We originally tried this as the recent Whiskey America Day Special and knew we had to get it into the review banks. We then however totally forgot which version we gave an intial A- too, and picked up the 110 Proof for funsies. While we’re almost certain this is not the same dram, that A- rating may show up again in some form.
We normally don’t wax poetically about colour here, especially with regards to whiskey. This is mostly because – who actually gives a shit? That being said don’t be afraid by how light this looks, it’s certainly an overproof Islay. Surely this has an effect on the overall taste aspect, but you’d be surprised how it can be tempered.
What they Say: “Back: Port Askaig 110 Proof is a harmonious marriage of carefully selected casks, creating the perfect balance of sweet fruit and dark smoke, typical of the finest Islay whiskies.
Port Askaig is named after the ferry port and gateway to the island, situated on the east coast of Islay. To keep its purity, our whisky is not chill-filtered and no colouring is added.
Front: The green-blue sea surrounding Islay, reflecting the rocks and rising with the tide, to keep secret the hidden caves used by distillers of years long past and protecting this rugged land from invading forces and excise men alike.”
Taste: 6.0 – HEAT AND PEAT, HEAT AND PEAT. Hoo, god damn. If this whiskey had a catch phrase it’d be ‘for when you really need to wake up in the morning.’ This makes it tough to score, but it’s not bad by any measure just STRONG.
Aftertaste: 6.5 – It continues the initial taste devolving into a nice slow burn of mellow peat. While the transition due to the entry is brutal it’s nice.
Burn/Smooth: 3.5 – That warmth lingers for damn near a season. To say that this is smooth though would be the biggest lie you could tell. This is not a casual sipping whiskey unless your tastebuds are made of rocks.
Aroma: 3.0 – A sure signal of what’s to come taste-wise, but this does not smell like a peaty monster. It’s almost clinical with some mildly observable power and peat. Not a great showing.
Honesty: 5.0 – You appreciate the line about colour adding (due to the lightness), and the other aspects about the location. That being said to call this a harmonious or a perfect blend, or even to have fruit is just reaching out of someone’s ass. By that measure sadly all points gained were lost.
Mixability: 8.0
W/ Rocks: 8.0 – Oh. Okay. Damn. That has all the peat, some of the heat and power, but is also sweeter and mellow at first. That’s actually phenomenally good.
Value: 4.5 – When rating this value we considered looking at the price cost of a damn alarm clock. Overall as a powerful Islay with the proof to knock you out, this is not a horrendous value.
Google Shop Average: $74
Website: https://www.portaskaig.com/
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 6.5
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Metric Score: 36.5/70 |+| Metric Average: 5.21 |+| Reviewer Average: 6.5
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Final Thoughts: Sure it kicks like a horse, and it’s not a super deal. Yeah, they wax on too much and ruin goodwill. At the end of the day, there is an overproof scotch that with a bit of ice becomes a delicious Islay treat and asking for more is just plain greedy.
