From Master of Malt:

“Seaweed & Aeons & Digging & Fire 10 Year Old Whisky hails from an undisclosed Islay distillery, with a quarter of its content having been matured in first-fill oloroso sherry casks. This whisky is known for its succinct name which gives a clear indication of its profile: straightforward, smoky, intricate, subtly sherried, well-balanced, and imbued with coastal characteristics. It is an ideal choice for those who appreciate the unadulterated nature of Islay whisky and prefer minimalist design.”

40% ABV.

Nose: Salty brine, bandaids, dark chocolate, seaweed baking in the sun.

Palate: lemonade, wakame, oyster shells, brine, peat, earthy loam, coffee.

Finish: Surprisingly thick with a strong chili and black pepper burn mixed with light caramel. The finish fades pretty quickly.

Notes: I’ll admit I was skeptical, largely due to the name. It just seems a touch… gimmicky. But it’s surprisingly good. None of the notes seemed out of place, and it definitely fit some of the themes in the name: I got clear notes of seaweed on the nose, and I did detect something in the palate that reminded me of heavy, fertile soil. Oddly enough I didn’t really get much smoke (there was plenty of peat, but I find peat and smoke to be rather distinct from each other), although perhaps the “fire” refers to the spicy burn on the finish? I have no idea what “aeons” would taste like.

I can’t say I’d seek out a bottle of this, but I would be perfectly content to order this at a bar or enjoy a dram if offered by someone who did buy a bottle. I think it is easily on par with other OB Islay 10 year old single malts.

Score: 7.8/10

Scoring guide

0 - Undrinkable

1 - Awful

2 - Bad

3 - Flawed

4 - Below Average

5 - Average / Mediocre

6 - Above Average / Decent

7 - Good; a solid choice

8 - Great; I’d happily drink this any day

9 - Excellent; for truly special occasions

10 - Mythical/perfect