Elements of Islay is a very popular (and rightly so) range of peated Islay bottlings by Elixir Distillers (a subunit of TWE). Most bottlings are from a single distillery, but they have also released a blended Islay malt expression in the past called ‘Peat’. The Peat & sherry expression is a rich and smoky Islay blended malt (from two distilleries) which was matured in a single sherry butt adding a nice sweet note. It is bottled at 56.8% and retails for a very sane price of £49.95.
Elements of Islay Peat & Sherry, 56.8%, £49.95
Nose: Sweet marinated BBQ’ed meat, with a sweet maple syrup glazing, sultanas, and blood oranges, a hint of sea-spray, more bacon strips, and wood fires. lovely smoke and sweet cured meat intertwined, cough syrup and some leaves too. The whole setting reminds me of a BBQ session when sleeping out on a camping site.
Palate: Smoke, chocolate infused with sherry, and sultana juices, leather and baked red apples in sweet sauce, spices, and more BBQ meat and bacon, some soot and ash as well, but the sweetness and sweet glazed meats, rule overall. Peat, and more ash, then some burnt sugar.
Finish: raisins, smoke, wine tannins, and leather.
Conclusion: This is a really good and enjoyable daily dram displaying a lovely balance of peat smoke and sweet sherry influence. Recommended, and a great VFM.
Score: 86/100.
Available exclusively from the TWE