The Ileach Cask Strength

As everyone knows, opinions are like Assholes and everyone has one. If you like smoke and peat, you will find it here. If you wish to compare this to Laphroig or Lagavulin then set up your own side by side to come to your own conclusions. But by all means do not be persuaded by others opinions and do not be dissuaded from trying Ileach Cask Strength. It’s your palate and nose, not theirs.

4th January 2019

The most pungent Islay Malt I have tried! Robust with lots of peat smoke, wet leather, seaweed and burned toffee. A long sweet smoky finish. Maybe not the most complex whisky, but definitely most bang for your buck.

15th August 2018

I have to agree with the last review, initially seems interesting. Now barely a quarter into the bottle I cant drink the stuff - its that bad.

Lagavulin I dont think so, Caol Isla maybe? who cares, certainly not Ardbeg or Laphroiag - raw islay alcohol barely 6 years old, untamed by any decent casks. Struck matches sulphur and overwhelming Grappa. Water calms the spirit, but somehow makes the sulphur stronger. Nope - I just dont understand the other positive ratings. If you are tempted to buy, get a sample first.

2nd June 2018

Bloody awful. Apparently Lagavulin under 6 years old - and quite frankly they should have left it in the casks. Is strongly caramelised to give a tango colour, to the extent you can taste the bitter caramel which overwhelms everything else. God knows how much they paid Jim Murray to rate it as half decent - which it is not by any measure. Someone is cashing in on the public's ignorance.

And if you think this sounds bad - try the standard strength Ileach, I didnt bother finishing the tasting glass, basically its new make spirit.

For my money: pay the extra for Lagavulin 16.

20th May 2018

I can't understand the positive response to this whisky, looking at the date of the last review makes me wonder if I have a newer 2018 bottling of this whisky? Anyway did buy this knowing how much it can vary, and it didn't pay off. On pulling the cork and taking a good nose of the cork then the (coloured) liquid itself I had immense hopes, everything an Islay whisky fan was in the aroma, except that inexplicable age. How a nose knows I don't know😉, but it was missing the warmth and width of the corner of an old pub where the owd fella insisted on smoking his pipe as his dog dried out by his feet. I guess I mean real character, the first hit of smokey peat passes into a new cheap chardonnay with an ultimate high alcohol fresh spirit finish. I tried a first glass and noticed the lack of oil sliding down the glass after swirling - bad signal. A sip of the whisky offered a very glancing and teasingly short blow of Islay, but more like passing over on the new airbus than driving, walking and feeling the island. The alcoholic aftertaste held no respite in the form of spice sweet or sour. Mixing with water.. Lots of water made a small difference. Shan't bother again. I had a bottle of Jura superstition on the go, so, though not a star itself, I swapped islands for the while.

15th May 2018

Wow... Simply divine and Jim Murray said it as contender for whisky of the year!! Please don't add water... Sip, savour and relish the beauty. Rich Cornish fudge flavours with almost silky smoke and a lovely languid finish

27th December 2017

I asked some relatives, who were travelling to Skye, to get me a bottle of this as i heard about it. I was not disappointed. Dry and smoky with an initial smell of old wood and leather and then after taste that always leaves me wanting some salty snacks. As it's call strength I do add a few drops of water to soften it. A great addition to my cupboard.

30th August 2017

You can argue, but there is not many Islay malts carrying this massive orange oil notes! Plus the peat is Laphroaig, unmistakably.

25th April 2017

I don't know where to start, a very unusual start, it has connotations of chocolate yet it reminds me of loch fyne in tarbert Argyllshire, it has that strong peaty undertone scent that you get whilst fishing on the loch, where it catches your throat in a very pleasant way, once it starts going down its like an explosion of tastes that I cannot describe , I almost tasted cinnamon but the joy of hitting my stomach was like manna from heaven, it has a very similar backing to aberlour but richer and tastier, a drink that should never be threatened with water, straight down and hold your breath and count to five then enjoy the explosions of WOW.

