Tempestuous

Tempest brewery have been quietly impressing since they came onto the scene four years ago. The Scots have being trying to keep the secret for themselves, but I've managed to get three beers from Alesela to share with you now.

Unforgiven ale is a take on the traditional Finnish beer, sahti, brewed with rye and juniper to 5.4% ABV. I've not tried an authentic sahti, but was keen to try this Scots interpretation.
Hazy mid amber on the pour, and lighter than expected perhaps. The slightly metallic smoky aroma which dissipates on warming to give some spicey notes. Full bodied with high carbonation, smoke hit at first, spicey juniper and an underlying sticky citrus rye and some sweet oakiness in the finish. Really accomplished beer, but perhaps I should have drunk it sooner to get the full smoke hit. Looks like they're currently brewing another batch though; so look out for it in good beer retailers near you soon.

Marmalade on toast (6%) was brewed as a collaboration with the Edinburgh Brewdog bar staff. It pours a hazy dark orange with lots of spicey Seville marmalade but also that odd silage note I associate with sorachi ace. Forms a pillowy beige head. Really full bodied, sweet dusty caramalt at first then plenty of orange pith. Definitely toasty but don’t get much of the ginger. It actually reminds me of Fullers ESB, which is of course no bad thing.

Finally we have Saison du pomme - an 8% gooseberry saison. Not sure why its gooseberries when pomme is French for apple! At first cereally becoming weizen like bananas and a hint of tart lactic in behind...not as expected. Fairly sprightly carbonation then something definitely Belgian in the yeast esters and a tart gooseberry note. Saison yeast most definitely dominates here. Quite light in body for its strength but it actually reminds of Dupont Avec le Bons Veux - unsurprising given its the same yeast at a similar ABV but not quite enough fruit to make it truly sing.

Bonus Review! I picked up a bottle of this years "2 Craigs" collab with Cromarty- Cone Heads from The Dalry Rd Branch of Appellation Wines. An interesting experiment using pine cones in the hop back and "dry-coning" for additional flavour alongside a beefed up grain bill, nutmeg and of course a big dose of hops. Experimentation is all well and good but how did it taste? On the nose there's loads of fresh pithy tangerine, cocoa, Zingy ginger, Belgian esters. Its full bodied, medium carbonation, sweet and zesty citrus hops, sweet milk chocolate, dry cocoa toasty finish.Seek it out for something different!

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Ardbeg

The final Kildalton distillery is Ardbeg. Again, no tour for us on this visit but instead a tasty lunch in the old kiln cafe. As with most Islay distilleries they've stopped producing their own malt and instead get hold of it from Port Ellen maltings.

There's a selection of fresh cooked home-made dishes and a well-stocked shop. The tour ends in the tasting room, which has a large variety on offer. Certainly somewhere I'll have to return to!

They've created a few experimental malts, not least alligator (see right), named for the charring technique used on the casks which causes them to resemble alligator hide. As you might expect its very smoky, charcoal, ash alongside a touch of peat from the base spirit, not for everyone but I enjoyed my dram. The Blasda (left) is a different kettle of fish altogether. Distilled with a lower ppm specification on the peat in the malt its much more gentle with a sweet honey note in the mouth.

I was pleased to capture this reflection shot outside of the distillery. As you can see Ardbeg uses different types of cask to achieve different finishes on the spirit.

Laphroaig

Another Kildalton distillery, Laphroaig this time, long revered as being a particularly phenolic dram. I didn't have enough time to go on the tour but had a good look around the exhibition and strolled around outside. Its a great look back at the people that have made Laphroaig over the years alongside some of the awards that they have received.

I peeked into the warehouse below the distillery offices and was met with the enticing sight of casks and old coppering tools. I'd love to spend some time just wondering around soaking up the fumes.

You can even sign up to become a friend of the distillery and mark your plot on the field. The field is marked with flags of various nations and some people have even brought their own custom flags. I picked up a miniature whilst I was there which I've reviewed below.

An amber-honey tone which forms long alcohol streaks on  the side of the glass. Laphroaig cask strength has a nose with immediate iodine and wood-smoke nose. Underneath this is a hint of golden syrup and damp soil. Its fairly sweet at first and then those phenolic notes Laphroaig is so famous for creep in along with some charcoal and ash. The heat comes in the swallow, leaving a long medicinal finish.

My palate has certainly become more tolerant as previously I couldn't even stand a single sip of the stuff! Who else out there finds Islay malts hard work?