Isle of Skye 8 Year Old Scotch Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: C+

Isle of Skye is a blended Scotch whisky, created by Ian Macleod Distillers. Here at The Whiskey Reviewer, we are familiar with their work through Tamdhu, Sheep Dip, Pig’s Nose and Glengoyne.

When it comes to whisky, the islands most often thought of are Talisker, Islay, the Orkneys and Jura. For the rest of the world, however, the first Scots island that comes to mind is the Isle of Skye. It is the largest of the Inner Hebrides, and a major tourist magnet for northwestern Scotland. Thus, it makes sense to name a whisky brand for the island, even if the island isn’t particularly well-known for its whisky.

Isle of Skye is based on malts from the Islands and Speyside. This one is the entry-level run in the range, bottled at 40% ABV. Although it’s been around for many years, the line was only recently brought to the United States in its entirety.

The Scotch
The color of the whisky is light amber, close enough to bourbon that I suspect (legal) coloring was added. The scent is cream and vanilla, with a hint of smoke backing it. On the palate, it’s malty honey with hints of apple and pie spice, plus a fainter hint of creosote. The finish runs light, short, and faintly caramelized.

The Price
A survey of online retailers produced an average of $30 for a bottle of this whisky.