The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Richard Thomas
Rating: A-
Port Askaig 10th Anniversary 10 Year Old Single Malt
(Credit: Elixir Distillers)
Back when “deceptive whiskey” was a feverish thing for whiskey bloggers and nerds, I would sometimes point out that the same sort of practices were pretty normal over in the UK, which would produce a lot of ignorant sputtering in turn. Port Askaig is a case in point: it’s whisky sourced from an unnamed distillery on Islay (known only to be “near” Port Askaig) and made for a company in London called Elixir Distillers (which is to say The Whisky Exchange, not a distillery).
This isn’t to say Port Askaig is deceptive; everything you might want to know about the brand is public knowledge, except where the malt whisky comes from. It’s just not spelled out at length on the label, and therefore not accessible to the lazy, dim-witted or gullible.
As it happens, Port Askaig’s source sells some pretty good stock. That fact is on full display with this 10 year old, cask strength, 10th Anniversary edition of the brand.
The Scotch
Bottled at 55.85% ABV, Port Askaig 10th Anniversary has a pale, white wine cast to it. The nose is quintessential Islay: malty sweet with a current of smoke, accented by notes of spice and wood. In many ways, it has a campfire pancakes aspect to it. The only thing missing is the seaspray (The Whiskey Exchange says it’s there, although I didn’t get it in my single tasting), but not every Islay has that brushing of brine to it.
The palate is woodier and spicier, and also less smoky, the embers and wood smoke being offset by a rising earthiness. I found the finish jinked hard and left all the behind entirely, turning to sweet, wet pipe tobacco.
Altogether, Port Askaig marked their birthday well. The whisky they created to mark the occasion is flavorful, mid-bodied, somewhat complex, and quite enjoyable. For a smoky whisky, it’s also quite refreshing too.
The Price
Expect to pay £70/$85 a bottle for this lovely little item.
