Torabhaig 7 Years Old 2018 Cask ##1174/2018 (Islay Cask Company)

Torabhaig, opened in 2017, is the second distillery on the Isle of Skye after Talisker, built by Mossburn Distillers in a restored farmstead at Teangue. This is an independent single cask, distilled in 2018 and bottled by the Islay Cask Company, drawn from cask 1174.

Distilled from heavily peated barley and matured seven years in Bourbon oak, the spirit was bottled at its natural 60 percent, without chill filtration or colour. The distillery's well tempered peat keeps the smoke balanced against a coastal, lemony character. Torabhaig ferments in Douglas fir washbacks and distils in copper pot stills, the slow approach building the balanced, well tempered peat. The heavily peated barley would make a fierce spirit at most distilleries, but Torabhaig's long fermentation and careful cut keep the smoke in check.

On the palate a maritime peat smoke meets lemon, vanilla and a struck flint minerality, bold at full strength, with a warming spice into a long, smoky finish. Water draws out more of the citrus and sweet barley. A powerful independent single cask from Skye's young second distillery. The Islay Cask Company selects casks across Scotland and bottles them at natural strength. There is a brininess and a sea spray lift to it, the unmistakable mark of a Skye island malt.