Elements of Islay used to be a series of single malt releases, produced at one of the Islay distilleries, but now they’ve expanded the range with a blended malt whisky simply named Elements of Islay – Peat.
Elements of Islay – Peat Full Proof (59,3%, Speciality Drinks 2015)
Nose: citrusy and clean, with straightforward peat, as expected. There are plenty of ashy notes, minerals and hay, but they wrapped in a bright, slightly scented layer of grapefruit, pear and floral / heathery notes. Hints of oysters. A little vanilla and malty sweetness as well. Water makes it slightly less fresh, I prefer it neat.
Mouth: really hot, much more powerful than the nose suggested (although the ABV already hinted otherwise). Quite raw and grassy, with lots of peppery notes and hints of sweet liquorice. Water works better on the palate: it stays fresh and citrusy, with more spices, a leathery touch and fruity notes.
Finish: long, peaty, slightly more medicinal. Fades on charred notes and a vanilla sweetness.
A nice whisky that delivers big peaty notes and lots of punch (even a bit too much, I think fiddling with water is necessary). Complexity is limited, but it shows nice citrus notes to balance the heat. Good value for money: around € 45. Available from The Whisky Exchange for instance.