Unnamed Islay 28 years old (D.1992, B.2021) Signatory Vintage / 53.2% / 0.7l

Signatory Vintage Scotch Whisky Co. needs no special introduction – founded in 1988 by Andrew and Brian Symington, it has become a leading whisky publisher in just a few years.

While her releases come with detailed information about each release, there’s a veil of mystery surrounding this one. We do know it’s a single malt distilled at an Islay distillery on November 19, 1992, aged in ex-bourbon casks, and blended in cask no. 6768. It was bottled in the Cask Strength Collection at 53.2% abv on February 12, 2021, in an edition of 249 bottles. That month, Signatory released a number of “Unnamed Islay Single Malts,” and most whisky lovers have attributed them to Lagavulin Distillery.

Nose : smoke and ashes, sea breeze and seaweed, lemon peel, pine needles and resin, honey, vanilla, honeydew melon, grapes, pears, damp hay, notes of leather and oak.

Palate : elegant, peat smoke, sea salt, pears, nectarines, oranges, almond croissant, honey, vanilla, white pepper, lemongrass, oak and cigar ash.

Finish : long, with notes of peat smoke and ash, citrus, honey, vanilla, sea salt, hay and oak.