HOLY SMOKE! Eight Extremely Smoky Whiskies

For our tasting we chose whiskies with an emphasis on smoke—not age. All but one are from Islay. We suggest you sip, enjoy and consider pairing these smoky drams with one of your favorite cigars, preferably in front of a fire on a cold, winter’s night.

Ardbeg Corryvreckan 114.2 proof, $125 Ardbeg may be among the farthest south of the Islay distilleries, but its Corryvreckan (corry-VREK-an) expression is named for a giant whirlpool located to the north of Jura, the next island up from Islay. You’ll get the point when you taste this maelstrom of a malt that pulls in the influences of heavy peat, massive proof and French and American oak. With the smoke comes meat and licorice on the nose. On the palate, it is raisiny with anise, citrus and dark chocolate, ending with a salty finish reminiscent of the ocean. Bowmore 15 86 proof, $100 Bowmore was an early Islay adapter of the finishing technique (extra maturation in different types of casks), and its sea-lashed distillery is the oldest now active in Scotland. The 15-year-old, often called Darkest,…

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Cigar Aficionado (Digital) - 1 Issue, November/December 2023

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