We’re back from the Islay Festival of Music and Malt, after a successful week of pouring whisky, meeting old friends and making new ones. The Whisky Exchange Islay Pop-up Bar was a success, with hundreds of old and rare drams poured, drunk and enthusiastically raved about. All going to plan, you’ll see us back next year.

Islay is beautiful and I took hundreds of photos. Here are a few to give you a flavour of the island, the distilleries, the festival and the whisky.

Originally published on The Whisky Exchange Blog - Feis Ile 2017 – Islay Festival Photo Gallery...

Over the past few years, Japanese whisky has exploded in popularity. From the most commonplace bottlings to limited-edition single casks, Japanese whisky has become increasingly hard to find as whisky fans have discovered how good it can be. Of all of the Japanese whiskies, one has had a greater rise than any other, but most people still don’t know much about it. We’re here to help – what is Karuizawa?

Karuizawa: A Mountain Town

If you ask someone in Japan, they probably won’t think ‘whisky’ if you mention Karuizawa. The town that gave the distillery its name is situated on...

A head-to-head comparison of two old grains from Invergordon , distilled in 1972 and 1973 and bottled by The Whisky Agency and Sansibar .

Invergordon 44 yo 1972 (49%, The Whisky Agency for La Maison du Whisky 2017)

Nose: oily, with lots of furniture polish and varnished wood. Menthol and aniseed. Plenty of vanilla cake, sweetened condensed milk, dried coconut and hints of straw. Hints of caramelly bourbon whiskey. Subtle grapefruit and spices. Quite a nice, finely tuned profile. Mouth: light but creamy, on honey and herbal notes (sage), as well as the classic coconut / pineapple combination....

Loch Lomond is one of the most curious distilleries in Scotland. Production started in 1965, but it was closed between 1984 and 1987. Grain whisky production began in 1993, which made it the only distillery in Scotland producing both grain and Maltwhisky on-site at that time.

The uniqueness of their pot stills lies in the cylindrical necks of the spirit stills. Inside these necks are special distillation trays, allowing the stills to be more efficient and reach up to 90% ABV. They can also switch on/off certain elements like condensers, allowing them to create a wide array of flavour...

BYOB-C ( Bring your own bottle club) is a Belgian whisky club who often rely on The Whisky Mercenary to provide their club bottlings. I remember a Glenlossie 1992 with the same Lads of Lobland label, but this time it’s an undisclosed Speyside whisky distilled in 1998.

Speyside Region 18 yo 1998 (53,4%, Whisky Mercenary for BYOB-C ‘Lads of Lobland’ 2016, bourbon cask, 100 btl.)

Nose: plenty of orchardy notes, fruits and blossoms. Apples, greengages, gooseberres, white grapes… a little candy sugar and honey. Vanilla. The malty core and spices (ginger, pepper, mint) balance the sweetness. Mouth: quite...

Today’s the Last day of Feis Ile 2017 and it’s Ardbeg day, also celebrated in Ardbeg embassies all around in the world. I’ve already reviewed the committee edition of this year Festival bottling, the Kelpie , so let’s go and close it out with a bang, reviewing an indie Ardbeg – a 1991 25 year old Ardbeg, bottled by my friend Nils an Rijn, who’s behind the  Dutch shop Best of Wines  under the  The Duchess  brand.

A bit of history: Ardbeg were closed since early 1981 until 1989 and then was working a mere two months a year, operated by...

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Tobermory 2008 (8 year old) 46%...

Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask Grivan 1989 (27 year old) 47.5%

Bourbon Barrel 37527/ Dist: Apr 1989 Btl: Feb 2017/ Tasted: Mar 2017

A high toned but deep nose of slightly smoky dried fruit. There is a slight alcohol prickle which is emphasising the lime notes. It becomes quite nutty as the charred oak begins to assert itself, showing a slight desiccated coconut note. Pleasantly deep and quite elegant.

The palate is a little fuller and oilier than the nose with plenty of robust (by Girvan standards) dried fruit – sultana, apricot and dried grape. The oak comes through...

Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask Glen Grant 1996 (20 year old) 55.3%

Bourbon Hogshead 67820/ Dist: Apr 1996 Btl: Feb 2017/ Tasted: Mar 2017

The nose is quite fragrant with barley, sweet heather, rose Turkish delight, grass, white pepper and sweet oak. It shows a pleasant degree of mature duty oak but the intense mineral, edgy freshness keeps it in check. Lovely depth and elegance with late developing dry nuttiness.

The palate is full and barley’d, followed by a dry burst of dusty oak and cereal husks. A subtle, lightly perfumed honey note balances and it becomes darker on...

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Glencadam 2011 (6 year old) 46%

Bourbon Barrel/ Dist: 2011 Btl: 2017/ Tasted: Mar 2017

A full and densely fruity nose with white peach, apple, apricot, pineapple, tangerine and a touch of new world Sauvignon Blanc. With time an almost hoppy cereal note appears along with some gentle toasty oak. A lovely, exuberant and invigorating nose.

The palate shows a touch more toasty oak but there’s still plenty of white fruit and Sauvignon Blanc-esque notes. Fills out well on the middle as the barley and oak come through. Subtly spiced and citric finish with lingering sweet...

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Teaninich 2007 (10 year old) 46%...

Jim Beam Pre-Prohibition Style Rye 40%

Tasted: Mar 2017

The nose is soft an oaky with lots of sweet vanilla and hints of orange and lightly spiced rye. With time a touch of astringent herbal notes appear but the reality is that the rye character is buried under the mountain of oak!

Soft and watery on the palate with burnt caramel oak and very subtle, herbal rye. Hints of orange and rose petal marc-like notes on the middle but it’s really lacking any intensity. Good herbal/ spice finish with an intensity of oak bitterness at the death. Well, at least...

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Glenburgie 2011 (5 year old) 46%...

Copperhead Gin 40%

Mr. Copperhead, according to the company was an alchemist who was searching for the elixir of life. During his experiments he distilled the following five botanicals – juniper, cardamom, orange peel, angelica and coriander in his copper pot still and lo, a myth or a gin was born. This gin, however was created by Yvan Vindevogel, a famous Belgian pharmacist who was interested in the medicinal properties of gin.

Tasted: Mar 2017

The nose is quite herbal with noticeable juniper, coriander and orange. It has a pleasant citrus/ spice balance, although the spices come across as slightly...

Rag Time Rye 45.2%

Tasted: Mar 2017

The nose is young and oily with plenty of rose petal marc-like notes, chunky, herbal rye and toasted caramel. With time some high toned, almost grain spirit notes appear along with a touch of dusty spice. I’m guessing that this hasn’t spent much more than the minimum time in oak as the nose is pretty much all spirit orientated.

The palate is equally youthful and a little feinty with lightly cardboardy spice, toasted caramel and herbal rye. Straightforward with a very dry and bitter spice middle and finish. Finally a touch of sweet...