Isle of Skye 25 Year Old Scotch Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating:  A-

Isle of Skye 25 Year Old
(Credit: Ian Macleod Distillers)

Isle of Skye Blended Whisky has an eye-catching title, conjuring as it does the awe-inspiring landscapes of its namesake tourist magnet of an island. However, the brand isn’t a new one, nor is the association of the Isle of Skye with tourism. Ian Macleod created the original Isle of Skye blend when he created his company, in 1933, and the island was already famous in those pre-war years.

The particular expression, which is very high up on the Isle of Skye ladder, is fashioned with a backbone of peated island malts, combined with some Speyside and some Highlands malts, plus the grain whisky.

The Scotch
The pour looks like dulled copper, which is matched by the nose in a sense, because it has a character that blends a tobacco barn with a freshly baked pie. If you know it, that late summer/early autumn current of dried tobacco hanging from the rafters in the barn is a strong one, and it’s coupled to a warm, fresh apple pie. Light notes of nuts and toffee round out the scent.

The flavor evolves this picture. The fruity aspect turns from apples to apricot, while the modest notes of toffee and nuts hold. The dried tobacco morphs over into leather and a subtle, light touch of smoke. The finish turns dry and woody in the main, but doesn’t lose that fruity apricot note.

This flavorful gem manages to touch on just about every aspect one could enjoy about Scotch whisky, with the exception of the Sherry Bomb stuff. One might prefer a different balance, but those not-Sherried key and staple aspects are all there. The 25 Year Old is a flavorful and somewhat complex pour, and is certainly worth the asking price (see below). This is so much so that I’ve made a note of it for a Christmas gift buying guide, since the $200 range is where one might splurge to get a special bottle for their special someone.

The Price
Officially, this bottle goes for $207.