A Scot on Scotch

WHISKY REVIEWS, NEWS, HISTORY & FOLKLORE

An Unusual Undisclosed Islay?

I bought this Cadenhead’s Enigma Islay 15-year-old Single Malt at Edinburgh’s Whisky Festival back in October. I’m always on the lookout for independently bottled Islays and this one certainly captured the imagination…

Indie Islay doesn’t come around too often these days and when it does, it tends to be from the same couple of distilleries – principally Bunnahabhain and Caol Ila. The latter, in particular, accounts for the majority of Islay casks on the market and the words “undisclosed Islay” have become almost universally recognised as another way of saying “Caol Ila”.

That said, it’s possible that this Cadenhead’s offering could be something a bit different. The website states only that there was no identifying information with the casks when they arrived but the chatter at the whisky festival strongly hinted that the point of origin was known and it was a distillery rarely seen in such circles.

Lagavulin is a rare example of a Diageo-owned distillery that’s seen as a producer of single malt, first and foremost. Very little, if any, finds its way into blends. Even less is sold on to independent bottlers.

For many years I held Lagavulin in the very highest regard. To me it was the gold standard of Islay malts. The 16 year old, in particular, was as solid and dependable a drop of Islay gold as you were likely to find. Sadly, I’m not sure I can say the same today. Maybe it’s my changing tastes or maybe Diageo made some changes along the way but to me, Lagavulin doesn’t hit the notes it once did. Maybe that’s to be expected. When popularity soars, production increases to meet demand and that rarely results in an increase in quality.

Whether or not this Cadenhead’s release actually contains Lagavulin will likely remain a mystery but I have to confess to feeling a bit sceptical. A single cask would be easier to believe but with 1494 bottles available, a whole parcel of casks would need to have landed on Cadenhead’s doorstep.

That said, Cadenhead’s are “the oldest independent bottler in Scotland” so if anyone has the network to secure such stock, it would be them. There’s also the small matter of Diageo’s current approach to whisky sales. Flash sales and special offers have been popping up online on a semi-regular basis. In December, I picked up a bottle of the Lagavulin Distiller’s Edition for just £32: a HUGE discount by anyone’s standards (RRP is £90). Against that backdrop, does the selling of 3 or 4 casks still seem so unbelievable?

Possibly we’ll see more of this sort of thing in the weeks and months ahead. The whisky bubble may not have fully burst but it’s certainly straining and that could mean more availability of big name brands. Maybe independent Lagavulin will become a common sight. Wishful thinking?

Cadenhead’s Enigma Islay 15-year-old

Whatever this whisky may or may not be, it was good enough to tempt me into the purchase. Maybe it’s Lagavulin, maybe it isn’t, it doesn’t really matter. It’s definitely 15 years of age and it’s definitely produced in Islay. It’s bottled at 54.8% and consists of whisky matured in bourbon hogsheads.

Tasting notes: The nose is briny at first. Lots of stony beaches, shells and seaweed. There’s thick smoke, too. Perhaps more than you’d expect for a 15-year-old. Bonfire ash. Tar and creosote. Liquorice. Weetabix and hay bales. Vanilla. Subtle lemon scent. Lightly toasted bread. On the palate: malted barley leads the way, with honey and toffee followed by a salted caramel note. That fades into black pepper before the brine and sea-salt of the nose comes through. Black Jack sweets towards the back. Dry smoke on the finish. Coal fires and garden barbecue ashes.

Thoughts: The pale colour suggests a light touch from the casks, no doubt mostly refill bourbon but that’s helped the whisky retain its peat fire character after 15 years. In fact, the dram feels like a great demonstration of allowing the spirit to breathe. All that nonsense about casks providing 80% of a whisky’s flavour goes out the window when you taste a dram like this. The flavour comes from the spirit. It comes from the barley, from the peat, from the fermentation process, from the shape of the stills… it comes from Islay and I’ll never tire of that. Great stuff.

Price: £110. Certainly not cheap but compares reasonably well to other 15 year old Islays. Look for example, at Lagavulin’s Cask Strength 12-year-old, which now comes at a recommended retail price of £140. The Cadenhead’s release is three years older and £30 cheaper.

For more on Cadenhead’s visit here

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