Port Charlotte 2014 Islay Barley (70cl, 50%)

Port Charlotte Islay Barley is a heavily peated single malt distilled in 2014 and matured for seven years, all of it on Islay. The barley comes entirely from eight farms on the island, all within about 24 kilometres of the distillery, and the malt has a phenol level of 40ppm. Maturation was 84% first-fill bourbon barrels, 8% second-fill oak that first served as virgin oak, and 8% second-fill Bordeaux wine casks. It is bottled at 50%, non-chill-filtered and with natural colour. The nose opens with malty biscuit and peat smoke, then vanilla, honey, toffee, crème brûlée, citrus zest, ripe melon and peach. The palate pairs citrus with ripe fruit, peat smoke, salty maritime notes and toasted oak. The finish has soft stone fruit, toasted oak sweetness and bonfire smoke.