Malty Heads

It's all about the quality spirits up in here.

[whiskyoftheweek]

It's about time for the next, classic, Malty moment with an Island whisky. I'm sure everyone who's into whisky, is familiar with at least one of expressions from the only distillery on the Isle Of Skye. From my experience, I need to say that it's very unlike to find any bad version of Talisker. The spirit itself - most of the times - represents a very high quality and it sets up the standards which are difficult to be 'distroied' by poor quality of oak. This time, I'm going to go back to the 'multi-awarded', classic, 10yo expression of Talisker. Nose: I just love its freshness! Pineapple, nise and ginger, raisins, slightly mineral notes, white peppery, smokey and salty. With water - fresh fruits coming put but in the background it reminds me of some kippers mixed on the plate with some wood smoked salmon. Palate: Sweeter than on the nose, peppery notes still present as well as salt and mineral notes. Finish: Long one, loads of smoke and pepper. My advice - this particular whisky looks and tastes better while drinking close to the water. I highly recommend it! Have a lovely, tasty weekend Malty Heads! #talisker #taliskerwhisky #singlemalt #singlemaltwhisky #whisky #whiskybar #whiskygram #whiskyporn #whiskylove #whiskylover #whiskytime #whiskytasting #whiskywithaview #portsmouth #portsmouth #friday #fridaydrinks #maltyheads (w: Gunwarf Quays Portsmouth)

[whiskyoftheweek]

My 'malty-treat' for the halloween this year, is a peaty legend from Islay. A very well known whisky for all the Malty Heads around the world - Ardbeg Corryvreckan. Corryvreckan is one of the whiskies which - in my opinion, in my experience - hasn’t changed over the years. I’ve tried quite a number of this, 'NAS’ from Ardbeg distillery and I must say, its consistency is outstanding. Great, not over-priced, green bottle (a great colour match for your orange pumpkins), available pretty much everywhere around the world, it can be a real treat for a Malty Head not only for Halloween celebrations. Nose: Dark, blueberry chocolate mixed with some more red fruits, covered with a brown sugar and vanilla. Sweet, salty bacon, bbq plate with all kind of juicy red meats you can imagine. Is it peat that I smell? ;) Palate: The oily body comes across very nice. Then it's crispy, sweet and sour notes, very nice coffee notes, rich with red fruits, blackberries, toffee. Reminds me of some nicaraguan espresso profile. Peat. Finish: Oh yes. Aftertaste that I just adore. Long, powerful, very rich and complex. Loads of dark chocolate, bonfire and pepper. Great dram both in the past and now. Happy Halloween pals! 🎃👻🎃👻🍻🎃 #halloween #halloween2016 #haloweendrink #halloweentheme #ardbeg #ardbegcorryvreckan #whiskyandpumpkins #whisky #whiskygram #whiskytime #whiskyporn #whiskylover #singlemalt #singlemaltwhisky #peat #peatedwhisky #islaywhisky #islay #whiskycandle #trickortreat (w: Southampton)

[whiskyoftheweek]

Hello and welcome on the dark side of the peat, Malty Heads. Ardbeg Dark Cove is a limited edition whisky released by the distillery in an honour of the Ardbeg Day 2016. 46.5 ABV, matured in the combination of ex-bourbon casks and some mysterious 'dark Sherry casks'. So how does the 'darkest Ardbeg on the market' smell and taste..? Nose: Salty, bbq beef ribs with some earthy notes in the background. Coffee mocha, loads of different kind of smoke and peat. Good start. Palate: Chocolate and smoke-covered raisins, sweet coffee, with a floral notes. Reminds me of some good quality Ethiopian beans. Finish: More coffee, a lot of peat, campfire and caramel. Very well-balanced whisky which is quite similar to 'Uigedail' expression. Very similar intensity but it seems to be less complex than the 'sherry oloroso' matured Ardbeg we know so well. Definitely worth trying dram. Have a great Sunday Malty Heads and may the peat be with you! Cheers, 🍻 #ardbeg #ardbegday #ardbegdarkcove #singlemalt #singlemaltwhisky #whisky #whiskyoftheweek #maltyheads #scotchwhisky #bottle #peat #islay #islaywhisky #scotch #peatandsmoke #darksideoftheforce #dark #darksideofthewood #peatedwhisky (w: Sky Garden)

