be a good one to bring on christmas leave. I'm not sure that my better half will agree however...

So now I'm the proud (?) owner of a bottle of Corryvreckan. I hope to be able to taste it this weekend.

I thought that I should share some first impressions of my first dram of my Corryvreckan. This is a big one, huge tastes, very complex. The high alcohol content (57.1%) isn't very disturbing. It doesn't taste alcohol but it numbs the nose and tongue a bit when it's neat. There are peat, old leather, charcoal and some initial liquorice on the palette. The finish starts with a healthy amount of charcoal smoke and goes on forever with peat and a little bit of more leather. There is definitely more to discover here. Just as with the Uigeadail I find that the alcohol tends to take over when diluting it. Maybe you can add a few drops but more than that seems to do more harm than good. This is a nice one that I have to taste a few more times before I can give it justice in a full review.

Just saw the Corryvreckan at my local store sounds like is worth a buy, I am a big fan of the 10yr and Uigeadail so I am interested how they compare. @sbl

Howdy sbl:

Seems it's not so much about it being "a bit expensive for a 10 year old," but more on whether the whisky is worth the price to you.

Do you think it's worth it?

If you think so, well then, there's not much more any of us can say, is there? Each of us has a price versus quality threshold. If Corryvreckan meets your standard, never mind what the rest think.

In the end, since you've already paid the price: enjoy!!

@Cardinal Sorry I took so long to answer. If you like Ardbeg both Uigeadail and Corryvreckan is worth having. I'm tasting them side by side now and the first impression is that the Corryvreckan is much larger than the Uigeadail. The Uigeadail is salty with leather a bit of charcoal and has a dry aftertaste. The Corryvreckan is sweet with a bit of caramel, there is also leather and more prominent charcoal here, I also find a little liquorice and a bit of peat. Both are very good and is a good addition to all Islay fans cabinets. Both of my bottles is about half empty and I think that they have changed a bit since they where new. The tastes are rounder and not as well defined as I remember them.

@two-bit-cowboy It is definatley worth the price. It is a very good whisky and tastes older than any other 10 year old that I've tried.

@sbl

Glad to hear it. Mine will arrive within a month. Can't wait, but I must.