Cadenhead's Islay Enigma 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whiskey

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 54.8% | Chill filtration: No

Special Features:

Sweet pastry and dessert notes contrast with savoury smoke and saltiness in this bottling from the Enigma range. The whisky does not display the pronounced medicinal style found in many Islay malts.

For ISY.2.A, an Islay single malt distilled in 2008 was bottled after 15 years of maturation in Bourbon Hogsheads. The release comprises 1,494 bottles. Cadenhead's released it in 2024 at a robust 54.8%, without added colouring or chill filtration. The distillery remains unnamed.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, applewood, marzipan and vanilla sponge cake combine to create a sweet, bakery-like impression.
• Palate: On the palate, the caramelised sweetness of crème brûlée meets the spicy, smoky character of chipotle sauce.
• Finish: Honey-lemon sweets, chorizo and rock salt give the finish a sweet, savoury and salty character.

Distillery/Bottler:

Cadenhead's is the independent bottler of this Islay single malt. The Enigma range makes room for unusual bottlings: alongside single casks, it can include marriages of several casks, blends and blended malts. ISY.2.A carries a series code rather than a distillery name.

The company's history began in 1842 as a wine and spirits merchant in Aberdeen. William Cadenhead took over the business in 1858 and gave it his name. Following the sale of its stocks in 1972, the company passed to J & A Mitchell & Co Ltd, the owners of Springbank in Campbeltown.

Cadenhead's selects whiskies from its stocks in Campbeltown for bottling when they have reached the desired maturity, rather than working to a fixed sales schedule. It uses only a few casks for each bottling. Added colouring and chill filtration are not part of its general approach.

Facts: