Kirkland Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

I've heard much about the potential of Kirkland liquors and I've had their XO cognac, which I found to be good but not great. Walking through the local Costco yesterday and I noted this bottle boasted a 50% ABV. That's serious for a scotch and I immediately found this bottle interesting enough to grab one. Tasted neat from a NEAT tasting glass last night for the first time. The nose is restrained. There is the expected iodine, peat, slight honeysuckle and a trace of salty or marshy elements. It's all pretty toned down, though. On the taste buds this is slightly sweet, slightly smokey and peaty but not over the top. Actually it reminds me of a slightly less nuanced version of a Signatory 8yr Caol Ila I had. Creamy, nicely flavored but lacking in ultimate complexity, slightly hot with a pepper finish. I like this better than Ardbeg Wee Beastie - it's not nearly as peaty but it does hold its own. It's better integrated, imho. Ardbeg 10, Lagavulin 8, Laphroaig 10, Caol Ila 12 are all easily better. They are also all about twice the price. My real interest in this bottle is for cocktails. I'm thinking Drunk Uncles and Rob Roys over the holiday season. I think this might be perfect for that application. I'll let you know... Regardless of ultimate rating know that this is a screaming deal. $37 for a very respectable 100 proof Islay scotch single malt whisky is a winner every day in my book. Recommended!

Super pleased with this, considering it was $40. I have had better peated scotches and this tastes young-ish. My guess is it’s a Caol Ila blend of primarily younger casks with some older ones to help mellow it out & give it . For $40, this is a steal. Again, the value is there l, but considering I’m not a huge peat guy, I would only buy this again if I’m hunting for a bargain peated scotch. Nose: Classic peat & brine. Smells like I’m next to a fire on the coast of Islay itself. Taste: Sweet and peat. The smoke is very evident and it’s slightly hot. It’s briney and has a slightly medicinal flavor. Despite the smoke, I get almost no tobacco. The sweetness is a white fruit like a pear or white peach. Finish: Smoke fades to the background as the white fruit takes over. Very pleasant. 5 minutes later, the peat is what lingers, transporting me to an Islay campfire.

Style - Neat in Norlan Nose - Peaty with a good amount of ethanol. Slight hints of caramel apple. Taste - The alcohol and smoke flavors swap here, with some heat to start mellowing out into smoky notes. Spiced sweetness near the front of the sip. Finish - A light burn stays near the back of my mouth after the sip and takes awhile to migrate to my throat. Score - 3.25 Scoring Legend 5.0 - Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky. 4.5 - Amazing, will always try to keep a bottle of this in my collection (if feasible). 4.0 - Very Good, maybe only one minor nitpick about the whisky keeping it here. 3.5 - Good, quite enjoyable to drink. 3.0 - Solid, wouldn't go out of my way to get it. 2.5 - Meh, still drinkable. Under 2.5 - If you have a bottle of this, start cooking with it instead.

Nose - salty, peaty, not too strong on the nose but let's you know it's from Islay Taste - Up front if fills the mouth with briney peaty mixture (not medicinal like Laphroig) develops into a malty flavor Finish - smooth finish, tiptoes with some smokeyness as it leaves the palate, at the end I get some sweetness, slightest of burn as I exhale and a tingle is left on the tongue and lips Score - 3.75 Scoring Legend 5.0 - Outstanding, unmatched to others 4.5 - Excellent, I will always keep a bottle in stock if possible 4.0 - Very good, quite enjoyable to drink, can consider as a solid choice 3.5 - Good, would taste again 3.0 - Average 2.5 - Acceptable, still drinkable 2.0 - Inferior, able to drink but not enjoyable 1.5 and below—wouldn’t drink again unless I am desperate

⏱️: First uncorking. Let sit for about 5 minutes. 👀: Dull sheen, like unfinished metal, has some bubbles, can't tell if there are legs because I'm drinking from a plastic cup; 👃: Can't detect much smoke from the cup but you can smell it out the bottle, mostly fragrant berries and a little stonefruit; 👅: Ahh...the smoke is definitely evident here, hits you with its best shot like a boxer, fruits and toffee, oaky, can't taste it off the palate but at the finish; 🏁: Taste thankfully doesn't linger too much, finish is short, but the smoke does make you feel like Puff The Magic Dragon because it comes out your nose 👃

I imagine this whiskey to be right at home in a stable, right by the feed. I imagine the stable hands sharing a dram and the days trials and triumphs together. Hay and mild smoke on the nose. The palate is creamy, cinnamon, and slightly tart, like lemon curd on a Biscoff biscuit. The finish is smooth with a growing chili heat and warming peat smoke. Adding a little water… The nose becomes more… medicinal? Like hay and lemons. The palate remains creamy and the lemon becomes more pronounced. Almost like peaches. The finish is still a warming peat.