Alt Islay

The Cabinet assembled last week to, in theory, explore a few alternative malts from Islay. In other words, some of the recent bottlings that have moved away from traditional age statements. I write "in theory" because in actuality, the star of the evening came from somewhere else entirely. It came from near Kennethmont in the Highlands, some 370 km northeast of Islay, and it came via Manchester and Nurnberg.

I will explain.

The Cabinet has a firm membership of seven, but guests are welcome to join us (one at a time please). On the evening in question we enjoyed the company of a guest who has been with us twice before. This might be a record. In the past she has come from Mumbai, but now she is based in Nurnberg, Germany. And now (and of much greater interest to our members and readers), she has source in the UK who supplies her with the special bottlings of Chorlton Whiskies in Manchester:  https://chorltonwhisky.co.uk/uncategorized/chorlton-whisky-bottlings/  (Take note of the beautiful labels. They're all medieval in origin not only because of the aesthetics, but because they are public domain and royalty free.)

This is how the non-Islay 60.7% abv Ardmore 12 year old (bottled in December 2022) came to dominate our Alt Islay night. And dominate in the happiest possible way. There was some sentiment in the room that this was the best whisky we have tasted this year. It is a beast. A beautiful, glorious beast that punches you in the mouth. Also in the happiest possible way. We are not masochists. From nose to finish, there is so much going on here that descriptors were piled on top of descriptors. But here on The Cabinet Blog we do not list "hint of this, whiff of that, note of the other". We simply tell you what we like, and how much we like it. We like the Chorlton Ardmore. And we like it a lot.

The guest's other gifts did, however, fit the putative theme. She brought another Chorlton, a Staoisha 8 year old (59.9%, December 2021 bottling), which was also marvelous but in an entirely different, fresher, livelier way. And she presented us with a North Star bottling, the Caol Ila 12 year (2006) at 54.6%. This was very fine too. But very fine sadly stands in the shadows of exceptional.

Joining the Caol Ila in the shadows was a new Bruichladdich "The Organic" 10 year old (50.0%), which was even better than very fine, but still suffered by comparison. It will get its own night to shine at some point in the new year.

And finally the perplexing and infuriating Arbeg "Ardcore" (46.0%). We disliked it before. We tolerate it now. It's difficult to get past the absurd punk theming and the ridiculous price point - double the Bruichladdich. Presented blind it would fair better. It would be fine. Probably not very fine, but fine. But context is important. Context is where half the fun is.

What a night.

Slainte!