Kilchoman Machir Bay Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%

On a trip to Scotland, years ago, I wandered into “The Pot Still” and asked for a recommendation. A dram of Kilchoman Machir Bay is what the bartender poured for me, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Balanced, notes of both pepper and salt, and just enough smoke presence to know it must be from Islay. Even better that the people making it were dedicated to the production of their whisky from beginning to end; growing the grain, floor-malting, pot-still distilling, aging and bottling. This bottle is a vatting of three, four and five year old whiskies, with meticulous barrel selection giving the scotch a more mature profile than one may think.