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| Hello, that is certainly one of our (nearly) each day tastings. Santé! |
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September 18, 2024
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The London Whisky Present was an opportunity to find a superb variety of new releases from younger distilleries, most of them pushed by passionate and enthusiastic groups.
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Isle of Raasay (Isle of Raasay Distillery) |
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Typically, this was a putting distinction with a few previous names that had been current too, which instantly felt slightly a bit dusty and drained to me. However thank goodness, the very overwhelming majority of the massive gamers gave the impression to be in glorious form regardless of a few of the new market figures, so please, let’s not leap to any hasty conclusions.
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Isle of Harris ‘The Hearach’ (46%, OB, batch 16, 2024) 
I had the pleasure of sampling the wonderful batch 15 again in August, jokingly bemoaning the truth that batch 16 had already been launched. Happily, batch 16 is now on the tasting desk, although I am unable to assist however marvel if batch 17 has already crept onto the scene. Maybe not… Color: white wine. Nostril: it strikes me as rather less smoky this time round; however as I don’t have each batches facet by facet, I’ll depart it there. Pleasant notes of apple cake, fruity beer, delicate greens (carrot purée), and freshly baked morning pastries. A stunning, slightly barley-forward nostril. Mouth: the smoke is far more outstanding right here, a peppery, vegetal smoke, fairly dry however in a really charming manner. I even get a little bit of chilli mingling with lime, giving it a slight ‘Hebridean daiquiri’ vibe, if you’ll. There’s additionally some earthiness, mineral mud, mustard, and as I famous final time, a bit ‘Fort William’ character, should you catch my drift. End: lengthy, decidedly salty, with only a contact of roguishness. There’s an aftertaste of roots, notably gentian. Feedback: it’s unbelievable that they’ve maintained their type with out veering off in each route like so many others.
SGP:462 – 87 factors. |
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Ardnahoe ‘Infinite Loch’ (50%, OB, bourbon and oloroso, 2024) 
That is the third launch from Ardnahoe, with the primary two being very a lot to my style. For a distillery, an ‘infinite’ loch can solely be a blessing, even on Islay, should you recall the droughts of the late Nineteen Sixties that pressured distilleries to close down. Right here, Ardnahoe evokes a loch infinite in its depths, although so long as they don’t begin conjuring up Ardbeg-style legends, we’re secure—no sixteen-armed freshwater octopus or Islay Nessie, fortunately! Color: pale gold. Nostril: unbelievable, I discover it very ‘West Coast’ in addition to distinctly Islay. Briefly, West of Scotland, East of Islay. There’s a barely oily, strong high quality, but with the grace and precision of a gymnast. Smoked oysters are very current, maybe some mussels too, crabs from the Sound, seaweed, adopted by bergamot, oranges, moist chalk, and clay… With water: extra moist chalk and that well-known previous tweed jacket from the Islay Woollen Mill, one which’s seen loads of rain, storms, and vintages. Mouth (neat): that is very good. Inexperienced pepper, oranges, grapefruits, seafood, evenly oily smoke, almonds, inexperienced apples, sushi, and a touch of inexperienced olive… With water: a couple of extra spices, cinnamon, turmeric, a contact of ginger, after which some Kildalton tar. End: lengthy, salty, considerably wealthy and oily, with extra smoked fish. Feedback: whereas it may well’t fairly match the shock of the Inaugural Launch, this primary ‘common’ model is slightly sensible. I’ll add that it solely wants a drop of water—greatest to not drown it.
SGP:557 – 88 factors. |
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Nc’nean 2020+older/2024 ‘Cask Power MN21’ (59%, OB, 5,021 bottles)
It’s natural, ‘made by nature not guidelines’, sustainable – a phrase now obligatory simply all over the place – but additionally 55% ex-STRed purple wine cask, which I discover a bit at odds with the idea, and definitely not very ‘terroiry’. Then once more, it’s what’s within the glass that issues, is it not? Color: gold. Nostril: the STR affect is evident, with rose jelly, peonies, blood oranges, bubblegum, Szechuan pepper, and even some very fruity and feisty hops. Alternatively, it’s not overtly vinous in any respect, which is the fantastic thing about these STR wine casks everybody’s utilizing lately. Strawberry-vanilla ice cream. With water: as is commonly the case, it returns to the barley, with scones, croissants, chamomile, and a tiny contact of roasted nuts. Mouth (neat): this is excellent, full-bodied, lemony, and clearly led by the cask affect, however it’s all been expertly crafted, very a lot within the type of Dr Swan. Extremely technical, however very nicely finished. Okay*****n, get out of this bottle! With water: hints of parsley and dill, then limoncello and elderflower liqueur. End: lengthy, with pepper liqueur, a sure sweetness, and triple sec. Feedback: very fashionable, superb. I discover it extra profitable than the earlier batch, however we a lot desire the pure ‘hogshead’ variations just like the one from Berry Bros, the place the wonderful distillate shines by means of extra.
