Whisky: Ailsa Bay 10 Year “Aerstone Land Cask”

Country/Region: Scotland/Lowland

ABV: 40%

Cask: Oak

Age: 10 Years (Bottled 2018)

Nose: Smoked oily fish and caramelized teriyaki sauce, hints of pineapple on the grill with burning pine, hints of more medicinal herbs, rubber sole leather shoes and cigar box lent a classy vibe.

Palate: Light body, soft smoke with burning pine wood, hints of cordite and camphor, grilled peaches, subtle tobacco and herbs, essence of smoked fish with hints of lemon.

Finish: Medium-length finish with toasted herbs and old fireworks.

Score: 4-5

Mental Image: 2 AM Party Clean Up

Narrative & Notes: The aroma was beautiful, and the flavor profile featured some nice complexity. I would have scored this a bit higher if it were not so light on the palate. The whisky felt lighter or more watery the more I drank it— there was no crescendo to something fuller or oilier; instead, it all felt more washed out over time. The finish remained lovely, and I appreciated how long it clung to the palate, which was a surprise due to the tiptoeing nature of the palate.

I initially tasted this blind and thought it reminded me of a sherried Kilchoman at maybe 43-46%; I have had a few malts from that Islay distillery with a beautifully complex aroma but a washed-out palate. Looking at the list of possibilities my buddy provided, I am not sure anything sounds right. Maybe Glenglassaugh or Kemet? However, I cannot imagine either of those having quite this type of smoke.

Wrong again! I totally forgot about Ailsa Bay, the malt distillery hidden inside Girvan. This was only my second Ailsa Bay, so maybe I can be forgiven for forgetting it exists, perhaps even more so since this was under the Aerstone 10-Year Land Cask label.

Honestly, I am impressed. Maybe the score doesn’t seem that way, but I enjoyed the aroma and the long finish. If the flavors and mouthfeel were just dialed up a little bit further, this would have been an absolute delight.