Single malt from Ailsa Craig, founded in 2007 with a capacity of 12,000,000 litres on the same site as Girvan. Several styles of malt whisky are produced there, from sweet and light to heavier and more sulphury (two stills have steel condenser rather than copper) as well as peated styles up to 50ppm.
Custard and some phenolic ash, some Big Red too, becoming more chalky and cereal driven with subtle golden syrup. As the producer's notes state, bacon then emerges.
Undoubtedly meaty 'n' peaty. More of that chalky cereal (dry muesli?) and golden syrup with Big Red in support.
Sweet, smoky and drying. More Big Red with vanilla.
The Big Red (spicy cinnamon sweets) are an ever-present but never threaten to dominate this sweet peaty treat.
Tasted about 60-70 singlemalts. This is the best so far.
The smoky taste and nose in this whisky do not overpower the underlying sweetness. I bought it, tasted it and, in a remarkably short time, found the bottle empty! It has all the peat you could want but does it without being overbearing. I love my Octomore's but this provides the smoke and sweet in a way which may be more open to non peat heads. It is Alisa Bay's first official bottling. I am going to get another bottle and look forward to seeing what they do next.
