Port Askaig is an independent bottling from Elixir Distillers, owned by Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh under their Specialty Drinks Group umbrella. Unlike some independent bottlers, Port Askaig does not always disclose where they source each of their offerings, likely due to contractual obligations. Some research into other reviews on the Port Askaig 8 seem to indicate this offering is sourced from Caol Ila, though there is nothing saying that will always be true. While it’s fun to guess the source, at the end of the day this is an Islay single malt purposefully crafted for a particular profile, which is how we will review it. The first offerings of Port Askaig came on the market in 2009.
We have made a tactical decision for a long time to not review independent bottlings of scotch because they can be extremely limited and, in general, we like to review bottles that are, at least at time of publication, relatively easy to obtain in many places. But sometimes we stumble, such as when we picked up this bottle without actually realizing it was an independent bottling and did our homework after the fact. We were so excited to explore what we thought was a new distillery! On reflection, no one seemed to have any great regrets at this slip and since the brand sees a fairly large distribution, we do not feel our overall mission has failed.
Brand: Port Askaig
Region: Islay
Age: 8 years
Strength: 45.8%
Price: $54.99
Maturation: ex-bourbon casks
Location: Port Askaig
Nose: Medicinal, peat, apple cider vinegar, brine, iodine, banana, heather, floral
Palate: Smoke, manuka honey, pimento, pepper
Finish: Smoke, celery root, fennel, brine, peat
Comments: The experience is vastly improved if you let it oxidize for several minutes to integrate the flavors.
Adam – The Port Askaig 8 opens with sweet peat and florals, riding atop a little salt. Oh boy. This one strikes me as quintessentially Islay but not generically so. The smoke that you’d think would be there in the nose comes roaring in on the palate from start to finish yet it does not overpower or overstay. There’s a dance of honey and pepper along with that smoke that I find engaging. Very drinkable and at the current price point a great return on value. Does not feel young, blended well to harness its vibrancy. I’m a little disappointed this is an independent bottling and not a new distillery but the ones already on Islay are magical and this one does some fun things with what it obtained.
Kate – The nose has an old peat smell. Earthy, grassy, almost chary. There is also a banana marzipan sweetness battling against the peat before the settle down. It’s also a little astringent, verging on apple cider vinegar. The Port Askaig 8 feels to me like early morning on a Scottish spring day. The turf fires are still burning at night for warmth but there’s also the morning dew on the first vestiges of plants, rustling in the sea breezes. The palate is warm and spicy but not hot. It feels ready on the palate, like when you know a banana bread is done. It makes me feel like there might have been a wine finish used here but I can’t tell what exactly. The finish is a convergence of alcohol heat, brine and the vegetal aspects of the peat coming back from the nose to marry the smoke. It’s yummy.
Henry – Freshly-cut turf, heather, and Highland florals on the nose, with a beautiful expression of peat without either the sweet smoke or char. The palate rides in on a layer of sweetness but then the brine and smoke come on hard, with smoke leading the transition to a finish of vegetal notes, savory green turf, and more smoke. This one is a bit young and snappy with some pervasive heat on the palate, but so many delicious flavors distract enough that all you notice is the warmth. One of the most interesting elements of this dram is how it calls to mind elements of whiskies from other parts of Scotland: the honeyed sweetness of a Highland, the savory notes from a Speyside like Cragganmore 13.
Ben – There’s a little bitterness and it dries up at the end. There’s something in the second nose like when you buy artisan soap, a little olive oil. I kind of want to bath in it. You know I like a taste to a be story. The nose hands a baton off to the palate into the finish and then the second nose brings something new. It’s great, a nice arc.
This one is a bit young and snappy with some pervasive heat on the palate, but so many delicious flavors distract enough that all you notice is the warmth.
Bill – There’s something creamy in the nose. It’s a little playful. I kind of like how it plays with the peat. What I love most about the Port Askaig 8 is that it’s extremely balanced in its approach. If you’ve never had an Islay scotch, this is a brilliant intro. Not just an acceptable one but a brilliant one. Even the price is approachable.
Mike – The nose reminds me of the glue on a plastic band-aid. This drinks like a typical Islay for me. It’s exactly the kind of Islay scotch I love to drink, in fact. It checks all the boxes for me personally. It’s got that nice smoke flavor on the palate, the brine, the iodine, that yummy-ness in both the nose and the palate. I love the fact that someone mentioned fresh bog. I’ve never been next to one but I can see where that comes from.
Evelyn – The Port Askaig 8 sticks around. The smoky lasts around for a while. I agree that it’s approachable and has depth but not the heaviness of some other Islays we’ve had. It’s not dumbed down but is still approachable.
Sam – Smells like fresh-cut green peat bogs. It’s very viscous. It’s like cutting fresh peat while eating forest honey, with a lovely warmth when you first drink it that spreads across your palate and finishes with celery. A nice walk on the moors in the morning.
