Whiskybase

The Dark Side of Islay 19-year-old MoS

Overall rating
89.45/100
votes
140
Whiskybase ID
WB190324
Category
Blended Malt
Bottler
Malts of Scotland (MoS)
Bottling serie
Daill
Bottled
2021
Stated Age
19 years old
Casktype
3 Wine Casks, Sherry Cask Finish
Casknumber
MoS 21023
Number of bottles
1225
Strength
51.5 % Vol.
Size
50 ml 700 ml
Added on
24 aug 2021 4:24 pm by hubertpeter
UncoloredNon-chillfilteredCask Strength
The Dark Side of Islay 19-year-old MoS
Photo by hubertpeter
The Dark Side of Islay 19-year-old MoS
Photo by hubertpeter
The Dark Side of Islay 19-year-old MoS
Photo by hubertpeter

Average value

€ 254.45

Found 6 online shops. Lowest price:

€ 199.00
de Selection-of-Spirits.de € 249.00
de Whisky-Raritäten Andermann € 259.90
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47 × in wishlist

140 × member ratings

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Whisky Reviews for The Dark Side of Islay 19-year-old MoS

28 users have left a review for this whisky and scored it an average of 89.45 points

  1. Hive scored this whisky 91 points Member Senior

    A great whiskey, which is extremely complex and has a lot to offer. Nothing for "in between".
    But once in the glass you forget the world around it and indulge in the aromas.
    It's a whiskey that I have to go for.
    With the best will in the world, I can't say which distillery (s) are hidden behind this blend, but is that important? Not for me.
    • Nose
      92 92
      The smoke is instantly present without killing you. The red wine comes out well behind it. Sweet berry cocktail spreads.
      After the first sip, the smoke fades a little backwards, the sherry influence flashes. The sweetness can still be felt.
      The longer it is in the glass, the more there is to discover.
      A real chameleon that always shows itself from a different side.
    • Taste
      90 90
      Smoke spreads on the palate, the sweetness is also clearly noticeable here. Dark chocolate with a hint of coffee and dark fruits.
    • Finish
      91 91
      The finish is long and intense, the sweet smoke dominating here.

  2. didi1893 scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

    Sweet, creamy, fruity, tasty with a wonderfully harmonious bitter and smoky base note. Tastes and I like it very much, "unfortunately just great"!
    • Nose
      A delicate rusty brown shimmers in the glass, a thick and oily streak sticks to the glass wall, from which syrup-like "legs" occasionally detach. Fruity, mineral smoke rises with dried peat, caramel mixes with raisins and a hint of sour cherries, sugar trickles onto lightly fermented and sulphurized berries, the alcohol is wonderfully harmoniously integrated. Afterwards, echoes of fly ash and burnt wood tones come into their own.
    • Taste
      Tart wood tones flow creamy with mineral smoke and earthy peat over the tongue, fly ash settles and spreads a pinch of white pepper on the palate, sweet grapes and berries play with smoked wood, minimal bacon and roasted hazelnuts come to the fore. Dried berries followed by caramel and fresh sawdust, sweet and creamy, pours another sip over the tongue ...
    • Finish
      Pepper and burnt wooden elements stick pleasantly sharp on the palate, sharpness gently massages the tongue, sweet and creamy raisins and apricots swim in the excited saliva under the tongue. The cozy warmth slowly fades away, leaving toasted hazelnuts with a hint of burnt wood in the throat. In the background there is mineral peat smoke with a hint of menthol and eucalyptus ...

  3. whiskydramo scored this whisky 89 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      89 89
      Dark chocolate powder, dried dates, red bricks and mouldy chenpi formed the topmost aroma. Baked sweet potatoes, dried persimmon with sprinkling black pepper in the air. Steamed taro, water chestnut and a touch of thyme. There came a wave of pure peat, followed by peanut butter, walnut, wet burnt wood and celtuce. Nice pear peel, firecracker and earthy after a sip.
    • Taste
      89 89
      Red bricks. Dried prune, red fruits like cherries and strawberry jam. Baked sweet potatoes, Asian pear, surrounded by peated Mandarin peel, boiled chestnuts. Dried and crispy seaweed. Ended with a bit of celery and moss.
    • Finish
      90 90
      Asian pear peel, roasted sesame, caramel. It tasted muddy. Also charcoal, roasted coffee beans and sweet red bean paste. Red bricks, dirt and construction site lingering in the mouth.

