Speyside SPEY The Marriage 1815

This official Speyside Distillery single malt and bottled at 46%. The outturn was 1200 bottles. The Speyside Distillery was hand built near Kingussie and first run in 1990 near Kingussie in the upper Spey valley, and it has made the SPEY and Beinn Dubh malts for the Harvey's family. George Christie bought the land in 1956 and had a stonemason raise the distillery by hand over the years that followed.

It was worked slowly through short stills to keep the spirit light, for the light, fruity Speyside make the distillery is known for. A Tawny Port cask gave a raisined, red fruit depth. No age is given, but the fresh fruit marks it as classic Speyside Distillery make. Refill oak lets the delicate distillery character lead, fruit over malt. Harvey's whisky heritage runs back to 1770 and the founding of Bruichladdich. Quality over quantity has always been the watchword of this tiny distillery.

At 46% it is supple and honeyed. The Port cask adds plum, red berry and raisin, and orchard fruit and a floral lift sit alongside honeyed oak sweetness underneath. A ripe pear and a gentle spice lift it. It closes long, fruity and honeyed. This is the fresh Speyside style of the SPEY range.