The Whisky Exchange “Straight from the Cask” NAS Celebration 60.1% 50cl

The Whisky Exchange in London has a number of small casks in the shop where they will bottle a 50cl bottle for you. One of their current offering is a NAS (No Age Statement) ‘Celebration’ bottled at 60.1%. Further information on the age and distillery is a closely held secret. The nose is not over powering considering the bottle strength and is quite sweet, pleasing with a buttery, creamy back ground. Well integrated with loads of peat smoke that battle with the buttery sweet creaminess, some hints of oak and pepper also. Some later hints of paint thinner or plasticine? Actually very nice on the whole. Water opens up the nose to really increase the peat smoke with a tiny hint of juniper and heather. The taste is strong at first with absolute buckets of smoke and sweetness all rolling around in abandon with a oily syrupy mouth feel, a follow up of more smoke. Water greatly improves the whisky, this is a prime example of a dram that should really be bottled at a lower strength but thankfully it wasn’t other wise we’d never know! The finish is full of sweet smoke and ashes, a full Islay impact; this whisky shares many characteristics with Bruichladdich Port Charlotte or Octomore. Not a lot of malt but a continuation of the peat, ashes, oak and sweetness. A little sweet and sour at the end, like acid drops. After a few minutes the experience is still rolling along with the peat smoke arriving in waves with some very dry wood and malt notes followed by more smoke. After 10 minutes the finish rolls on changing to peat smoke ashes and malt.

A peaty devil this one is but a sweety too.

Whoever chose this cask did very well and despite the mysterious origin and lack of age statement it’s a great dram. Limited to 25 litres total availability at the Whisky Exchange.

Score 88 points

Visit the Whisky Exchange at http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/