Viski syysiltana

Syysillat ja viskit ovat lyömätön yhdistelmä. Kuumalla kesälläkin tuli viskejä maisteltua, mutta iltojen alkaessa hämärtää elokuussa ja myrskyjen noustessa syyskuussa ne viskit saavat ihan uuden syvyyden tarinoissaan. Aberlourin A'bunadh, tynnyrivahvuinen Bowmore tai Laphroaig - ne vasta toimivia ovatkin tuulen ulvoessa ja puiden heiluessa.

Tunnelma tosin on hiukan erilainen kuin edellisenä syksynä. Syvän metsän ja lähes erämaan hiljaisuuden sijaan ympärillä tervehtivät kaupungin valot ja äänet. Myrskytkään eivät tunnu yhtä voimallisilta. Vaikka tuo vaikuttaakin vähän ympärillä olevaan tunnelmaan, itse päätähti - viski - vie kuitenkin mukanaan eri tarinoihin. Highland Parkin viikinkiteema auttaa heittäytymään lohikääremlaivan retkiin, vaikkei se itse makuun suoraan vaikutakaan. Ardbegin kelttisyys, Lagavulinin aatelisuus ja Bowmoren merihenkisyys luovat omat puitteet matkoille jos niille antaa hiukan tilaa. Viskit ovat kuitenkin aina retki ja elämys, jossa pelkkä lasista maistelu ja nuottien luettelu tuntuu helposti ohuelta itselle. Hyvän tarinan ja seuran kanssa tilaisuus on enemmän kuin viski komponenttiensa summa.

Hauskaa tässä muutoksessa on ollut pääsy mukaan aktiiviseen viskiympäristöön. Maisteluita olisi tarjolla enemmän kuin pystyy paikalle itsensä järjestämään. Seura ottaa tulokkaat vastaan lämpimästi - onhan tässä yhteinen harrastus ja intohimokin yhdistämässä. Ei se merkitsemätön polku aina johda rotkoon, tässä on päässyt matkalle josta paljastuu ihan uusia nähtävyyksiä ja elämyksiä.

Maistellaan viskejä, nautitaan hetkistä! Kuuluisan, aivan helkutin hyvän, kotimaisen viskigurun sanonta keväältä vapaasti muistaen: ei ole väärää tapaa nauttia viskiä!

Ja mitä lasissa kirvoitti näin sykyllä tämän? Blackadder Peat Reek 2014 vei ajatukset syksyiseen myrskyyn meren rannalla, kalliolle joka ottaa tyrskyt vastaan vuosisadasta toiseen. Merituulen mukana tulee kytevää hiillosta, savun pölähdyksiä, turpeista riuttaa (nimen mukaisesti) ja öljyisen makeaa tammea joka vanilijana jää katselemaan kun myrsky tyyntyy ja jäljelle jää lämmittävä nuotio. Mahtava viski, jonka mieluusti maistelee ilman vesilisiä. 

Blackadder Peat Reek Raw Cask will take you beyond any event horizon .. with a cunning plan

Blackadder. The name rings a bell. He was the man who sold you this map – for a good price. He was the one, he just couldn’t take the easy journey because of his lungs and heart. “it is easy coin. Just equip for a two week hike and find the lair. It would be a shame to left all the treasure just to wait for anybody random average peasant”. Yes, I did buy the story. It cost me all my accumulated wealth – but he was kind enough to sell me some gear with a lower price. So what do I have now. I have a sword, that is not made of steel. The first hit made it break – it was a decoration. I have a shield, that seems to be sturdy enough. My rations were old and wormy. I should have realized to turn back, before it was too late. But I was too greedy. I followed the map, starting to believe there is nothing. I was wrong. There is a treasure. Lots of it. But the bad side, is that I walked in smiling. There is, of course, a guardian. A huge dragon who has played with me and lured me into a corner. I am afraid, this one is not as easily fooled as the Smaug was. This one will have a hot fire breath that has some acid in it too. One last breath and a the final spell in my pocket is about to do it’s “here comes nothing”.

The raw punch with gentle rage

This is not the first Blackadder Raw Cask I’ve tasted. There has been a few earlier and one thing is very common with these: they all bite and spit peatfire like a ancient dragon of old tales. This one’s nose is not an exception. It is filled with peatfire, fueled with rage and administrated kindly like a Gozilla’s smash – with claws. No wonder, it is strong (60.5%) and most likely it is untamed Caol Ila. Bottle is 114 out of 259 but I have no idea of the cask number. Ref is PR2013-5. Single Oak Hoghshead.

