Advent 2022 #18 - Port Askaig 2000

Nothing interesting to say about this before we get into it.

Port Askaig 2000, Islay Single Malt, 45.8% ABV

Minutia: Distilled in 2000 and matured in an ex-bourbon cask numbered 3312418 for 15 years before bottling in 2016. Reviewed blind, neat in an opaque glencairn.

Color: Amber; 0.7.

Nose: Ashy and musty smoke. Maritime and medicinal. A funky dough note. Something that might be gingerbread builds up over time.

Taste: Feinty and rubbery. Smoke and ash.

Finish: Smoky malt and pepper. Long.

Guess: Port Askaig 15

I was thinking Laphroaig at first, but it really started feeling more like Caol Ila so I went with the Port Askaig guess. Unfortunately at this point I’m aware of what few samples remain, so my guesses are likely going to be more accurate. This is alright, it’s a good peaty dram, though I wish the ashy note wasn’t so prominent throughout and there was more evolution of flavors and aromas.

Score: 81

Advent 2022 #16 - Port Askaig 30

A fun but dangerous one for a blind review. Let’s go.

Port Askaig 30, Islay Single Malt, 45.8% ABV

Minutia: Distilled at Caol Ila and matured for 30 years before bottling in 2015. Reviewed blind, neat in an opaque glencairn.

Color: Amber; 0.7.

Nose: Ashy, salty smoke. Leather. A sense that there are fruit notes to be coaxed out; you get whatever you might call a “nasal glimpse.” Some fruit comes in better with a bit of time, and a sweet icing note develops as well.

Taste: Rich and sweet with spices and pepper. Honey.

Finish: Earthy and smoky. Maltiness comes in, roasted in nature. Long.

Guess: Ledaig Rioja? Triple Wood?

This one stings a bit as I was thinking Caol Ila, but didn’t think there were any left. Oh well, I made my guesses based on the proof seeming lower than a single cask would be. This reminds me of the Bowmore 25 I had in a prior Advent calendar, unfortunately not in a good way. I’m not talking about quality, just the fact that it was a blind review that I think worked against it a bit. I gave it a score based on what seemed like a lighter quality mistaking that lightness for a weaker or watered down spirit rather than spirit tamed with significant time in a cask. After the reveal I revisited the dram and a couple other notes had appearing before then and an overall more positive impression knowing the age and consequent delicacy. I did revise my score based on additional notes with time in the glass, but refrained from revising based on subjective elements. That said, I still regard it a bit more highly than the given score. I’m going to reconsider keeping samples in my blind review pool that may be underserved without additional context, but this year’s will be unaffected.

Score: 82

Advent 2022 #4 - Port Askaig 100° Proof

 

I don’t have any strong feelings going into this, so, let’s get to it.

Port Askaig 100° Proof, Islay Single Malt, 57.1% ABV

Minutia: Almost certainly this batch is confirmed as being Caol Ila, and likely very young. Reviewed blind, neat in an opaque glencairn.

Color: Pale straw; 0.2.

Nose: Minerally peat, smoked seashells. Ash, fried dough. Once you notice the dough, it’s very present in the nose.

Taste: Bitter and earthy. Salty.

Finish: The taste just lingers. Medium-long. The longer it goes, the more pleasant it becomes.

Guess: I’m getting notes I’ve gotten for sure in Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Caol Ila, Bowmore, Talisker, and even Kilkerran. I’m leaning Caol Ila or an Islay-based blend, but I’m really at a loss with this one.

I don’t feel too bad about not being able to pinpoint a release that isn’t released “on profile” for the distillery. This is ok, and like at the beginning, I don’t have any strong feelings about it. It’s really quite minerally and ashy and maritime, to the point it held it back from being really good for me. If you like that, it’s a homerun. The nose has a good amount going on, but is still dominated by a few, but you can still find the others in there. Typing up my notes and going through my memory, it’s actually growing on me a bit more, but I’m leaving the score as is.

Score: 83

Advent 2021 #13 - Port Askaig 28

This is one I was happy to see available when ordering. It’s not often you get to try a well aged Islay without too much of a premium on the price. Happy it came up it this year’s calendar.

