Aerolite Lyndsay 10 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

ONCE-OFF WHOLESALER CLEARANCE.

"...well-composed, well-balanced and above all super tasty.." - thedramble.com

Bottled in a yester-year presentation, the story behind this whisky has been kept sparse putting the focus on the liquid inside. What we do know is that the curious name is an anagram of ‘ten-year-old Islay', it's a peated single malt sourced from an undisclosed distillery, and it's aged in a blend of bourbon barrels, sherry quarter casks and a small portion of 'mystery' casks. Dr. Sam Simmons, head of whisky at Atom Brands adds "If we do single malt we’re going to try to twist it. With Aerolite I’ve used strange casks to pull away from that distillery style to do something new." All the typical Islay notes are well represented: Sweet peat reek, smoke and dark chocolate combined with a fresh citrus-menthol lift and a whiff of ocean air. Medium bodied, tangy and textural through the middle stages, the finish loses a little momentum, encouraging you to pour another glass. Clearly created for a broad audience, this could easily be mistaken for Caol Ila 12 year old. The phenols remain balanced enough to make it appealing to non-peated whisky drinkers and beginners alike. 46% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.

Other reviews... successfully embodies several common aspects of Islay’s peated whisky output – it ably straddles maritime smoke, coastal minerality and natural sweetness. The end result is not deep, nor complex, but it’s well-composed, well-balanced and above all super tasty. Whilst it might be as (deliberately) as vague as they come, this is fairly-priced, evocative and dangerously drinkable. - thedramble.com

...A funny bottling from Atom that is an anagram of ’ten year old Islay’ and apparently hails from one Islay distillery after maturation in 70% bourbon barrels, 25% Spanish oak ex-sherry quarter casks and 5% ‘mystery casks’. The label also mentions ‘peat smoke-breathing dragons’. Let’s hope no one tells the SWA as I’m pretty sure that would not be permitted under their current production regulations. It’s possible the good folks at Atom were also smoking something. Colour: white wine. Nose: clean, coastal and fresh. Smoky grist, barley, heather, soot, wet rocks and sheep wool. Modern, clean, peaty Islay whisky in other words. It’s just a little unremarkable perhaps. Some nice lemony notes emerge in time. Mouth: rather autolytic and slightly yeasty. Smoked biscuits or something like that. Again this sheep wool oiliness, some carbolic acidity, heather ale and more smoky/sooty notes. Touches of lemon juice and a light tarriness. Finish: decent length, coal embers, heather smoke, peat and some peppery and briny notes. Comments: Yes, it all sounds a tad silly. But the whisky is perfectly quaffable and pretty typical modern Islay single malt. For the price tag I think it’s a fair drop. Let’s all buy some so we can keep those good folks from Tunbridge Wells in suitably jazzy narcotics!  84 points - whiskyfun.com

Category Winner - Islay Single Malt 12 Years and Under - 2020 World Whiskies Awards

Double Gold - Independent Merchant Single Malt - San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2020

Gold - Scotch Single Malt - Islay - International Wine & Spirit Competition 2022

Notes from the bottlers... A meaty nose with aromas of salted caramel and maple sweetness, hints of leather and big chipotle spices. Smoky and sweet palate with refreshing menthol character, sweet BBQ smoke and intense dark chocolate. A smooth finish with anise and liquorice, lingering ash and charcoal, and lifted caramel sweetness and citrus.