Virtual Island Hopping

The Jura

January's tasting was back on Zoom as we took account of the New Year Covid surge and the Omicron variant. But from the comfort of our homes we went on quite the journey around Scotland's most remote distilleries, on the theme of virtual island hopping.

The first dram was very pale. You could certainly taste the alcohol here. It was tart and had a bready quality about it, almost like crumble. Harsh said some, a bit grassy thought others. For those who partook in a bit of water, they felt that didn't do all that much for it.

The Highland Park

This was a Jura, and an unpeated one at that. An independent bottling from Gleann Mor spirits, it was a 12-year-old that clocked in at 50% (although it arguably tasted stronger), and cost us £58.

Next there was a definite farmyard vibe to whisky number two. Straw-like offered someone, "like a barn" in fact. A nice, long finish, too. Peppery flavours, slightly smoky and lots of wood, yet at the same time quite sweet too. All round a very nice and complex drink.

The Talisker

This was another indie, an Independent Malts of Scotland bottling of a 23-year-old Highland Park, the Orkney distillery. A single cask it was £166, a decent chunk of change in anyone's language but much cheaper than the official distillery bottling. It's 52.8%.

There was more smoke to come from the third dram of the night. A nice light smokiness, and a creamy quality, along with a bit of a smell of bacon (this led to the almost inevitable tasting note of Frazzles, as if anyone has actually eaten Frazzles recently enough to know what they actually taste like). An easy drinker, and it felt pleasantly familiar.

The Arran

In the breakout room I was in we guessed at a Talisker, and were proved right! It was the official 10-year-old, a 45.8% dram at a reasonable £44. Incredibly, we'd never had this particular standard bottling in almost a decade of club meetings.

Four started off very well. Very nice, woody, and perhaps just a tiny bit thin at first but overall very impressive once given a chance to savour it.

This was an Arran! The first new distillery in yonks when it came along in the 90s, now firmly established in the pantheon of Scottish whiskies. This was a no age statement Bodega sherry cask, 55.8% and at £54 very reasonably priced for a good quality cask strength drop. It's a minimum 7-year-old, and it was finished in first fill oloroso casks.

The Raasay

Next was dram number five and this immediately hit us as pleasant, although not perhaps as complex as the Arran we'd just enjoyed. The finish wasn't quite as long. But another easy drinker, and nice and warming too.

It turned out we'd visited one of the newest distilleries around, Raasay. This no age statement could only be just over 3-year-old, given the youth of the distillery itself. It's the R-02, and cost £50, clocking in at 46.4%. A blend of peated and unpeated, not that strong but despite that some felt a few drops of water really improved it. Well balanced, and lightly peated.

The Torabhaig

The final drink of the evening didn't get too much on the nose, beyond a bit of creaminess, almost like cream soda (another taste from the past you think you remember). A little bit insipid perhaps, more of an introductory whisky or, as someone suggested 'an easy drinking dram for the masses'. We kept expecting something more to be there, but it never quite came through.

This was a Torabhaig! The new, and second, distillery on Skye. The expression was an Alt Gleann Legacy Series, 46% and £49, the first 'normal' release from this distillery. Some of the drinkers in the other breakout rooms liked it more than my group did, and likened it to a Caol Ila. A light, thin, barbecue-friendly dram.

That brought us to the dram of the night voting: and it was a resounding win for number four, the Arran!

Thanks to Adam for leading us through another great selection, and to all club members for coming along virtually! Back to the Britons soon, hopefully.