Whisky: "Islay Sponge Part 1" 31 Year (1990), WhiskySponge

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 50.6%

Cask: Refill Barrel

Age: 31 Years (Distilled 1990, Bottled 2022)

Nose: Maritime, rock sugar, subtle charcoal, hints of beachy florals and violets, dried grass and crispy minerality, citrus backbone with hints of nori and shellfish.

Palate: Medium-bodied, maritime, minerality, orange, ginger, hint of lemon grass, soot, dank herbs.

Finish:  Medium to long with orange, salt, and herbs.

Score: 8

Mental Image: Lightning across a Watery Horizon

Narrative & Notes: The ocean called with a salty sea breeze kicked up as waves pounded on basalt and limestone, giving the air a crisp minerality. Notions of paper and charcoal pencils emerged with dried grass and beachy florals kissed with lavender and violet. A lovely orange oil ran in the background with vibrant lime and lemon, the citrus accented by nori, shellfish, and a hint of smoke. Medium-bodied, the palate replayed much of the nose with a crisp maritime character and slow fade to danker herbs. Salty mineral-laden sea breezes picked up as swells broke against parched earth, dry grass in the background with orange peel, ginger, and a spark of lemongrass. As the ocean faded, it left behind subtle soot and dried, dank herbs. The finish was medium to long with orange, salt, and herbs.

I love when a whisky brings back an unbidden memory, akin to the involuntary remembrance of Proust, in this case, the memory of sitting on a long stretch of sea cliffs at night. A friend initially introduced me to a hidden spot as a place of escape and contemplation, and I, in turn, introduced a friend to it one evening. While sitting and taking in the stars, visible as nearby hills limited light pollution from the city, we watched a storm blow across the channel: a cold breeze picked up, the swells broke loudly on the rocks below us, and lightning arced across the sky. It was a moment of profound beauty as we watched the stars shimmer above with thunder and lightning dancing in the distance, slowly closing the gap.

This whisky did not quite reach the level of sublime, that feeling of terrifying beauty as the immensity of the world or universe suddenly becomes clear, but I loved that it sparked that memory and gave me a chance to recall that night’s sky. It would be impossible to pick my favorite of these early nineties mystery Islay malts sourced from the warehouses of Signatory Vintage, but this was undoubtedly one of my favorites. While the memories this whisky provoked clearly elevated the experience, it would have still been a lovely dram without them.

I assume this is another Laphroaig, though the label seems to be an Ardbeg reference. Either way, I never found a clear statement from a reputable source as to whether this was a sibling cask to the Thompson Brothers and Signatory releases of "unnamed islays," though I think it is a safe assumption.