SGP:751 – 85 factors. |
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Isle of Raasay 5 yo ‘Unpeated’ (61.4%, OB, Na Sia Cask Sequence, Chinkapin oak cask, cask #19/543, 2024)
Ha, they don’t name this 5 years previous, they are saying it’s 5 years younger. Intelligent. It appears the much less charming full identify of Chinkapin oak is Quercus Muehlenbergii. Not fairly as attractive, is it? I imagine it was Glenmorangie’s Dr Invoice who first introduced Chinkapin oak to the fore some years again. Color: deep gold. Nostril: straight in with the Jaffa muffins—chocolate, sponge cake, and orange marmalade. With water: guava liqueur sidles in, joined by winery peaches and younger summer season cheese, one thing alongside the strains of Comté or Gruyère. Very nice. Mouth (neat): wealthy, thick, and liqueur-like. A great deal of saffron, pink pepper, and blood oranges. With water: an explosion of unique fruits, adopted by a crescendo of spices—chilli, fermented tofu, masala, cardamom… slightly mad, to be trustworthy. A return of chocolate lingers within the background. End: lengthy, wealthy, fruity, and loaded with… fruity spices. Feedback: it’s extra of a stylistic train, a bit like Nc’nean’s in a manner, however crazier. I believe the Chinkapin was practically charred to oblivion. Spectacular stuff, good for these mates who assume all whisky tastes the identical. All of us have these mates, don’t we?
SGP:761 – 85 factors. |
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Isle of Raasay 5 yo ‘Peated’ (61.9%, OB, Na Sia Cask Sequence, peated Chinkapin oak cask, cask #19/74, 2024)
There could also be a little bit of confusion right here, because the label reads ‘matured in a peated Chinkapin oak cask,’ which could recommend some crude flavouring with peated whisky, as an increasing number of operators are doing (in-cask mixing). However then it additionally says ‘Scottish barley malted with Highland peat,’ which suggests the precise reverse and is way extra reassuring. I’m sure it’s the latter—a correct peated whisky, not some faux peater. Color: deep gold. Nostril: chocolate returns, together with Nutella, peanut butter, and pencil shavings. With water: orange juice, a cigarette smouldering within the ashtray, and some slices of untamed Spanish ham—correct pata negra. Mouth (neat): like operating into Mike Tyson in a darkish alley at nighttime to rapidly cross the road… With water: now we’re getting someplace, it’s wealthy, thick, spicy, and definitely woody this time, as if the peat brings out the tannins. The remaining is a battle between bitter oranges and pink grapefruit. Let’s not overlook the Szechuan pepper, which isn’t far off both. Not an ‘final’ peater. End: extra unique fruits, white chocolate, and even a touch of younger bourbon. Feedback: each Raasays are slightly excessive, and I can’t fairly decide a favorite—they don’t match into any explicit mould. Very cask-driven, a bit just like the Nc’nean, which can restrict them in some methods but additionally makes them fairly enjoyable. There’s a slight Fiat Multipla vibe to them, should you catch my drift.
SGP:665 – 85 factors. |
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Alright, I do know we’ve stated we’d have the Adnamurchans separate any longer, in ‘specialised’ periods, however they’re on the West Coast, aren’t they?
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Ardnamurchan ‘The Midgie’ (48%, OB, 6,200 bottles, 2024)
A slightly charming tribute, it appears, to these pesky little midges that may be a little bit of a nuisance when one visits Scotland at sure instances. It’s a mix of casks, together with sherry, bourbon, Sauternes, and Madeira. No marvel it would entice the midges, ha! Color: pale gold. Nostril: you don’t actually get the Madeira, nor the Sauternes, and even the sherry for that matter, so I’d think about these had been second and even third-fill casks, no? The end result, nevertheless, is impeccable. There’s a stunning smoky focaccia vibe, buttery croissants, and pleasant notes of smoked paprika (how good is that!), alongside hints of recent tyres, spent oil, and recent concrete… and maybe only a whisper of Madeira in any case. Actually, it’s spot on. Mouth: the peat comes by means of extra on the palate than on the nostril, with inexperienced pepper, creosote, tar, smoked kippers, lemon, and apple, plus oysters and some drops of Tabasco. End: lengthy and exquisite, with a barely natural contact. Assume samphire, lemon, and a drop of seawater. Feedback: totally pleasant and really peaty. The nice facet of midges, because it had been.
SGP:566 – 88 factors. |
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