Torabhaig Sound of Sleat

Torabhaig, the newest distillery on the Isle of Skye, opened in 2017 as the island's second after Talisker. Sound of Sleat is the fourth chapter of its Legacy Series, named for the strait between Skye and the mainland, and this is the Batch Strength edition, bottled undiluted for the fullest expression of the whisky.

The heavily peated spirit was matured in Bourbon casks with virgin American oak adding extra vanilla and a baking spice, then bottled at its natural 60.2 percent without chill filtration or colouring. At full strength the well tempered peat shows in all its coastal depth. Bottled at natural strength without chill filtration or colour, in keeping with the distillery's open approach to what goes into each bottle. The distillery's barley is malted by Crisp at Port Gordon, the peating done over Aberdeenshire peat that lends a woody, cigar ash edge to the smoke.

On the palate it is bold and maritime, a coastal peat smoke over honey, vanilla and lemon, the virgin oak lending a spiced sweetness, with an oceanic lift into a long, smoky finish. A drop of water opens it further. The most powerful chapter of Sound of Sleat, and a full strength taste of Torabhaig's Skye. The Legacy Series traces the distillery's journey towards a ten year old, and this is its boldest current chapter.