Elements of Islay Bourbon Cask Blended Scotch Whisky
Elements of Islay Bourbon Cask Blended Scotch Whisky is a 109-proof (54.5% ABV) Islay blended malt — a marriage of smoky single malts from two iconic Islay distilleries, one on the island's south coast and one on the north, matured exclusively in first-fill and refill ex-bourbon casks. Bottled at full strength with no added color and no chill filtration in a 700mL bottle, it is the bourbon-cask pillar of the Elements of Islay core range. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Proof / ABV: 109 proof (54.5% ABV)
- Size: 700mL
- Style: Blended malt — Islay single malts from south-coast and north-coast distilleries
- Casks: First-fill and refill ex-bourbon barrels only; natural color, non-chill filtered
- Producer: Elements of Islay, by Elixir Distillers (Speciality Drinks), London
Peat, Bottled at Full Power
The Elements of Islay project is an independent bottler's love letter to Islay: single malts identified only by elemental symbols and batch numbers, and this Bourbon Cask expression trades the sherry influence of its siblings (Cask Edit, Sherry Cask) for pure bourbon-wood character. The high bottling strength is the point — at 54.5%, the peat smoke, vanilla, and tropical fruit arrive undiluted, and a drop of water lets you tune the intensity yourself. Expect barbecue smoke from the south coast mellowed by zesty, citrus-bright malt from the north. Explore the Elements of Islay range and dive into more peated Scotch whisky at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
The nose bursts with tropical fruit — pineapple, banana, coconut — over vanilla sugar, fragrant oak, and smoldering bonfire embers. The palate is syrupy and dense: peat smoke, dark chocolate, creamy vanilla, lemon citrus, and toasted pistachio. The finish is long and oily, with creamy vanilla, smoldering oak, and a sweetly tailing smoke.
How to Enjoy
Neat first at full strength to meet the smoke head-on, then add water drop by drop — cask-strength Islay transforms with dilution, releasing honey, fruit, and spice in waves. Not a mixing whisky; this one is for the peat faithful.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a blended malt?
A blend of single malt whiskies from different distilleries — here, two Islay distilleries — with no grain whisky, unlike a blended Scotch.
Which distilleries are in Elements of Islay Bourbon Cask?
The bottler doesn't name them, identifying sources only by elemental symbols; the blend pairs a south-coast Islay distillery's barbecue smoke with a north-coast distillery's zestier malt.
Is Elements of Islay Bourbon Cask chill-filtered?
No — it is bottled at 54.5% ABV with no added color and no chill filtration.
Buy Elements of Islay Bourbon Cask online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — full-strength Islay peat in a 700mL bottle, ready to ship.