[whiskyoftheweek]

How's your weekend going malty heads? I hope you've had some great whiskies, coffees, grappas, wines or..Any quality stuff that you're into. As you can see on the pic above, I had! It's a Sunday dram, with an autumn spirit. It's just a perfect combination for the rainy days like today's. Although I'm a big fan of all the Campbeltown's distilleries, Springbank owns my heart since the day one. If you're into whisky (and I'm pretty sure you're one of the malty heads like myself) you know this bottle very well. I love its freshness, crispiness and the fact that it's a natural, non-chill filtered, not coloured spirit, bottled at 46 ABV. Nose: Tropical fruits, fresh green apples, salted-dark chocolate, pecan nuts. Just a hint of peat in the background. Palate: Fresh, crispy, Jordan's apple cereal granola, tropical fruits and some lovely coastal notes. Finish: As for the 10yo whisky, it's very long and very pleasant. Fresh and warm, hint of a smoke and coastal notes again. Such a great quality for the price. Over the years, compared to some other single malts available on the market, the quality of Springbank remained superb. As always..Well done to @springbankwhisky1828 Btw. It's a great whisky to be taken as a companion for some weekend voyages ;) Enjoy your Sunday Malty Heads, Cheers! #wisky #singlemalt #singlemaltwhisky #whiskytasting #whiskylover #whiskygram #whiskyporn #whiskywithaview #whiskycollection #springbank #campbeltown #autumn #bottle #scotchwhisky #scotch #leaves #autumnleaves (w: Southampton City Centre)

[whiskyoftheweek]

How you doing Big-malty-Peat heads? I hope you've had a great time this weekend, alongside with some great drams, as all malty heads should! Has anyone had some peat-moments in the last two days? I know I had, thanks to @dlaingwhisky Christmas came a bit earlier this year. Another year, another @bigpeatusa Christmas edition. Love it! I can assure you, it's a high quality stuff but for any tasting notes you'll need to wait till December. It's gonna be difficult though so..Keep an eye on @maltyheads ;) Have a good week mates! #peatlover #whiskygram #whisky #vattedmalt #blendedmalt #scotchwhisky #singlemalt #singlemaltwhisky #islay #islaywhisky #bigpeat #bigpeatwhisky #bigpeatchristmas #christmas #whiskycollection #whiskytasting #whiskytime #maltyheads #whiskyoftheday (w: Bitterne Park)

[whiskyoftheweek]

It's the another malty moment at the @twewhiskyshow at London. When Mr. @colindunnwhisky is offering you an outstanding dram like this, you just CAN'T say 'no, thank you'! Anyway, @jalapenos808 and myself, we said 'YES, PLEASE!' and we were amazed. I fully agree with Colin - whisky is all about the people, opinions and exploration. As a result of it, simply outstanding whisky can develop an unforgettable experience (thanks to people like @colindunnwhisky ) but at the same time, more basic drams, if well presented and 'sold' by the right people, can stay on your mind for a long time. Whisky is all about passion and people, remember that! Thanks to those truly passionate people @twewhiskyshow in Ldn is - in my opinion - the most interesting whisky festival we've attended this year. Port Ellen 16th release; Nose: sweet! Salty wood notes mixed with the lemon grass and nuts/almonds. Polish leather and tobacco. Palate: dark chocolate, black currant, red apples and vanilla notes covered with the campfire and salt. A beautiful, oily body. Fantastic stuff. Finish: veeeery long finish will make you remember about the dram for about few hours after trying it. Wood, smoke and chocolate notes again. Port Elen - one of the most collectible distillery in the world. Is it worth the price? It depends on your taste profile but..Definitely worth trying for every Malty Head out here! Just make sure you're going to share it with the company you enjoy! #singlemalt #singlemaltwhisky #whiskygram #scotchwhisky #whiskyporn #whiskytasting #diageo #portellen #portellendistillery #raremalts #whiskyoftheweek #maltyheads #peat #islaywhisky #lagavulin200 #london #dreamdram #whiskyshow2016 #whiskyshow #whiskycollection #whisky #whisky (w: The Old Billingsgate)

