McClelland Islay

[Apathy78]

I picked up a bottle of McClelland Islay on Friday, I figured that I like the Islay malts and this bottle was $19, how can you go wrong. I must say that I enjoyed this scotch very much. Curious what you guys think of it.
Thanks

...This is my first try at a poll, sorry if I jacked it up. :0

 

[PSTAN]

Yes, I like it very much. Especially for the qutantity vs quality vs price issues.

 

[sack]

knocked out two bottles in a month, with some help. i like it!

 

[AVB]

As I've said before, this is really 5 yo Bowmore so you know it'll be good.

 

[Apathy78]

Had some more of this last night. For $19 this bottle is a steal

 

[fetterjohn]

I just can't get into islay's. To much smoke! Not sweet enough. But I did try this one...and for the price...can't say too much bad about it.

-Fetter

 

[hydro-terp]

I cant get off the lowland myself.

 

[Apathy78]

As I've said before, this is really 5 yo Bowmore so you know it'll be good.

Well AVB, I finally was able to obtain a bottle of Bowmore 12yr.
It is about the exact same taste as the McClellands. The only real difference I was able to tell was the price tag, about $15 more for the Bowmore name.
I have only had a few tastes of this and plan to have some more here in the future to see if my opinion changes on this. The Bowmore does have a slightly stronger smoke taste, but I’m not sure if that is worth the extra $15. I’ll keep trying though.

 

[rbbrock]

I just grabbed a bottle of this last night; it was rainy and cold, about as cold as it's been so far this fall, and I was just in the mood for a smoky, peaty Islay whisky. Unfortunately, my couple bottles of Islay were packed away in my new home, which I have not finished moving into yet. Rather than trip over there to dig them out of the basement, and seeing as I had to drive right past the supermarket on the way home from the restaurant anyway, I stopped in the liquor department. Because the selection at the store is relatively poor, my only peaty, smoky choices were McClelland's Islay or Talisker (which I like, but not for $65.00). Remembering that McClelland's was really 5 y.o. Bowmore, I decided to give it a shot.

The result: not too bad! Very light, but considering it's age and proof (80; 86 is better, 92 is much better, C/S is best ) it was pretty good. It had appropriate Islay smoke and peat, as well as the typical Bowmore floweriness and a nice malty sweetness. Based on the age, I expected a fairly strong spirity aroma and was surprised there was not one; I suspect the lower than usual proof helped out there.

All in all, this was a good way to get myself a little fix of peat for not too much coin. I do not, however, recommend it unless you can buy it dirt cheap. I paid about $26.00 after tax, which I feel is too high considering one can buy Laphroaig 10 y.o. online for $30.00 plus shipping. But, if you're in a situation like I was last night, where you just want some Islay whisky right now and don't have any other options, you don't have to be afraid of McClelland's Islay.

 

[AVB]

OOOfff. $26 is high. $19 usually in my neck of the woods.

 

[rbbrock]

In my experience, Iowa liquor prices are always high. I've never seen a table with all the states' liquor taxes set out the way I have for cigars, but I suspect that Iowa's is probably up there fairly high, and considering that the state has a monopoly on wholesaling booze (not beer or wine, just the hard stuff) there isn't much room for price competition. Except for the basics, I buy my liquor in South Dakota or online.

I just looked it up: the state marks up wholesale price 50% on all distilled spirits. :0 No big deal on the $6.99 vodka, but that explains why the JW Blue is $240+

 

[rbbrock]

I just grabbed a bottle of this last night; it was rainy and cold, about as cold as it's been so far this fall, and I was just in the mood for a smoky, peaty Islay whisky. Unfortunately, my couple bottles of Islay were packed away in my new home, which I have not finished moving into yet. Rather than trip over there to dig them out of the basement, and seeing as I had to drive right past the supermarket on the way home from the restaurant anyway, I stopped in the liquor department. Because the selection at the store is relatively poor, my only peaty, smoky choices were McClelland's Islay or Talisker (which I like, but not for $65.00). Remembering that McClelland's was really 5 y.o. Bowmore, I decided to give it a shot.

The result: not too bad! Very light, but considering it's age and proof (80; 86 is better, 92 is much better, C/S is best ) it was pretty good. It had appropriate Islay smoke and peat, as well as the typical Bowmore floweriness and a nice malty sweetness. Based on the age, I expected a fairly strong spirity aroma and was surprised there was not one; I suspect the lower than usual proof helped out there.

All in all, this was a good way to get myself a little fix of peat for not too much coin. I do not, however, recommend it unless you can buy it dirt cheap. I paid about $26.00 after tax, which I feel is too high considering one can buy Laphroaig 10 y.o. online for $30.00 plus shipping. But, if you're in a situation like I was last night, where you just want some Islay whisky right now and don't have any other options, you don't have to be afraid of McClelland's Islay.

Just a quick follow-up: I had some more of this whisky last night and was somewhat less pleased with it than I was that first night. This is likely because the first time I tried it I had already drunk one beer and three or four Balvenie doublewoods (I actually just ordered a double, neat, but the bartender grabbed a good-size tumbler and poured until it was 3/4 full - I'm guessing there was about 6 ounces of whisky in that glass). Needless to say, I was already pretty well into it when I got around to the McClelland's and my taster may have been somewhat less than optimal.

Upon trying the McClelland's with a fresh palate, it was much weaker than I expected. It does have the smoke, peat, flower and malt of a Bowmore, but it is very watery, tasting like it's been diluted. Definitely not worth the $26.00 I paid, and probably not even worth the $19.00 AVB can buy it for, unless you are truly stuck with no other options.

In sum: buy some Laphroaig online rather than letting yourself get caught in the position I was in the other day where this is your only choice. It's drinkable, and even mildly pleasant, but it's certainly not worth buying a bottle.