Whisky: Raasay Na Sia Single Cask 18/664

Country/Region: Scotland/Islands

ABV: 61.7%

Cask: First Fill Bordeaux Red Wine

Age: NAS (Distilled 2018, Bottled 2022)

Nose: Earthy and vegetal with soft brine, stone, eucalyptus, anise, clay, wispy smoke, kinako.

Palate: Medium-bodied, oily, earthy and fruit, tingling pepper, dried berries, lacquered wood, herbal spices with eucalyptus and mint, fruity peppers, subtle earth.

Finish: Medium to long with earth, dried fruit, anise, and a kiss of salt.

Score: 7 (83)

Mental Image: Wordsworth on the Relics of the Koala Empire

Narrative & Notes: Coastal pools and Roman ruins dotted an aroma full of soft brine, moss, and stone. Eucalyptus and holly presented an herbaceous spice with hints of anise and a wild mint, which gradually shifted to the front as spearmint next to pomelo rind and clay. Wispy smoke lingered in the background with a soft mineral salinity, kinako, and earth. Medium-bodied and oily, the palate was much the same but spicier with Sichuan peppercorns and sweet dried berries over lacquered wood and a maritime brine.  A moderate traffic jam developed between the herbal spice and the hotter elements. More chili pepper than raw spirit as a gentle earthiness allowed itself to be pushed into the background. More water dulled the heat and rounded out a more structured whisky. The finish was medium to long with earth, sweet dried fruits, anise, and a kiss of salt.

Wow, what a cracking introduction to the Raasay distillery! The aroma and flavors were unique and striking. I love a whisky that immediately puts me in a place: real, remembered, or imaginary, and this whisky sat me right down by the seashore and an old Roman bath. Medicinal clays and herbs, anyone? The mint and holly put me in the mind of Christmas, and there was something wintery about the whisky that carried me from the coast to a smoldering fireplace and hot tea.

Overall, lovely stuff— a whisky whose character benefited from a bit of water.  For something so young and matured in a red wine barrique to come off this well— well, I was impressed!

Image Credit: Raasay Distillery