[whiskyoftheweek]

It's the another malty moment at the @twewhiskyshow at London. When Mr. @colindunnwhisky is offering you an outstanding dram like this, you just CAN'T say 'no, thank you'! Anyway, @jalapenos808 and myself, we said 'YES, PLEASE!' and we were amazed. I fully agree with Colin - whisky is all about the people, opinions and exploration. As a result of it, simply outstanding whisky can develop an unforgettable experience (thanks to people like @colindunnwhisky ) but at the same time, more basic drams, if well presented and 'sold' by the right people, can stay on your mind for a long time. Whisky is all about passion and people, remember that! Thanks to those truly passionate people @twewhiskyshow in Ldn is - in my opinion - the most interesting whisky festival we've attended this year. Port Ellen 16th release; Nose: sweet! Salty wood notes mixed with the lemon grass and nuts/almonds. Polish leather and tobacco. Palate: dark chocolate, black currant, red apples and vanilla notes covered with the campfire and salt. A beautiful, oily body. Fantastic stuff. Finish: veeeery long finish will make you remember about the dram for about few hours after trying it. Wood, smoke and chocolate notes again. Port Elen - one of the most collectible distillery in the world. Is it worth the price? It depends on your taste profile but..Definitely worth trying for every Malty Head out here! Just make sure you're going to share it with the company you enjoy! #singlemalt #singlemaltwhisky #whiskygram #scotchwhisky #whiskyporn #whiskytasting #diageo #portellen #portellendistillery #raremalts #whiskyoftheweek #maltyheads #peat #islaywhisky #lagavulin200 #london #dreamdram #whiskyshow2016 #whiskyshow #whiskycollection #whisky (w: The Old Billingsgate)

[whiskyoftheweek]

What a great malty moment. Finally, after seven 'WIP' editions, Kilkerran released their first, age statement whisky. A long-awaited first core product is a twelve year old spirit, 'matured in oak' (as it says on the label); 70% bourbon and 30% sherry. On the nose: Lightly peated sherry notes. Dried fruits, marzipan, roasted almonds and vanilla. Beautiful. Palate: Citrus notes, milk and honey cookies, salty chocolate orange covered in peat and smoke. Finish: Longer than I expected. Warm and quite nutty with a hint of black pepper. Great stuff! #london #singlemalt #singlemaltwhisky #whisky #whiskyporn #whiskylover #whiskylover #whiskytasting #whiskygram #sunset #sunsetporn #whiskywithaview #campbeltown #scotchwhisky #scotch #kilkerran #whiskygram #peat (w: oldbillingsgate)

[whiskyoftheweek]

One of the malty head's dream dram of the day at the @twewhiskyshow in London. Whisky we all know very well. 'Hate it or love it' type of spirit. 'Peat monster', 'the killer', 'punisher' etc, etc..One and only Laphroaig. However, this particular bottle is a 10 year old Laphroaig, bottled in the late 80's. Is there a difference? Oh yes, very noticeable one. On the nose: Peat is not so dominant. Comparing with the standard 10 LP, it's much lighter, not so 'in your face' whisky. Medicinal? Very much but it is much more complex, well-rounded, reminds me of a campfire and the wood smoke. All that 'typical' stuff covered with the sweet, juicy, tropical fruits, bananas. Palate: Sweet and salty, citrus notes, baked pears and apples, a very gentle peat note. Finish: Warm and sweet, lemon juice mixed with the white pepper and some salty olive oil. Big, big dram! Something similar to what you already know very well but at the same time it's something totally different. Thanks to @laphroaig and @twewhiskyshow for an amazing tasting session today. #singlemalt #singlemaltwhisky #scotchwhisky #islaywhisky #laphroaig #laphroaig10 #laphroaigdistillery #twewhiskyshow #whiskyshow2016 #london #whisky #whiskygram #whiskytasting #whiskylover #whisky #peat (w: oldbillingsgate)

[whiskyoftheweek]

