Rock Island 21 - 46.8%
A blended malt from Douglas Laing & Co., Rock Island 21 marries together whiskies from Islay, Jura, Arran and Orkney, all of which have been aged for a minimum of 21 years.
This is a limited edition of 4200 bottles. In keeping with the Douglas Laing philosophy, this expression is bottled un-chillfiltered with no colouring.
Tasting Notes:
Appearance: Pale gold, forms a thin line which beads before falling as slow, thick legs.
Nose: Peat smoke, bonfires, vanilla pods, caramel, baking apples and a touch of citrus fruit.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, followed by peat smoke, crème brûlée, smoked meats, citrus fruit, a hint of malted barley, a little coastal salinity and black pepper heat.
Finish: A long finish with the orchard fruit and caramel from the nose making a late appearance. Sweet peat smoke gradually becomes more dry and ashy in nature, lingering on the palate along with vanilla, black pepper and a little brine.
Summary: The first thing to say is that this isn’t in peat monster territory, something which is perhaps unsurprising given the age of the whiskies in there. However, there is still enough peat smoke in there to add depth and complexity, adding layers rather than dominating.
Although the whiskies aren’t named there is enough in the peated notes to suggest the Islay element being Caol Ila, whilst typical Arran spirit character also shines through. Overall, it’s very well balanced, conveys a sense of maturity and the finish seems to go on forever. One thing I would add is that this is a whisky which seems to improve with time in the glass and also as the level in the bottle decreases. Give it some time and your patience will be rewarded.
There may appear to be a novelty element to the multi-island selection, but the individual malts have been chosen for a specific purpose and have been beautifully blended to create a very interesting whisky. Currently priced under £80 it’s not a cheap whisky, but with the age of the constituent whiskies it’s not overly expensive especially in the current market.
If you would like more information on Douglas Laing &Co. whiskies, follow the link to the company website.
