SMWS 33.140 The Spaniard, the American and the Ileach SMWS

A deep and distinctly peaty nose – as expected, we agreed – but this example of the cult southern Islay make really did brim with peat embers, burning gorse wood, coal tar, smoked paprika and spiced beef stroganoff. Fathomless and massive. With water we got sweeter tones of soy sauce, charred meats, black bean sauce and nori, plus touches of dunnage funk, along with rock pools and creosote. The palate was superbly carbolic and peaty, like sipping cask-strength peated wash direct from the tun room. Hot coal and embers were also noted, along with biltong and charred lobster. With water it gathered depth and showed notes of roast coffee beans, PX sherry glaze, smoked fish in molasses glaze and blowtorched dark chocolate with a yeasty tang. This was matured in an American oak ex-oloroso sherry butt for 13 years before being transferred to a Spanish oak ex-oloroso sherry butt that had previously been used to mature SMWS bottling 149.1.