Port Askaig 28, Islay Single Malt, 45.8% ABV

Minutia: Matured for 28 years in refill American oak hogsheads and bottled in 2019. Reviewed blind, neat in an opaque glencairn.

Color: Deep gold; 0.8.

Nose: Green, light smoke. Citric. Toasted, aniseed.

Taste: Custard, vanilla, wood, spices.

Finish: Large smoke and earth up front, quick fade into a metallic woody note. Medium.

Guess: IB Port Charlotte, maybe Kilchoman.

That surge in the finish really reminded me of Octomore, so I figured it might be a lower proof Port Charlotte. Somewhat surprising, and welcome, for it to be there after 28 years. The finish helped it get there, though, and I think this would have benefitted from being cask strength. At something this age, it just feels silly to dilute it.

Score: 84

Here are links to the other posts from this calendar:

Advent 2021 #12 - Port Askaig 12 Autumn Edition

Another sample picked up kind of just because, to ease shipping and also to try as many Islays as I can.

Port Askaig 12 Autumn Edition, Islay Single Malt, 45.8% ABV

Minutia: Matured for 12 years in refill bourbon hogsheads and Sherry butts and bottled in 2020. Reviewed blind, neat in an opaque glencairn.

Color: Deep gold; 0.8.

Nose: Slight smoke, ash, red fruit, sea, shells.

Taste: Smoke, metallic, brief bubblegum, cork.

Finish: Much of the same, with a bit of a smoky surge at times. Medium-short.

Guess: Bowmore or Caol Ila.

Kinda got it since most of these are sourced from Caol Ila. It’s ok, but being a little more “put together” would really take it home.

Score: 81

Here are links to the other posts from this calendar:

Port Askaig 19

Consensus seems to be that this one is a Caol Ila. I believe we know Port Askaig has been Caol Ila and Bunnahabhain, and I know I saw somewhere that they confirmed a third source distillery without disclosing which one, but that was well after this was released. It’s a pretty atypical age, being the first 19 year old I’ve reviewed, so I’m curious how it is and compares to regular Caol Ila and my well-faded memories of the 18.

Port Askaig 19, Islay Single Malt, 50.4% ABV

Minutia: Depressingly little information about the production other than it being a single malt from Islay, almost certainly distilled by Caol Ila and aged for 19 years. I’ve not found anything about casks type or vintage. Probably ex-Bourbon if I had to guess. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Amber, 0.7.

Nose: Salty, mineraly fruit, more woody than smoky.

Taste: Surprisingly mild, light, a bit sweet, some spice.

Finish: Smoke comes in, pretty big but nothing like a peaty beater. More spice, salty ash.

This gets better from nose to taste to finish. The biggest difference is after the nose, it’s a bit decent but ok in the nose, then while the taste is light it is quite nice. The finish is a nice surprise where the smokiness expected of an Islay finally comes in. A solid dram.

Score: 87

Port Askaig 8

Loving just about everything I’ve had from Islay so far, an IB that shoots to embody that profile was obviously appealing to me as soon as I heard of it. I had been looking forward to this one, and the much older expressions, for quite a while and I’m glad I finally got around to opening it.

Port Askaig 8, Islay Single Malt, 45.8% ABV

Minutia: Matured in ex-Bourbon casks, I believe this was sourced from Caol Ila based on what I’ve seen written of it, though none of the source distilleries are disclosed. It is a single malt, so we do know that wherever it’s from, it’s all from the same distillery. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Barely pale.

Nose: Briny, heavy smoke, seaweed, damp vegetation, sharp cheese, vague citrus.

Taste: Smokiness, chocolate that isn’t quite right, maybe gum, salt, vanilla.

Finish: Short, mild, ends sweet but also weird.

Not a disappointing dram at all – it’s nice for a young Islay – but not the greatest. I’m intrigued to try the rest of the bottlings I can find. In terms of strength of flavor and enjoyment, this went down from the nose, to the taste, to the finish.

Score: 84