  4. Malthead_80 scored this whisky 91 points Expert Senior

    Give it some time to let the smoke "settle" and it the sweetness wins over the initlally heavy smoke...
    • Nose
      91 91
    • Taste
      91 91
    • Finish
      90 90

  5. Whisky_Momente scored this whisky 91 points Expert Senior

    Sorry, but unfortunately it's awesome. Wow, spicy, exciting, complex, exciting. You want to drink more than just 1 dram of that.

  6. IsleofArrik did not rate this whisky Expert Junior

    This is a vatting of peated whiskies from 3 different Islay distilleries. They were matured in wine casks from France, Italy and Spain respectively. They were married for 6 months in 2 Oloroso Sherry butts for 6 months.

  7. redlightsflash89 scored this whisky 91 points Expert Senior

    There is a personal Story as to why I had to get this whisky, and since I missed out on the last releases of the German Islay Dragons I had to buy it. The hard facts sound brilliant, at least 19 years old, from Islay, and I bought it for 160€.

    Warning, this is not an easy drinking whisky, and it gets better with more time in the glass. My guess is, that this probably has Laphroaig and PC in it, but luckily we will never know.
    • Nose
      91 91
      : A sweet smoke immediately fills the nose, but it is hard to dissect what comes first. Both the sweetness and the smoke are working simultaneously so I’m giving the notes as I get them in my nose: salty and medicinal smoke immediately fills my nostrils followed by some burnt herbs, like if you would throw herbs into a fire that has also some bandages in it. There is more salt in there, oysters? A lot of sweetness is there and that has got to be the wine and the sherry finish, I get raisins, followed by caramelized onions that have been grilled over open fire. Digging deeper I get dark berries but also cranberries and a slight note of honey, lingering very far in the background.
    • Taste
      91 91
      Oh my god this is smooth, phenolic smoke immediately fills my mouth but its accompanied by a very lovely sweet note. I’d say medicinal smoke and the herbs are still there but I also get vanilla, dark berries, cheesecake, and some lovely oak notes. This is also followed by some strongsalt notes again and a nice but smooth espresso taste
    • Finish
      92 92
      : Very Long, here the smoke is more predominant at the start and I get some laphroaig notes with a lot of medicinal touch at the start that is then followed by very balanced smoke and sweet notes alternating. The seafood touch I had in the nose is completely gone and this is just a straight forward burnt medicinal fire next to the sea with some seaweed thrown in there. After a while the smoke gives way to some sweeter and spicier notes, this is where you can clearly feel the age. The wine casks and sherry casks form a delicate mix with the age and you get berry cake that’s topped with some whipped cream, also honey is there and you get some nice wood notes here that balance this all perfectly.

  8. Totoro scored this whisky 87 points Connoisseur

    I'm really not a fan of wine barrel aging, but an older Islay with strong, aromatic peat smoke can handle it. Well done, just (for me) a bit too sour on the palate.
    • Nose
      88 88
    • Taste
      86 86
    • Finish
      88 88

  9. Hvdree scored this whisky 88 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      89 89
    • Taste
      88 88
    • Finish
      88 88

  10. BenjaminDann scored this whisky 91 points Member Senior

    • Nose
      90 90
    • Taste
      92 92
    • Finish
      91 91

  11. SRB scored this whisky 90 points Expert Senior

    Everything has already been said here - a really great blended malt.
    • Nose
      91 91
    • Taste
      90 90
    • Finish
      89 89

  12. LeChiffre scored this whisky 88 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      88 88
      mineral sweet smoke lies directly in the nose; dark fruits; Sweet; berries; some wood spice
    • Taste
      87 87
      creamy-oily; Sweet; again the mineral smoke; slightly earthy notes; tart notes of wood; dark berry fruits; dark chocolate; slightly greasy notes
    • Finish
      88 88
      pleasantly peppery-spicy; Sweet; dark fruits; tart wood spice; delicate mineral smoke

  13. hawk31 scored this whisky 89 points Expert Senior

    Very great nose, the wine barrel comes through nicely and a nice smoke, goes very well together. It's a little too sweet in my mouth, but I'm sure that many people like it. In the finish, a nice spice sets a suitable counterpart to the sweetness.

