Rock Oyster 18, Douglas Laing, 46.8% abv.

Rock Oyster represents the Islands in the Remarkable Regional Malts series from Douglas Laing. It is a blended malt composed of juice from Orkney, Arran, Jura, and supposedly Islay.

Nose: white grapes, sweet, green grapes, caramel, toffee, light copper. The nose changes alot with time, less sweet, slightly grassy, many more flavors that I can't identify, switches personality almost.

Palate: light bodied, strong on the wood smoke, the flavor of biting down on a grape seed when eating a seedless grape, a few minor flavors that I can't identify, but not sweet.

Finish: short, a hollow bitterness.

Dry glass: I think sherry wood and a sort of cedar.

A very confusing dram, but a little fun. Aromas are complex especially with time, while the flavors are more simple. The subtle complexities in flavor are hard to manage, but identifiable. I don't think its coastal or reminiscence of seaside rocks nor oysters. From memories, I feel the cask strength batch 2 version is a little better. Had this at Slainte mhath bar in Busan, South Korea.

Grade: C

Whiskyfun.com, Serge Valentin, sgp:466, 89 points
Whisky advocate, Jonny McCormick, 87 points
Whiskynotes, Ruben Luyten, 87/100
The Whiskyphiles, Barry Bradford, 86/100

Image courtesy of Eric Yee.

Eric Yee

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