McClelland's Single Malt Islay

I love the smoke so was looking for a low cost Islay to try as most are well over $40. This was only $20, went in with low expectations as reviews were mixed. At least its a single malt and theory is its from Bowmore as they own the McClelland brand(some speculate 5 yr old). Poured neat, clings to the glass pretty good. Solid peat smoke, bandaids and olives on the nose. As it opens the smoke wanes a little and salty cured meat moves in with some malt. Thin oily mouthfeel brings more sweetness than expected. Its malt, caramel and brine with char. Has a fatty/greasy note that comes as sweetness fades. Still brings some smoke but not as much as nose promises. Finish is medium with ashy smoke and greasy char. This lacks the refinement, intensity and complexity of the true peat monsters(such as Ardbeg).. its not on that level but is priced accordingly. What it does have is Islay smoke, good maltiness and a budget price, this bests blends in this range imo. Its not for everyone though, its kinda dirty and rough around the edges. It did grow on me though as I spent time with the bottle. I would pay the extra and get the real deal but for $20 this is a good cheap Islay intro. 72/100 ........If this is the Bowmore throwaway stuff Im looking forward to trying what they actually put their name on

Tasted a 2019 bottling, which I hear was better than newer bottlings of this ultra low budget Islay single malt. Nose: Bowmore peat. Islay peat really doesn't get any cheaper than this. It's like an old bottle of opened disinfectant mixed with last weekend's campfire ash. Some flattened citrus and faded vanilla. Damp cardboard, which I guess is what they call their oak casks over at Bowmore these days. Young malt husks. Not a terrible nose. Taste: An exact copy of the nose. Young but thankfully not aggressive, thanks to the standard ABV. Not repulsive. Drinkable. Finish: Longer than expected. Also a bit more bitter than expected. With water, the finish is shorter and overall better. It's tolerable. Final thoughts: this whisky somehow actually manages to tick all the boxes for an Islay malt. It's definitely not terrible overall. You simply get what you pay for here. I guess this could work as an introduction to Islay, but I would really recommend seeking out something more worthwhile, like MacLeod's Islay perhaps. At 15-20 euros, McClelland's Islay is actually better value than its elder Bowmore 12. I definitely wouldn't buy either of them again though.

The smoke of Islay with none of what makes the smoke great. It's somehow too sweet from nose to finish even with the smoke. I love Islay whisky but this almost makes me gag. If I didn't know that flavoring was illegal in Scotland I would think the smoke was fake. Very strange experience. If you already have this bottle and can't stomach it neat, you can try adding a dab to other budget non smoked drams. This works well with a blended Irish (Jameson). Fun to experiment with, still can't do it neat! Edit after having the bottle for a few months. The sickly sweetness does mellow out after awhile and marry with the smoke. Still not great but at least I don't gag, and it has been a good one to blend into cheap Irish.

Started my scotch adventure in this app with this. Price point is good for me to start. I'm a bourbon guy and I'm not sure how to review this. It's got the sweetest of a bourbon. I'm expecting more of a low tide vibe has some flavors I don't understand. Smooth light finish.

The nose is a mixture of vanilla and ozone. The peat on the taste isn't your typical meaty/briney Islay peat. It's more Earthy and subdued. The whisky is really quite sweet. Pear and pineapple on the taste. The faintest hint of oak reveals itself on a very short finish.

I read reviews after an impulse buy, i had left my phone in my truck. I thought i had made a mistake, but for 33$ for a single malt i figured i would give it a try. Im glad i did. Spicy like pepper, some smoke i enjoyed it.