Secrets of Islay 2017/2026 - 8 y.o. - 1st Fill Estèphe Wine Barrique #2/2017 (The Old Friends)

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 56.1% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Full maturation in a 1st Fill St. Estèphe Wine Barrique shapes this smoky Blended Malt from Islay. Distilled in October 2017, the whisky spent eight years in this Bordeaux wine cask before The Old Friends bottled it in August 2026. This was a full wine-cask maturation, rather than simply a finishing period.

The single cask numbered 2/2017 yielded 326 bottles. The whisky was bottled at 56.1%, without chill filtration or added colouring. Its honey-coloured hue accompanies a powerful character that brings together maritime peat smoke, dark berries and the influence of the red wine cask. The label depicts Hansel and Gretel making their way through the forest.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Pronounced peat smoke sits alongside rich aromas of ripe plums on the nose. A subtle red wine note links the smoky and fruity impressions.
• Palate: The whisky is powerful on the palate. Distinctive smoke and spicy oak meet dark fruit notes and juicy dark berries.
• Finish: The long finish is dry, with woody spice. Smoke lingers alongside a subtle wine note.

Distillery/Bottler:

The Old Friends is a range from independent bottler Michel Reick, also known as Whisky Druid. Following Best Dram in 2014 and Scotch Universe in 2016, he launched The Old Friends in 2018. The focus is on selected single casks, whose individual maturation helps shape each bottling's character. For Secrets of Islay, the choice of a Bordeaux barrique combines the island's peaty, smoky character with full wine-cask maturation.

Facts: