(한국어 시음기 밑에 있어요!)
The Ileach are a hardy island people born amidst salt and smoke. No, they are not hams! They are a people who have a fearsome reputation as the producers of some of the best whisky the world has ever seen. They are of course the people of Islay and this whisky, "The Ileach", is a tribute to those hard working islanders and their nectar of the gods.
Now it certainly wouldn't be wrong to say that "The Ileach" is a mysterious beast. As one would expect for a whisky named after the people of Islay, it's an Islay single malt, with all the peat and smoke that one might expect from the very best of them. However, unlike the big names, the distillery this one is sourced from before it is bottled by the Vintage Malt Whisky Company remains a closely guarded secret. Some say it’s a Caol Ila, some say it’s a Lagavulin or even a Bowmore, but we’ll probably never know. What we do know though is that it is an incredible single malt that competes at the same price point as mid-range blended whiskies. There is also a cask strength version of it, but I haven't yet had the chance to try that one.
Vitals:
ABV: 40%
Colour: Off-gold.
Chill-filtered: Yes.
Nose: Young and vibrant, it dives in head-first with the peat smoke. There’s a herbal, grassy element mixed in with a distinctive cigarette smoke. The smoke gives way to green, granny smith apples with hints of vanilla and flowers peppered through it. 18/25
Palate: Ash and smoke dominate. There’s a mild spice and a little bit of woody astringency. Every now and again, sweet malty and apple notes surface, but get kicked back down again by the unyielding smoke. I wouldn't call it one dimensional, but perhaps 1.5? Not terribly complex but there might be some potential in this whisky if the proof was just 5% higher. 13/25
Finish: Here we go! As it begins to draw to its final moments, the classic Islay notes of medicinal iodine, campfires, salt and burnt marshmallows appear. Up until now it has mostly been a smoke bomb with not too much else going on, but as the smoke lets up, you get a preview of everything that makes Islay whisky so great. This is really where it shines. Moderate to long length. 22/25
Value*: To the best of my knowledge... unfortunately, and quite maddeningly, you can't find this in Korea. The price point that it is sold at in Japan or back home in Scotland for example would mean that even with Korea's absolutely nutty taxes on foreign alcohol, this would still come in at around the 50,000 won price range, if it was legally distributed here. N/A
Conclusion:
As a budget Islay single malt, it isn’t bad at all. It hasn't got the complexity of its fellow Islay cousins and potential siblings, but that’s not unsurprising as it’s clearly a young whisky. Its biggest weakness I think is its relatively low proof of 40%, so all of its attributes feel much more subdued than they should be. If it had been bottled at 43% or even 45%, I think it would be vastly superior.
This isn’t something that you’d want to bring out if you’re looking to introduce people to the finest of Islay, because this most certainly isn’t one of them. However, for what it is, it’d be a pretty damn good whisky to keep at home as a “daily drinker” if you happen to be a peathead.
Rating: 70.7%
Daily Drinker: Yes.
Possible pairing: Hard cheese or sea-salt chocolate.
Where to find in Korea: Not officially imported to my understanding. You might be able to find a\it at Namdaemun with a significant mark-up.
TLDR Version:
N: Peat smoke, herbal, grass, cigarettes, green apples, vanilla and flowers
P: Ash and smoke. mild wood spice and wood tannins. Malt and apples in the background, but overpowered by smoke.
F: Iodine, campfire, burnt marshmallows, salt and smoke. medium to long length
V: N/A
C: Not very complex, but a good, budget Islay to drink daily.
더 일릭 (한국어):
N: 피트 스모크 향, 풀 향, 풋사과, 바닐라, 꽃 향. P: 스모크 향, 나무 재, 조금 매운 나무 맛(우드 스파이스), 나무 탄닌, 맥아, 사과. 아주 강한 스모크 향. F: 요오드, 모닥불, 탄 마시멜로, 소금, 스모크 향. 피니시가 길지도 짧지도 않아요 (중간이예요).
V:없어요.
C:복잡하지 않아요. 싸지만 좋은 위스키이예요. Buy / Mooch / Pass: If it was available? Buy. Good price for what it is.
Review by Glasgowhisky
2020/02/11
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