Chieftain's Cigar Malt Robusto

[John]

This is the tasting notes from a panel of carefully selected nosers, tasters and smokers.

Region: Islay Wood Type: Hogshead

Cask No: 3337 Distilled: 4/07/1997

No of Bottles: 270 Bottled: September 2007

Strength 55.1%

Natural colour, unchill-filtered


Keir Sword, Owner, Cigar Box and Royal Mile Whiskies, Edinburgh: This is dominated by burning rubber and tar on the nose, however if you take time to look beyond these, youll find a big bowl of rhubarb and warm custard! Good complexity, with a prickly spice which lingers on the finish.

Jens Tausch, Consultant, European Cigar Journal, Germany: Smoky, phenolic, garden bonfire on the palate sweet, a balanced smokiness and later surprisingly some notes of Gin. These are the right attributes for a promising appointment with medium to strong cigars from Cuba. Full-bodied cigars from Nicaragua, or the Dominican Republic, would be an excellent match as well.

Stuart Smith, Manager, Cigar Box and Royal Mile Whiskies, Edinburgh: Nose Oily, smoky nose. Hints of rubber. Clean, fresh sea breeze, with a malty sweet back note. Hints of citrus fruit. Palate Earthy, bonfire character hits first then a beautiful sugary sweetness emerges really coats the mouth. Finish Excellent balance for a big peaty whisky superb interplay of the oily, smoky peat and the sweeter maltier notes. I preferred this without dilution. Totally moreish. Perfect with a full-bodied, rich cigar one to close the day with

Regis Lemaitre, Spirits Expert, RegisWhiskyMad: The nose is big on sherry, smoky with a good level of sweetness. The taste is sweet, with traces of sulphur and peat phenol / peat smoke. With water the taste becomes very powerful and much too volatile! A very impressive dram on its own! Worth a trial! My recommendation would be to half your whisky into 2 glasses. With the first glass, I would suggest you add a few drops of water and consume it as you light your cigar up. The second glass should be consumed undiluted as your cigar smoke, heat and intensity increase. Thus matching a more robust experience in both cigar and whisky! My cigar recommendation is a full-bodied Havana smoke Cohiba Robusto.

Rob Allanson, Editor of the Whisky and Cigar magazines: Nose: drying ash from a fire, coal tar soap with a fresh herbal note

Palate: Slight salt and loads of sweet smoke, almost roof tar, a slight nuttiness
Cigar: Vegas Robaina Familiar.

Antony McCallum, Rare Malt Manager, Ian Macleod Distillers: Fruity and distinctive, light smokiness, iodine and lobster tails. An amazingly well balanced Islay malt with sweet notes, grapefruit juice and soft peat. An ideal companion for a full-bodied cigar.