Tasting Reviews

2025-10 Keith T.

by webnoser

Keith brought it. All whisky was decanted prior to our arrival, so we couldn’t be influenced by the bottles. The sneaky devil. A terrific night as usual.

Round 1: McClelland’s Islay Single Malt

Cost: $50 CDNRegion: Islay

Fun Facts:

  • McClelland’s Islay Single Malt is a “mystery malt”—the bottle never reveals which Islay distillery it actually comes from. But because McClelland’s is owned by Morrison Bowmore, many whisky folks strongly suspect it’s young Bowmore whisky hiding in plain sight.

NSC Comments:

  • Colour: Copper to Gold/Honey
  • Nose: Smokey, Strong,
  • Palate: Woody, Smooth, Creamy, Spicy, Oily, Dry
  • Finish: Short with a Sharp Drop off
  • Drinkability: 7.0,6.2,7.2,6.5
  • Notes: Very Smooth
  • Very interesting, a nice one to have
  • Not at smokey to taste as it smells
  • A mouthful

Round 2: Arran Port Cask Finish

Cost: $120 CDNRegion: Island Whisky

Fun Facts:

  • Like all Arran whiskies, it’s non‑chill filtered and has no added colour—so that rosy hue really is from the Port.

NSC Comments:

  • Colour: Mahogany to Copper
  • Nose: Sulphury, Alcoholic, Spicy, Citrus, Carmel
  • Palate: Creamy, Smooth, Citrus, Bandages, Powerful
  • Finish: Long (very)
  • Drinkability: 6.8,7.9,7.4,7.5,6.1,7.2,6.2
  • Notes: Flavors jump out with some H2O
  • Needs the water!
  • Strong, but not a keeper
  • Complex, interesting

Bonus Round: Elements of Islay – Cask Edit

Cost: $95 CDNRegion: Islay

Fun Facts:

  • Elements of Islay Cask Edit is built from a blend of smoky malts from Islay’s south coast and fruit‑forward malts from the north—essentially a “north meets south” Islay in a single bottle.

NSC Comments:

  • Colour: Honey to Straw
  • Nose: Smokey, Peaty, Fruity, Spicy,
  • Palate: Smooth, Citrus, Honey
  • Finish: Long, Medium Drop, Creamy
  • Drinkability: 6.0,7.5,7.1,7.9,7.5,6.4
  • Notes: Smells like a scotch should
  • Beautiful, most interesting of the night
  • Very intriguing, very nice