Whisky : Torabhaig 3 Year “2017 Legacy Series”

Country/Region : Scotland/Islands

ABV : 46%

Cask : First Fill Ex-Bourbon

Age : 3 Years (Distilled 2017, Bottled 2020)

Nose : Sea, citrus, and a clean smoke.  Impressions of charred lemon rind and fennel root as mild herbal and licorice notes drifted up.  High surf across the breakers as salt and mineral notes began to dominate.  The wife labeled it ‘smoked trotters’ while some tantalizing tropical fruits notes hid in the background.

Palate : Light to medium body with nice oily character and a profile that drifted between citrus and brine.  Lovely earthy complexity lingered in the mouth with smoke from an earthen oven or caramelized food in a clay pot.  A mild brine lingered toward the finish with toasted herbs and citrus rind. 

Finish :  Lingering salt, earth, and subtle notes of citrus.

Score : 6

Mental Image : High Surf Warning Sign

Notes : Wow, this blew away my expectations.  Absolutely delightful for a three year malt packed with loads of delicious peat and maritime notes.  This was not the most complex dram in the world and there was no way it was worth some of the secondary prices people are demanding (a quick search shows flippers looking to double what they paid), but I was pleased as punch with the quality of this spirit.  I definitely think the distillery will be one to watch out for as more releases appear and hopefully some of the collector hype of “bunkering” bottles dies down a bit.

Overall, a delicious and delightful inaugural bottle that certainly heralds a bright future for distilling on the Isle of Skye.

Image Credit : The Whisky Exchange