DescriptionIslay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Bottled by: Berry Bros & Rudd 70cl / 65.3%
Great to see Berry Bros doing cask experiments - this Laph... er, 'Williamson' Islay single malt was part of a 'vice-versa' experiment where it swapped barrels with a 10-year-old Diamond distillery Guyana rum for the last year of its maturation.
Both the rum and this Williamson have now been bottled and have each contributed characteristics to each other's final profile, with the Islay malt picking up a sweet estery exotic fruit note alongside its natural sooty, ashy phenols.
This single cask rum-finished 'mystery' Islay single malt whisky has been bottled at a balls-to-the-wall cask strength of 65.3%, so it's fair to say that a drop of water might be advisable.
*Max 1 per customer*
This Williamson Islay whisky was re-racked into an ex-Guyana rum barrel for 12 months.
Nose: No matter how powerful the wood, nothing tempers the aggressive peat smoke that leaps out of this glass. A little time, however, shows a more complex picture of wine gums, ash and treacle, with a touch of camphor oil.
Palate: The palate is exceptionally powerful, the high alcohol content integrating nicely with fierce smoke, and some high ester fruity notes appearing from the rum.
A pleasingly idiosyncratic whisky; if you have the opportunity and stamina, it is best paired with the Guyana rum.
“Bessie Williamson was the legendary manager at Laphroaig from the 1940’s until the early 1970’s and spokesperson for the Scotch Whisky Association in the USA where she toured during the 1960’s to promote the amber dew. Her early vision was such that she predicted the surge in popularity of single malts, particularly strongly peated gems such as this fine Islay which we finished in a Guyanan rum barrel.”
Pre-Owned Stock
At Whisky-Online we are specialists in old and rare bottles of whisky from days gone by. We are constantly picking up new stock of vintage bottles from various sources and private sales. All the pre-owned bottles on our site are vetted very carefully for authenticity by our team before they reach our website so that our customers can continue to buy with confidence. If we have the slightest doubts about a bottle’s provenance or authenticity we don’t list it, simple as that.
Please bear in mind stock that has been assigned as pre-owned is not in brand new mint condition. As pre-owned bottles will have been subject to natural wear and tear over the years, we strongly advise customers to check carefully the website images to assess the condition of individual bottles prior to purchase.
All stock assigned by us as pre-owned is sold as seen. Our website images of these old and rare whiskies are fair but not comprehensive representations and some flaws may not be visible in these images. It is important, therefore, to contact us for more images or further information before ordering if you have any specific questions or requirements about particular items.
Due to the varying ages and conditions of bottles, labels, corks and their seals, their safe transport without further damage or deterioration is not guaranteed and we recommend that these items are collected in person. If collection is not an option and buyers choose to have pre-owned items delivered we cannot accept responsibility for deterioration to these items during transit.
Please be aware that because of the varying conditions mentioned above there is a risk of seal failure during transit and that we cannot accept responsibility for any bottle leakage that occurs in this way.
Pre-Owned & New Stock
Seal and cork failure are two of the more common issues affecting older pre-owned bottles, but they can occur in new bottles as well. Cork is a naturally porous material and contains irregular air pockets that may compromise the integrity of the closure.
Over long periods of time corks can dry out and shrink, increasing the chances of cork failure and subsequent leakage. However, it is still strongly recommended to store bottles upright at all times, as keeping whisky bottles on their sides can damage the cork and increase the chances of leakage or failure.
When you open a bottle with a cork stopper - no matter how carefully - there is always a chance that the cork may break, particularly for older bottles. We recommend keeping a stock of spare corks in different sizes in case a replacement cork is needed.
We are unable to accept responsibility for the following circumstances affecting either new or pre-owned goods:
- Wear and tear, rust, stains, foxing or any other cosmetic damage to labels, boxes or other packaging where the customer has not requested extra images prior to purchase
- Deterioration to labels/packaging in transit
- Seal failure, cork failure and/or leakage in transit or at any subsequent time after delivery
If you have any questions about the condition of a specific product please don’t hesitate to contact us on info@whisky-online.com.
