The guys at Whisky Picnic Bar in Tainan, Taiwan are loyal readers of this blog, and loyal providers of samples despite the obvious distance. They don’t seem to have a website, so I’ll happily link to their Insta profile. Cheers.
I got to try three of their recent bottlings, all from Islay. The first two are single malts from unnamed distilleries (which are quite obvious nonetheless) and the last comes from Bruichladdich (with the help of The Whisky Agency).
Islay Single Malt 33 yo 1990 (52,3%, Whisky Picnic Bar 2024, bourbon barrel #4404322, 110 btl.)
Nose: grapefruits and limes with a little olive oil and shy hints of mango. Then some bandages and new wool, menthol and a bit of faded smoke in the background. Then light honey, drops of sesame oil, brine and tiny herbal notes. Just a whiff of vanilla cookies as well.
Mouth: more assertive, with clear briney notes, vegetal oils and pepper. More smoke, along with subtle greasy wax. Then a hint of sweet mustard, mixed with pomelos, greenish pineapples and lemon peels, aniseed and dried herbs. Salty citrus.
Finish: quite long, with mineral smoke, sea salt, herbs, lime and echoes of passion fruits.
A very focused and chisseled example of these 1990 Islays. Some of them have more overt (tropical) fruits but this has a lot to like as well, such as a fresh peatiness that’s still standing strong. Very good.
Secret Islay Single Malt 9 yo 2013 (53,9%, Whisky Picnic Bar + Cuckoo 2023, hogshead #13000581, 120 btl.)
Nose: warm peat smoke with plenty of maritime notes and mentholated notes. Smoked sea salt, ashes, smoked ham and lemon juice. Then some drier leafy notes and peanuts, as well as a bright hint of mirabelle and a hint of vanilla. Fairly simple (a bit like the official 8 Years) but entirely classic.
Mouth: very deep Islay notes, now coming across a bit older than it actually is. Coal ashes, more lemons, with black peppercorns and tart orange, as well as some honey sweetness. Kippers and brine. The mid-palate herbal notes grow stronger, with liquorice and a subtle bitterness. It gets sharper towards the end, with hints of clove.
Finish: very long, darker and drier. Plenty of sooty notes, a little olive brine, herbs and charcoal.
Sharp and incisive at times, but the typical smoky warmth of this distillery brings it all together. A great youngster and a nice selection. Score: 89/100
Bruichladdich 11 yo 2010 (52,7%, The Whisky Agency for Whisky Picnic Bar 2022, Rivesaltes barrique #2136, 90 btl.)
Nose: dark cassis, juicy figs and raisins, as well as raspberry jam and hints of sweet grapes. A light mustiness underneath (wet wood, old leather), along with some meaty hints, honey, roasted coffee beans and mild chocolate notes. Subtle acidity as well, keeping it vibrant.
Mouth: quite herbal now, with a subtle bitterness fighting the sweetness. Quite vinous now. Black peppercorns, liquorice, walnuts and more herbal tea. Brown sugar sweetness. Drops of coffee and dark chocolate. Flashes of red berries as well, but the dry and savoury side tends to take the upper hand.
Finish: long, dry and dark, with more coffee and black pepper.
We’ve had sister casks from the same bottler twice. This one is more or less in the same ballpark, but the savoury side, the sweetness and the vinous elements struggle to decide who is on top. Score: 86/100