  14. Astrid scored this whisky 86 points Connoisseur

    Well below expectations. "Islay + 19 years" is all well and good, but the red wine influence doesn't always look good. For the full review, go here: https://halbendrinks.de/2022/03/26/malts-of-islay/
    • Nose
      87 87
    • Taste
      85 85
    • Finish
      86 86

  15. dominikbraun scored this whisky 89 points Connoisseur

    Extremely well integrated smoke meets ripe, sweet red fruits, plums and jam, apricots, charcoal, oak, chocolate, pepper, berries and espresso - a ripe, perfectly balanced malt in its frame.
    • Nose
      89 89
    • Taste
      90 90
    • Finish
      89 89

  16. ThorstenH scored this whisky 87 points Expert Senior

    The wine barrel really comes through. White wine with Islay smoke. Rather disappointing for me based on the reviews here. Doesn't harmonize for me for a top rating.
    • Nose
      86 86
    • Taste
      87 87
    • Finish
      89 89

  17. etwa77 scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

    I would venture Bunnahabhain has the largest share in this very fun and easy-going (down the throat) blend.. nose is king and makes me wonder whether some Ardbeggian juice might be in hiding. Also, been getting some hints of PC.

    This is actually quite good, no matter what the maturation purists have to say, though, in truth, the wine pushes a little too strongly in the finish.

  18. TomSawyer scored this whisky 97 points Newbie

    The summery, fruity aroma of wild berries and apricots forms a creamy cloud on the tongue. It is reminiscent of honey simmering in a metal pot over a smoky campfire made of pine that has not completely dried out. The cooking process culminates in a short, sprightly sting, then a wafer-thin layer of soft leather settles soothingly on the irritated oral mucosa. Gentle on the finish with a long-lasting note of Mediterranean herbs, salt and pipe tobacco. A complex, very subtle peat monster - the spiciness of strong red wine clearly dominates over iodine and gas station!

  19. Nikilema scored this whisky 89 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      89 89
    • Taste
      88 88
    • Finish
      89 89

  20. Daniel Hohleweg scored this whisky 87 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      86 86
    • Taste
      86 86
    • Finish
      88 88

  21. zapfdaniel scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      88 88
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      88 88

  22. N0b0dy0815 scored this whisky 88 points Expert Junior

  23. Holzwurm scored this whisky 90 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      90 90
    • Taste
      90 90
    • Finish
      91 91

  24. aryehf scored this whisky 89 points Expert Senior

    Highly quaffable, comforting dram - great for cold evenings.
    • Nose
      90 90
      Thick, peat smoke, damp, earthy, winey, sweet berries, red fruits, sweet smoked, smoked meat, balsamic vinegar, oak, a bit sulphur, after long time in the glass (about two hours) I get tomatoes juice.
    • Taste
      89 89
      Medium mouthfeel, sweet smoke, black pepper, spices, nutmeg, oak, berries, smoked meat, earth, black grapes, winey.
    • Finish
      88 88
      Medium-long, berries, earthy, bitter, oak, nutmeg, ashes, herbal - menthol and eucalyptus.

  25. Islaysmoke scored this whisky 90 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      Fruity red wine notes from the storage barrel with a lot of sweetness. Smoke, berry fruits and spicy honey sweetness, gooseberry, red berries, strong oak barrel impressions.
    • Taste
      I don't even know what comes faster, the strong smoke or the sweetness. Then there are notes of sherry tobacco and leather, tart chocolate and coffee.
    • Finish
      Long, sweet-smoky and spicy. Some dryness at the end.

  26. ThinLizzy scored this whisky 91 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      91 91
    • Taste
      90 90
    • Finish
      91 91

  27. nomad_soul scored this whisky 89 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      90 90
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      89 89

  28. FernetBranco scored this whisky 87 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      87 87
    • Taste
      87 87
    • Finish
      86 86

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