Whisky: Torabhaig 5 Year (2017) Club Reserve No. 3 Cask 930

Country/Region: Scotland/Islands

ABV: 61.8%

Cask: Bourbon, Madeira Hogshead

Age: 5 Years (Distilled April 2017, Bottled 1 Oct. 2022)

Nose: Salted caramel and dried fruits, musk and citrus candies; vegetal with ash and stone, a touch of mint and garden herbs; spirited and spicy.

Palate: Medium-bodied, oily, sweet and fruity with citrus and orchard fruit candies; salted malty biscuits with a bit of white pepper, licorice, and leather; earthier over time with more barbecue char and caramelization.

Finish: Medium-length with good intensity, drying, peppery and fruity with a kiss of smoke.

Score: 5-6 (76)

Mental Image: Wonka’s new BBQ Rib-Flavored Lollipops

Narrative & Notes: The aroma was lovely and inviting, with plenty of candied diversions— a grab bag of citrus, musk, and caramel tempting you toward overindulgence. A lovely brine laced throughout with intriguingly vegetal, almost mossy and limestone-like notes developing in the background alongside ash, which came on stronger with more time to rest alongside mint and garden herbs— perhaps an early fall garden cleaning day.  Medium-bodied and oily, the palate showcased a bit more of the youthful nature of the malt as the cask pushed in with sweet, fruity candy notes dominating. Meaty, perhaps sulfurous, notes of leather and white pepper appeared toward the end with a bit of earth— but sugary candies were the order of the day.  The finish was lovely, albeit a bit drying and peppery; this was where the youthfulness of the whisky showed through.

Overall, the cask influence was a touch overdone for my taste; the aroma was nice, but on the palate and finish, the cask overrode most everything else. It was a fine whisky, especially for its age, though it was certainly youthful and spirited, with pepper and spice on the nose and especially on the finish.

Image Credit: Whiskybase