In 1823, the Excise Act was passed in the United Kingdom, paving the way for many distilleries in Scotland to emerge from the shadows and begin legitimate, licensed operations.
A mere 7 years later, Talisker began operations on the isle of Skye. For nearly two centuries, it held the distinction of being the only distillery on that island.
In 2017, they welcomed a new neighbor. After several years of planning and construction, Torabhaig began operations in January of that year, becoming the second ever distillery on Skye.
For me, this plan creates an exciting opportunity to watch the evolution of a new Scotch – from concept, to early, younger bottlings, to mature product. Most of the well-known distilleries in Scotland were established in the 19th century, and a handful date as far back as the 18th. Scotch, it feels like, has been around forever. Watching a new Scotch be born feels like the return of Hailey’s Comet.
The overall concept for their whisky is to embrace the climate and spirit of the Hebrides. Phrases like “elegantly rugged” and “shaped by Skye” have already emerged as part of their marketing.
While the goal is for their signature expression to be a 10-year-old, they have plans to release 4 preliminary bottlings along the way. Dubbed the “Legacy Series”, these are meant to give a hint of things to come.
Scotch Whisky by law must be aged for a minimum of 3 years. In February of 2021, they released the first of the Legacy Series, simply called “2017”. This was followed in July with the “Allt Gleann” (Old Glen in Scots Gaelic).
Both are NAS (non-age statement) whiskies, but the word is that the average age in the 2017 is around 3 1/2 years, while the Allt Gleann is closer to 4. Each features a different combination of barley strain, yeast strain, and cask type as they try to find their unique style and house character. Both are substantially peated, with the 2017 coming in at 55-60 ppm and the Allt Gleann at 77.
I had a chance to attend a Mossburn Distillers tasting event recently. On the menu were several independent bottlings as well as two releases in the Caisteal Chamuis blended malt family. The most exciting part of the evening for me though, was getting to try both Torabhaig releases side by side. The first word that came to mind was “promising”.
A very impressive lineup from the fine folks at Mossburn
Yes, both were pale in color and lacked the depth and complexity that come with more time. But both were completely enjoyable. Don’t be intimidated by the high peat levels. The peat is a pleasantly floral highland peat, not the medicinal iodine that Islay is known for. It is nicely balanced, not overpowering. Since phenols break down over time, more mature offerings will likely tend to be less smoky.
The most striking difference, given the small age difference between bottlings, is the emergence of a nice coastal salinity. It was lacking in the 2017, which did not come as a surprise given the short aging. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much it really began to come through with a mere 6 extra months of time. For those of you unfamiliar with this concept, barrels are porous. When whisky is aged in an open warehouse near the sea, the salt air penetrates the barrels and can lend a pleasant brininess to the whisky inside.
If you’re looking for a mature, complex whisky to sip and savor, these early releases may not be your best choice. But if you’re looking for a learning experience, a taste of history, an “I was there when” moment, you might not want to miss this opportunity.
Try it now or put it away and compare it side by side with their signature release when it comes out in another 5 or 6 years. Or buy two bottles and do both.