Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainYooh
That's not a reasonable generalization. Islay whiskeys differ significantly across the board. Laphroig, Bunnahabhain, Ardbeg, Caol Ila and Talisker are all very peaty and salty, but have little richness from the cask taste. They do change towards milder and more pronounced taste with age (starting at 18-yrs old), as the Scotch loses cask alcohol strength, mellows and becomes more saturated with the cask original beverage notes (bourbon, sherry or port).
Lagavulin and Bowmore Scotches are also very smokey and peaty in line with the Islay traditional distilliery practices but they are, as a rule, richer in original cask beverage notes.
Bruichladdich is technically an Islay Scotch too, but it is not really a solid product by any Scotch standard these days after losing all of their stock of aged single malts due to bankruptcy and subsequent takeover. It is more affordable and they do market it very well to young drinkers, yet, it is nothing to write home about, imo. It is mostly very young, rough and shallow in taste.
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I can definitely get behind this. As I said, Lagavulin and Talisker make some of my favourites, but having tried Ardbeg with little enjoyment and Bruichladdich with even less, I can safely say that the "Islay" rule unfortunate does not always lead to the promised land.
My tastes certainly run in the smokiest and peatiest of realms, the richer the better, but never a strict requirement.