Whisky Review: Alexander Murray Islay 23-Year-Old

Sweet and rather full on the palate as far as mouthfeel goes. Decently coats the tongue and mouth in a more dense presentation than I anticipated from the nose. Sweet caramel and vanilla initially with salt transitioning into the mid-palate. The finish moves quickly, as the burn is not intense nor long lived. There are heavy lingering notes of sweet tea with lemon in the aftertaste. Very straightforward in terms of flavors. Not terribly deeply layered, but balanced fairly well in its simplicity. Final Thoughts & Score/Buy A Bottle: Score: 80/100 This whisky is probably best described merely as “fine.” (Not to be confused with “fine!”) Not an immediately incredible whisky, but an interesting deviation from what has become considered traditional Islay fare. Gone are the chewy peat notes and permeating smoke. I would definitely be more likely to expect this palate from a Highland or Speyside distillery rather than one bearing the name Islay. All things considered, I see the handling of the legally necessary obfuscation regarding sourcing here to be a significant hindrance. The problem is that the folks at Alexander Murray & Co. have made the decision to label this release as simply “Islay,” and in doing so may have made more of a statement than they perhaps intended. For the uninitiated, to assume this whisky to be emblematic of Islay as a region would be a mistake. Perhaps a little more creative branding would redeem the bottle somewhat. As it stands now, it is not bad whisky. However, many would be understood for considering it to be a disappointment.