Earlier this yr, we took our first style of the much-anticipated Isle of Raasay Single Malt. I first tried it in Scotland final summer season after which once more when our evaluation pattern arrived care of U.S. importer ImpEx, and on each events I used to be impressed by the distinctive complexity this upstart distillery had achieved in a relatively younger single malt. As a refresher, Isle of Raasay depends on three distinctive cask recipes, growing old each peated and unpeated spirit for a complete of six very completely different elements from which to construct their flagship whisky. Along with that flagship, nonetheless, the distillery additionally presents cask energy, single cask bottlings of every cask and spirit mixture underneath their Na Sia (Gaelic for “The Six”) Single Cask Collection. We had been fortunate sufficient to get wee samples of the 2023 trifecta for evaluation, all of that are peated (the distillery alternates peated and unpeated releases yearly). Ideas observe.
Isle of Raasay Ex-Bordeaux Single Cask 2023 – Aged in first-fill ex-Bordeaux purple wine casks. Faraway from the mix, this wine-aged Raasay spirit stands impressively by itself with a full aroma of fruit cake, grape pores and skin, fig preserves, and blackberry jam. The peat smoke, heathery and gentle, is laced all through, virtually including a creaminess to the expertise. The palate is brilliant and candy with barley sugar, cherry juice, and grape Jolly Ranchers. A peppery spice helps to reign in a few of that sweetness, but it surely stays reasonably exuberant. A mushy, ashy smoke arrives on the midpalate to additional subdue a few of these sugary darkish fruits, giving approach to unique oak and salty pipe smoke on the end. A contact candy however nonetheless a powerful younger single malt. Reviewed: Cask 18/664. 123.4 proof. A- / $115
Isle of Raasay Ex-Rye Single Cask 2023 – Aged in first-fill rye casks from Woodford Reserve. The nostril is initially mushy and earthy with a gentle rye spice, espresso grounds, and a toasted marshmallow sweetness. The peat smoke, which comes throughout extra as mesquite barbecue, doesn’t totally combine with notes of vanilla bean and butterscotch that begin to take over as issues open up. On the palate, a peppery entry of younger malt and Tootsie Roll provides approach to thinner notes of barley sugar and baking spice. The end, whereas properly spiced, is a bit one dimensional, with caramelized sugar, treacle, and a little bit of campfire smoke. Reviewed: Cask 18/627. 124.8 proof. B / $115
Isle of Raasay Chinkapin Single Cask 2023 – Aged in virgin Chinkapin oak. The aroma is sultry and wealthy with darkish toffee and caramel notes, honey roasted cashews, brown butter, and a little bit of Cracker Jack. The palate is expressive, if a bit youthful, with plenty of cooked cereal and brown sugar atop an enormous oak profile of sandalwood, dried coconut, and pencil shavings. A little bit of candied ginger develops on the midpalate, together with spice cake and a few baked apple earlier than dissolving right into a warming, barely salty end of honey candies, dried cherries, and apricot. Reviewed: Cask 19/56. 124.2 proof. B+ / $115
Isle of Raasay Ex-Bordeaux Single Cask 2023
$115
