What was your 1st Islay Whisky?

first tasted, Lagavulin 16, and it was also mi first single malt: I was totally hooked...one week after I bought a bottle of Ardbeg 10...

My first islay whisky was an Ardbeg 17, and it was love at first taste :-) It was the summer of 2000 and I had been visiting my cousin and her then boyfriend, now husband for a couple of days while exploring Copenhagen and on the last evening he found 2 bottles of whisky. I can't remember what the first whisky was but the second one was the Ardbeg 17. I was hooked on that taste from the first sip and went home to buy my own bootle that autumn. Unfortunately that bottle is long gone but I have 5 other Ardbegs in it's place.

Like, I think, most of us it was the Lagavulin 16. In fact, it was my first whisky ever on the Millenium Eve. I was hooked at the first sip.

I'm the same as @JoeVelo, my first whisky ever was an Islay malt. Bowmore 12.

My first Islay tasting was a Mini of Bowmore 12 yr, then bought a bottle of Bowmore darkest and finally moved up to Laphroaig 10 yr. Eventually I'll make to Arberg ;)

An Ardbeg TEN ... still one of my favourites. @whiskyshiba: My first contact with Laphroaig 10 was pretty the same. Hated the smell and taste of it. 5 years later I'm loving it ;-)

As many others Lagavulin 16. As many othersupon encountering of an Islay malt, at first I was repelled by the medicinal, peaty and smoky notes. It simply was too much. Needless to say I grew to love those notes.

@Lars, I began my Islay journey like yours. I started with the Froyg, then Bowmore, then Lagavulin and everything in between, except for Ardbeg. But up until recently, I tried my 1st Ardbeg, the Uigeadail. Now I can't get enough Ardbeg. My current favorite is the Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist.

Hurry up! We're all waiting for you here in ArdbegLand ;)

@666ppm, Nowadays it takes the peat Monster, Octomore, to bring me back to those days.

I even cook my BBQ with peat.

www.sneakypeat.com/SitePages/HomePrdcts.htm

Laphroaig 10 year old , taste explosion , did not even know what or where Islay was. Love at first sip. Was my anniversary that day & got two pleasant surprises at the same time. LOL

Only quarter cask available here now. Unfortunately

Thanks for the memories

Lagavulin 16; it was love at first taste. After sampling a few speyside, I couldn't believe the boldness of the islay whiskys.

My first Islay whisky was a bottle of Bowmore 12 followed by a Laphroaig 10, but before that my first peaty malt was a bottle of Talisker 10 year old. The Islay malts are fine, but the Talisker from Skye is better and far more complex!

@MacBaker62 I as well prefer Talisker 10 to both Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig 10. However I think the Lagavulin 16 is a notch better. The additional 6 years of maturation do play an important role.

The first islay i tried was an ardbeg 10yo, when i first opened the bottle it made me wonder how any body could enjoy a whisky like this. Two years later i find myself being drawn to islay malts more and more.

My first Islay was Laphoaig 10 as well. Had no idea what I was getting into, but loved the taste from the beginning.

My first Islay was Islay Mist, a good but unremarkable blend (not sure what malts go into it). After that first bottle, have never tried it again...

My first Islay was closely follwed by my second, as it was at Whisky Live 2008. Until then i had been very limited in what i knew about whisky and in what I tasted, so my mind opened on that day! The first one i tried was Auld Reekie, a 10yr Islay which at the time knocked me for six! I didnt like it either, however my opinion of Islay malts changed almost immediately as i then moved on to the Bowmore stand and tried some of their malts, which impressed me!

Lagavulin 16Y ... Taken aback by the peaty, medicinal smell, but knew this deserved perseverance... Bought my Ardbeg 10Y today, total span between the two bottles : 2 weeks...

And like Whiskyshiba, I too enjoy a sherried whisky but nothing can compare to the stubborn character of an Islay malt.

Ardbeg 10 and it is delicious.

Like @MacBaker62 I started my Islay adventure with Bowmore 12 and Laphroaig 10, in that order. Loved both straight away.

Lagavulin 16 here again. It took a few drams (at different dates) before it became one of my favorites.

Laphroaig 10 year Cask Strength. Quite the interesting evening; I was very excited to open it and when I did, I thought I had perhaps made a mistake (the nose made me sit back and stare at the bottle for a few minutes). But after sipping it, it was the start of a continuing love affair : )

Laphroaig Quarter Cask, this very afternoon in fact. Love the smokiness of the nose, but I'm unsure about the taste: my untrained palate found it very herbal, à la Fisherman's Friend, and very different from the smoked beer I enjoy. I'll have to try it again at some point.

As far as my notes go, my first Islay was the Kilchoman Winter 2010.

Lagavulin 16 about five minutes after I had tasted Talisker 10 year for the first time, the two distilleries (or islands) have battled for my heart and mind ever since.

As I recall, I had 2 Islay Whiskies the same night at a very good local Restaurant, The Scotsman: It was well stocked with wines and better expressions of Malt Whiskies. I can't remember the order of the Malts, but it was probably Bowmore and then Laphroaig; these were pre dinner drinks - The real surprise came after dinner when our host poured a large measure all round from an old cut glass bottle and it was magic in a glass. Millburn 15yo. I'd not seen it before or for that matter since. Alas, 'The Scotsman' is long gone. This Birthday bash was 50 years ago; It was my 19th. and I remember it well.

One of the things i remember is that the Bowmore was so pale, yet it was so very, very peaty. I couldn't understand how this could be. I didn't know much!

Arbeg 10 and Talisker 10. Both on the same day! I still love them. Have finally been able to find the joy in Lagavulin 16 as well. For a long time I couldn't stand it but the other day tried it again and was ecstatic. Tried it again and again over a period of time to make sure it wasn't a fluke and it tasted just as good or better. I will now for sure buy a second bottle when this one is finished!

Ardbeg 10

Laphroaig 10 - followed a couple days later with the Lagavulin 16. I bought 3 bottles of single malt to really begin my journey into the world of scotch (well, whisky), and these were two of my first. Really lucked out since I basically picked them on a whim at the time.

Lagavulin 16. Not a bad way to start.