12th February 2017

Must give thanks to Robertsons of Petlochry who took me through several tastings of Islay Malts to discover this. I do enjoy Ardbeg 10 Year Old with a drop of water. Now this Ileach I found outstanding, still young but delicious. discoved undertones and complexity to it. Being Cast Strength it does have way too much punch neat for me, required softening carefully with drops of water to calm it down. (Raw, overwhelmed, closing the palate down instantly otherwise.) But transformed, opened up, still with good weight and strength. Rich colouring with strong legs in the glass.
Nose - Oak, peat, nutty, raisins, dark fruits, earthy/minerals. So enjoyable.
Palate - Impressive strike still, even after added water. On the palate this whisky has 3 distinct stages - a start - middle and end. Peat, smoke, black licorice, seaweed at first with developing notes of brown sugar, peppery, tar, burned toffee, leather, peat and seaweed still there in the background some chocolate coming through on a long sweet smoky finish.
Complexed and so enjoyable. A sip gives a couple of minutes of pure delight.
I have no idea if this brands whisky varies in taste year to year, all I can say is the 2016 batch is spot on for me and a bargain at its price point.

19th September 2016

En ung single malt direkt från pannan. Ung för djupet har inte hunnit komma. Men smaken och röken är ändå av hög klass. Mycket intressant, men inte i längden.

9th March 2016

First of all: this is not a complex whisky, and it tastes pretty young. Also, it's definitely not chill-filtered, and it's loaded with e150.

Having said that, it can be a very enjoyable whisky. Although I've found the experience various enormously depending on how much water is added. Straight from the bottle it's pretty harsh (even for 58%), but water it down too much and the harshness gives way to an unpleasant, "artificial tasting" sweetness. Find the sweet spot though and you've got yourself a decent, if uncomplicated, peaty Islay whisky.

Also, it's fantastic value for money.

8th February 2015

After reading reviews here and elsewhere, I was really looking forward to tasting this. I was, however, disappointed. The colour interested me first: either this had been matured in Glendronch-quality Oloroso casks or 'something' had been added to achieve this hue. The nosing and tasting seemed to me to suggest the latter was the case. Now, to be clear, I do enjoy the big Islay malts - Cask Strength 10yo Laproaig is a favourite, and I've enjoyed bottles of cask strength Caol Isla, Bowmore and Ardbeg. So, I was expecting a huge surge of smoke and peat on the nose but what I got, I felt, was rather tame and subdued. Similarly, the taste left me feeling a bit cheated and there was too much of a caramel flavour in the finish. As for price, which others seem to think is very competitive, I can regularly pick up Bowmore for £25 and Laphroaig 10 and Bunnahabhain 12 for £28 and I would rather pay these prices than over £40 (incl postage)for these, to me anyway, more satisfying drams.

12th January 2015

I may be biased as a big peaty fan with Laphroaig being my first ever whisky and until now quarter cask being my favourite. But I cannot lie this is a contender for the top spot. I echo the comments regarding cask strength. I always like to taste every one on their own before adding water to make sure it is required as more often than not I prefer whisky on its own. But this is 58% so water is a must but make sure it's the right amount, not too much or too little just what suits the individuals palate because this truly is a beautiful whisky which for me competes with uigeadail, quarter cask and lagavulin 16 as my favourite.

27th December 2014

Like all really great malts, this one edges towards the indefinable; there's a lot going on once you get past the 58% alcohol. Grab it while it is still cheap because I doubt it will remain so.

6th October 2014

Just had my first dram of this beauty. Now this is what I call value for money. Hugely phenolic, peaty, apricot, plumes, tar and ash. This is fun stuff!

23rd August 2014

Go for this, don't buy the 40%.

7th June 2014

Well, it reminds me of two great whiskies: Corryvreckan and Quarter Cask. Am I right?

13th April 2014

Even better,just had my first dram! Don't buy this as I want it all!!!!!!!

1st January 2014

Often overlooked by the islaphile because it comes from a secret distillery. This is however a mistake, its huge, peaty, medicinal, chalky, salty seaweed, pure elemental. As raw and unforgiving as the north sea wonderful stuff if you're a peat head.

8th September 2013

Don't forget that Cask Strength needs a little more water than normal. Hence the brutal and rough comments

19th December 2012

Having never heard of this before my birthday, the wife turned up this for me from our local deli so my expectation was low. Could not have been more unprepared for what is a head blow of peat of rambo strength. The nose is huge, the colour deep, the mounth a little rough but the reward is word try out. Have it in your collection as one to surprise.

14th June 2012

A very strong and peaty spirit, reminiscent of Lagavullin. The taste and aroma is immense and lingers in the mouth. It is a bit brutal though and not a smooth as some.

9th April 2012

This is one of the most pungent whiskies I have tried! It punches well above its price. Peat levels are massive, way beyond those of even an Uigedail. The drawback with this dram is that it lacks finesse and isn't very refined but it is well worth a try.

14th March 2011