Here we go Malty Heads. My first #dreamdram at @twewhiskyshow today, Ben Riach 40yo, peated. I spent about two hours with this whisky sitting in the glass and I must say, it was a very pleasurable time. Every single minute. What a complex whisky it is. Much sweeter than I expected. Loads of tropical fruits, bananas and honey infused cereals on the nose with the gentle smoke/peat hidden in the background. On the palate you'll get some sherry notes, raisons, black currant, polished leather and some really intense good quality oak character. Finish is very long and complex, great combination of the nose and the palate, mixed with some campfire notes. Peat suits this speyside whisky really well! Outstanding dram! @twewhiskyshow thanks for another, great tasting session! @twewhiskyshow #benriach #whisky #whiskytasting #whiskyporn #whiskygram #scotchwhisky #singlemaltwhisky @whiskyexchange #whiskyoftheweek #singlemalt #singlemalt (w: oldbillingsgate)

[whiskyoftheweek]

One of the Blended-malt sensation from @dlaingwhisky at @whiskyshow The Epicurean. 46.2ABV, non-chill filtered, small batch release. Lots of citrus notes mixed with some great quality barley and herbs. Sweet and gentle. Great quality Lowland whisky. Thanks @dlaingwhisky for the great tasting session today! #blendedmalt #scotchwhisky #whiskyshow2016 #theepicurean #london #whiskyexchange #lagavulin200 #whisky #singlemalt #singlemaltwhisky #lowland #whiskygram #whiskytasting #whiskyporn (w: oldbillingsgate)

[whiskyoftheweek]

Hello malty heads! What you've been up to this weekend whisky wise? Yesterday, I was enjoying the early autumn weather with this lovely dram. It's an easy, very drinkable whisky with a light character and quite complex nose. The Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's favourite dram, Royal Lochnagar. The main ingredient in 'VAT 69' blended whisky (which is a really great blend btw and I highly recommend it for even the snobbiest malty heads out there). 12yo, 40%, coloured and chill-filtered. Ok, let's try it. Nose: Delicate, light vanilla, toffee, floral notes. Is that smokiness? Oh yes, it definitely has a very light hint of smoke in the background. Oaky. Nice! Palate: Unfortunately not so complex but still very pleasant. Sweet and sour note, lemon cake and some green apples mixed in the oak barrel. Finish: Short but like within the nose and the palate - sweetness and oakiness. Good stuff! Really good, available and affordable 12yo, 'standard' whisky. In my opinion much better than some well known, very popular, overpriced 12yo's (I'm not even going to say about NAS) market-malts. Highly recommended bottle for both, beginners and for more experienced, open-minded whisky drinkers, who are not #whiskysnobs, afraid of some 'low budget standards'. Have a great week guys and - for some of you malty fans - see you in just a few days at the #whiskyshow in London! Cheers 🍻 #whisky #whiskygram #whiskyporn #whiskylover #sınglemalt #sınglemaltwhiskey #royallohnagar #scotchwhisky #whiskywithaview #london #whiskytasting #whiskyshow2016 #southampton (w: Southampton City Centre)

[whiskyoftheweek]

Hello again Malty Heads! @whiskywithaview Let me just say, it’s great to be at the beautiful location with the beautiful whisky on the side! A year 2016 is all about the one and only Lady Laga, isn’t it? Can’t be mad at it, let’s just enjoy it and celebrate 200th anniversary of the distillery, shall we? One of the best ways to celebrate it, is a nice dram (I’d suggest a bottle though) of a Lagavulin 8yo’. A limited edition, 30 000 bottles only..Make sure you’ll grab one, as it really is a great whisky. Personaly, I neeed some time spent with this one, as I’ve underestimated its character and beauty when I had a first dram. Time and a little help of an oxygenation, works really well with this spirit and this whisky really needs it to develop its best. Bottled at 48%, matured in 100% ex-bourbon casks (great start) chill-filltered and coloured (so unnecessary) Nose: Yes, it is Laga but but the profile is much closer to 12yo than 16yo. Fresh and punchy. Lemon cake, pinapple, tropical fruits, all of it hidden somewhere in the background, as sweet peat and sea breeze are the main event. Sweeter than I expected. Palate: Lots of tropical fruits again, salted barley, pralins. Peat is very noticeable but it’s sweet and it works well with the profile of the spirit. Very nice, oily texture on the tongue. Finish: It’s a peated Islay whisky so although it’s a 8yo one - finish is quite long. Sweet peat and salt again. This young sister of 16yo proves that Islay whiskies are able to develop their best when the spirit is young. The freshenss, sweet peatiness, young and punchy character of the spirit; for me it makes this whisky one of the best Islay spirits of 2016. Let’s just wait for it’s older sister - 25yo one. Can’t wait to try it! Actually, I am going to do exactly that in just a few days! Have a great week Malty Heads, cheers! #singlemalt #sınglemaltwhisky #lagavulin #whisky #whiskyoftheweek #maltyheads #peatsmoke #bathuk #whiskywithaview #scotch #scotchwhisky #whiskyporn #whiskygram #whiskytasting #whiskyshow (w: Bath, United Kingdom)

[whiskyoftheweek]

Here's a treat for all real Malty Heads. Independent version of a beautiful malt from Islay, matured in the sherry butts, bottled with the cask strength of 59.6 ABV. Please give a warm applause for..14yo Caol Ila. There's a lot of great, independent expressions of Caol Ila available on the market and - as always - 'Gordon&Macphail' proved they know what's high quality all about. Beautiful stuff! Nose: Ok, it is Caol Ila, no doubts! Sweet; pineapple, banana, bacon, honey and a really gentle peat with a hint of mint in the background. What a promising start! Palate: An apple pie mixed with oranges and bananas, served in the peaty bowl. Dessert time Malty Heads! Finish: Crispy, cinnamon and a very warming smoke, hint of mint again. If you're a fan of malts from this particular Islay distillery, you're going to be really pleased about the G&M expression. It's all about quality now and in my opinion, they're all about delivering it. Have a great weekend Malty Heads, Cheers! #caolila #gordonandmacphail #independetbottlers #whisky #singlemalt #scotchwhisky #maltyheads #islay #whiskyporn #whiskygram #whiskytasting #peat (w: Jastrzebia Gora, Gdansk, Poland)

[whiskyoftheweek]

I don't think we need any introduction here, Malty Heads. Second oldest in Diageo's Special Releases for 2015 - 37yo - bottled at 50.4 ABV, matured in American oak hogsheads, the one and only Brora. Nose: First thing I smelled was a quite heavy touch of smoke. Not so much of peat but a wood fire, warm and sweet smoke. Salted bacon too. After a few minutes in the glass, it starts to develop some very sweet notes, such as lime, baked banana, kiwi. There's also a hint of old leather waxiness. Very complex whisky on the nose and it's going to surprise you with the time spent in the glass. Palate: Sweeter than I expected. Lime and salt with the smoky background. Walnuts! Light and heavy at the same time. Rich and complex. Reminds me of some of the old Highland Park expressions that I love. Finish: As you'd expect from a 37yo whisky - long and satisfying. You're going to feel this whisky for a good few hours after tasting it. I highly recommend this one to all Malty lovers. You're not going to regret it, trust me. A huge thank you to @sebastian_lepa_diageo_reserve for making it possible to try this outstanding whisky, great stuff! Sláinte Malty Heads and have a great week 🍻 #whisky #singlemalt #whiskyoftheweek #whiskylive #whiskygram #whiskyporn #brora #scotland #scotchwhisky #diageo #maltyheads (w: Jastrzebia Gora, Gdansk, Poland)

[whiskyoftheweek]

What a great salty, malty moment. Enjoying Saturday at the seaside with my Laddie and trying to catch some waves. Young and refreshing. Fruits, fruits, fruits...Vanilla, toffee, a touch of smoke and some lovely, sweet barley mixed with salt. Enjoy your weekend malty heads..Live's too short to drink bad whisky! Aloha! 🍍🍻 #singlemalt #whisky #whiskyporn #bruichladdich #waves #aloha #whiskylover #islay #whiskyoftheweek #maltyheads #scotchwhisky #seaside (w: Hayling Island Beach)

[whiskyoftheweek]

If you're tired with the whisky boom in general..With all of the NAS lying on the shelves everywhere, all the fancy bottles with an average content inside.. You need to try GRAPPA. In my opinion one of the most overlooked mature spirits in the world m, at the moment. Beautiful smell, taste, even better price. Highly recommended while you're in Italy..Sicily in particular Cheers Grappa heads 🍻 (w: Palermo, Italy)