As We Get It’ is bottled directly from its original casks, from an unnamed Islay distillery, without added colour or chill-filtration and at cask strength under the sole responsibility of Ian Macleod & Co. Ltd.
Appearance: Summer honey gold. Very oily, with many quick forming thick legs and a substantial swirl mark made up of large beads.
Nose: A lovely heady ABV wave hits the nostrils first, it’s obvious that this is cask strength immediately. BBQ smoke and caramelised meats, crispy steak fat and subtle herbal quality. There’s also a sweeter cakey side to the nose, Victoria sponge maybe, but with a dark fruit jam, not strawberry. The longer the glass matures, the more these cake notes increase.
Palate: An instantly satisfying buttery mouthfeel. The ABV is just as evident on the palate as it was on the nose, with a big warming effect on the chest. Peat smoke, barrel char and big tannin which, for me, is off-putting. There is also a fair bit of drying. I’m not getting nearly enough of that cake and jam eluded to by the nose, which is disappointing.
Finish: The astringency lingers well into the finish and dominates. There is some of the smoke but it dissipates quickly.
Overall: I liked the nose, it had a lot of promise. The palate, alas, let me down as was simply too astringent and one dimensional.