Oily taste hits you before you even realize it

The taste is – of course – strong but it is less furious as the nose. It is just a full salvo of English bowmen at the Agincourt – all hitting the same unfortunate French squad. Oil gets poured off the wall, and it will set itself on fire while making it’s way down towards the unfortunate. It burns hot, it releases lots of smoke and it will make you feel alive again – once you survive the first hit. A truly massive experience again! Oiliness, vanilla, spices and peatfire with smoke clearly are the four tactics used to build this dram of mass devouring.

The Finish.. 

once you live through it all.. is pleasant and oily. There is peat and smoke, lingering fire that yet burns for a long time. It is indeed to my liking – on a certain mood for something that provides a lasting experience.

Blackadder Smoking Islay Raw Cask October/2013 sherry finish

This one is very similar to the one I blogged about a bit earlier. This is also a mystery dram, but some information about it is given out: This is 58.2%, from a single Oak Hogshead (cask BA2013/451) and it is a bottle 299/370. This one also has a lots of sediment present in the bottle and based on the previous one, expectations are rising again.
The color does not reveal it’s sherry finishing. It is very similarly pale as it’s brother. This dram needs to breath in a Glencairn for a while. It contains a lots of alcohol in it’s nose, but also plenty of sweet smoke is present. My nose is overwhelmed by these two characteristics, so there isn’t much need to keep on continuing the nosing.

Palate strikes with power, rawness, oiliness and sweet smokiness. There are knights and lords, maids and dominas, slaves and plenty of weapons of mass destruction. The sherry finishing adds to complexity, when compared to it’s brother but otherwise it is not much present here. There isn’t the big dragon smoke, but this time it is like the burning village. Still raw and harsh, but it will not slay you on the sight.

On the second mouthful the palate is much more oilier and the sherry fruits find their way to the surface. Strong and deadly, but very enjoyable like the waiting for the final battle just ended and the action commences. This is also a big experience. There is character, there is fear but also a extremely strong taste that abides will with the high voltage. 

Adding some water needs to be tested as well. After the all out attack, the result is much more easy. The oiliness walks in as a tidal wave and flushes through the mouth with a force. The oil burns with a thick smoke, that provides a great experience: smoky peaty Islay dram. It is great to see these whiskies to hold true to their name: Smoking Islay. They really are special and powerful. Something I enjoy enormously!

And yes, the added water works here. The base is a fiery ancient red dragon that needs some taming so you can ride it and enjoy it fully! Once the glass is empty, it is like there is a bonfire set in it!
I know Blackadder wants to keep this a mystery, but I’d love to know what this actually is. My guess is, that this would be Octomore, since the glass has similar scents in the end but this is much more raw than the Octomores usually..

Blackadder Smoking Islay Raw Cask July/2013

Blackadder Raw Cask is always something special. They are always nonfiltered and bottled at cask strength. On top of that, there are also some sediments of the cask inside bottle. What I also love, is that they usually choose very good and special hogsheads for bottling – so these are very often (if not always?) single casks. Oily and smoky, what is a better way to start tasting this one? Blackadder recommends adding some water drops into this dram, which I must test a bit later.


First, about the bottle. This is a mystery dram again. Blackadder does not reveal what distillery is used when making Smoking Islay. They don’t state the age either. Just that it is very smoky and very peaty malt dram. This has been bottled July 2013 (Cask BA2013/449, Oak Hogshead) and this is the bottle 133/318. The strength is pleasantly just under 60 (59.9%).


The Nose is raw and filled with alcohol. Strong alcohol. Once, or if, you get past that you will find there a peat burning. Smoky and peaty defines this very well.  I don’t expect very complicated world here, but instead something that does it’s business really good.

The taste takes me far away. There is a immense smokiness present immediately! It is a coal burning in a mouth, smoking and smoldering. Peatfire is strong and everywhere. For me, this is a delightful experience! Take a second small sip, let your mouth water it down and there is sweetness with the taste. Pepper, very much oil and lots of smoke. The oil carried the smoke and peat along the mouth, making this one a strong, powerful and a efficient dram! The taste is amazing, if you like this kind of dragon’s breath! There are no place for pixies or elves here, this is a dram drank by ancient beasts and wild sorcerers.

Just to experiment, let’s add a few drops of water to the remaining portion. The beast withdraws, but there is still a powerful army on the battlefield. But I must admit, I think the added water brings out more rangers and scouts to the open. It shows the diversity of the invading army, making it more complex and less scary in the process. In the end, you can hear the bards play flutes and sing about the victory.

Which one I do prefer? It really depends. I do love the kick, smoke and savageness the raw, non-watered, version produces. However, to get more out of this, water should be added.

This is an experience. An adventure. This is about confronting the huge dragon, and surviving to bolster about it!  I dare you to try it.