750mL Bottle- ~$25
- Purchased at Riverside Wine & Spirits
- Cigar was about $33 at Burns Tobacconist
Background
My first Scotch was an Islay (Laphroiag) and I still enjoy them more than any other type. Unfortunately, my original love has inflated from about $30 a bottle to closer to $50, while most other quality Islay whiskies run even more. One day not too long ago, though, a friend introduced me to McClelland, an Islay with a much more friendly price tag.
McClelland’s Islay Scotch Whisky is a brand imported by Beam Suntory. The McClelland brand does not own a distillery in Islay, but sources their whisky from their parent company, Morrison Bowmore Distillers. They also produce Highland, Lowland, and Speyside Scotches under the same brand. The Islay variety comes from the company’s Bowmore distillery and has no age statement. It is bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV).
Notes
Pouring the McClelland into the glass, I noted it was a bright amber, almost honey-colored. The nose was an intriguing mix of traditional Islay peat, honey, and graininess. The initial sip was smooth and sweet on the lips, followed by the peaty, smoky flavor and a lingering alcohol vapor burn.
I paired the McClelland with a Davidoff of Geneva 25th Anniversary cigar, part of Davidoff’s Vault program, figuring that the complexity of a Davidoff LE would be the best shot of standing up to the peaty notes of an Islay Scotch, which can have the habit of stomping on almost any cigar.
The Davidoff opened up with notes of bread, mushroom, earth, and pepper spice. Further sipping of the Scotch revealed notes of iodine and brine while the peat smoke mellowed into the background with the addition of the cigar smoke.
The complex notes of the cigar and whisky continued to blend together well through the entire burn and dram. This lighter peat smoke of the McClelland Islay makes it a very nice pairing for a high-end Dominican cigar, which is something I found surprising. I found an Islay that is “cheap” but still flavorful and complex…and it pairs well with cigars. Definite winner!
