Old Ballantruan The Peated Malt

Tasted in Whisky Magazine Issue 57 by Michael Jackson and Arthur Motley.

Whisky Magazine is the perfect complement to the dram in your glass. Every issue brings you fascinating articles on the art, science and romance of the 'water of life', plus page after page of tasting notes.

• Issue 57 online • Buy issue 57 (£5.95)
• Subscribe to Whisky Magazine (from £28.38)
• Preview current issue (74) • Preview other issues online

Tasting Notes

Michael Jackson Nose Acetic. Coffee icing. Then creamy toffee, caramel notes combining with pear drops remind me of Elastoplast. Herbal. Palate Cereal grains. Newsprint. Faintly smoky. Creamy toffee and vanilla develop with water. Finish Oily, burnt croissant. Wood ash. Comment A number of surprising, and perhaps contradictory, characteristics that actually come together quite nicely in the end.

Arthur Motley Nose Malt loaf, dark chocolate sauce, vanilla, warm tar and peat. With water more eucalyptus/tea tree, and Limoncello. Palate Like crunching peated barley malt. Porridge and peat, with lemon rind. Finish More youthful peatiness. Comment I was reminded of the time I met a German loon who claimed to sprinkle heavily peated barley on his muesli. This is 30ppm Ready Brek.