3 alternatives to peaty scotch single malts.

On a stormy, freezing night in Norway, what better way to warm myself than with some peaty whiskies? And why not try some new ones for a change. I'm usually quite picky when choosing alternatives to those Islay peat monsters, the Connemara falls through, Ardmore, Springbank, Old Ballantruan and such lacks the coastal characters, the st. Georges peaty one is good, but just a bit young yet. Let's have three that I think is top notch alternatives for your Caol Ila's, Ardbegs and Laphroaigs (yes I've tasted these before, but never written any notes yet.)



Auld Reekie 12yo 46% Duncan Taylor & Co.

There is another 10yo version of Auld Reekie, which is a single malt, likely Caol Ila, but this is a Vatted Malt I believe, since the label states that its an "Islay Malt Scotch Whisky". The color is pale white wine. It smells peat, thyme, parsley, lime rind, salty, junipers, chlorine, leather, iodine, iron. I think there's a lot of Caol Ila in this one too. The taste is sweet, ginger, bananas, vanilla, pineapples, not nearly as coastal or peaty as the nose suggested. Nice and light with some hints of black pepper and vanilla in the finish.

A nice starter whisky before you get to the CS heavily peated ones: 4.5


Amrut 3yo 2009-2012 62.8% OB Peated Batch#3

This one is an indian peated whisky at 20-something ppm, and actually distilled of scotch barley. It's not very old, but because of the warm climate in india the new-make needs less time to pick up characters from the casks. There was released 3000 bottles from this batch#3, so I guess the predecessor batches must've been good. Dark amber color. It smells wine-infused, rice spirit, sake, dry red wine, oranges and honey, it does not show much of either peat nor alcohol despite both contents in this one. Very slow an thin legs. The taste is very sweet, pickled fruits, syrup, coconut milk, amarula cream, pineapple, beetroots, cardamum, a lot going on the nose. But then the finish is peppery and peaty, seems lost then, but after about 30 seconds this ugly duckling turns into a swan again with spicy cinnamon, leather, tobacco, yeast, some sherry wood involved?

Great stuff, one of the better foreign peated ones in my opinion: 7


The Trinity II 6yo 2000-2006 61% James MacArthur's

An Islay Pure Malt Scotch Whisky. Which to me means two things, all the whisky is from Islay, and it's a blended/vatted malt as there are no grain distilleries on Islay. The Trinity? The only trinity as whisky is concerned for me on Islay is... *fanfares* Laphroaig, Lagavulin & Ardbeg *more fanfares*. In that case this must be a blended malt almost without a peer. 6yo? I Remember Lagavulin selling some young produce to be used in the bottlings of "Celp - The Seaweed Experience" in the mid-2000's, so there is a possibility, as both Ardbeg and Laphroaig delivers to blends and such, or at least have in the last 8-10 years. Remember 6yo doesn't mean its all 6yo unless there's a vintage on the bottle. The color is golden. It smells coastal winds, granite, licorice, mint, dried pears, custard, peppery, peaty, also some banana jam and syrup in this one, nice stuff. The taste is ever so coastal with brine, iodine, smoke, smoked ham, smoked salmon, sauteed fish, herrings, salted mackerel, thyme, raw onions, black pepper, curry, licorice, peppermints. I will not stand my ground that there is Lagavulin or Ardbeg in this one, but there's definitively some Laphroaig involved.

Fantastic vatting, or blend malt/malt blend.. who knows, superb anyway: 8



Next tasting: Tobermory/Ledaig Distillery