Single Malt
Scotland
Islay Storm
C.S. James and Sons Ltd.
An Islay single malt from a secret distillery, Islay Storm has loads of peaty character.
Peat smoke, oily, briny, some malt.
Sweet rush initially, then onto medicinal peat and seaweed, some bourbon notes, spices, custard.
Smoke, long and spiced.
I love young Islay malts but this isn't good. Better of spending an extra $10-15 and get yourself a Quarter Cask.
First of all, I like smokey scotches, more than anyone I know personally. My first sip and impression, without any ice or drops of water, was like drinking intense, concentrated liquid smoke. Smokey, peaty nose, flat palate, and a long smokey, almost burnt finish. I couldn't tell if it was smooth or not, since all I had was smoke in my throat, but at least it wasn't a cheap, burning sensation. I sort of had a physical reaction of surprise, verging on coughing due to the intensity. After a few minutes, a second sip proved that I had acclimated a bit to the intensity, but the scotch was still not very complex, although I could start to pick out the peat notes from the smoke. Adding one ice cube and letting it sit for a few minutes helps make it palatable, if only to have not wasted my money and actually drink it. You may also like it (or dislike it less) mixed with 2/3 ginger ale, 1/3 Islay Storm. This may be your cup of tea if you like the sound of that description and like smoke more than I do, but it wasn't for me. If nothing else, this scotch proves that I prefer more of a smokey finish, rather than smoke on the whole ride down, such as Johnnie Walker Double Black. Then again, it was only $20 for this bottle at Trader Joe's.
I like the smokey rawness of this whiskey
I get more wood ash smoke than peat smoke. Its quite young and lacks much complexity. There are better options out there if you want a peated malt in this price bracket.
For those who do not know, Islay scotch should taste like smoke, some even say rubber or diesel exhaust. This is a characteristic of Islay and this scotch does it wonderfully. It is a fantastic strong Islay, not the best as a first Islay, leave that to something a little older. This scotch hits hard with smoke which fades to a wonderful peat flavor that lingers with a hint of ocean air. It has a healthy heat and spice as it is most likely a younger scotch. This scotch is not for one used to blended whiskey, leave this one for the adventurous.
