Other Whisk(e)ys

Macaloney’s The Peat Project: European Moscatel Barrique

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

Macaloney’s The Peat Project Series: Single Cask European Moscatel Barrique 
Canadian Island Peated (54 ppm) Single Malt Whisky

46% ABV
$? (maybe $135?)
Website
Macaloney's Peat Project Washington Peat and Portuguese Red Wine STR Cask
We would like to thank Macaloney’s Island Distillery for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Distillery smoked using Washington Peat and carefully crafted in a premium European Moscatel Barrique

This sweet white wine Euuropean oak barrique explores peat ‘terroir’ from Washington State (Canadian and Islay peat coming soon). The nose has medium peat smoke, bonfire, cigar, vanilla, white wine with apricot, lychee, melon, fresh ginger, coconut, sweet peas, roses, and honey. Juniper and pine forest yield to white chocolate, walnut, and peat smoke. The palate is velvety, with big peat, sweet burnt heather, seashort, malt extract, pineapple, sultanas, pears, figs, stewed apples, chocolate orange, and Key lime banana pie, with cloves, white pepper, liquorice, marzipan and hazelnut. The finish is dry with a hint of salt and lingering smoke.

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, exotic fruit notes, peat smoke, floral, honey, smoked meat with a hint of spices.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, fruity with pears, apples, and tropical fruit (not quite pineapple), peat, chocolate, sea salt and cracked pepper.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with peat smoke, salt and kiwi.
Comments:  This is really nice – and was my favorite of the 5-sample pack sent! Less of the peat and minerality than the others, and the nose on this is rather complex. With a bit of water, it thickens nicely and opens up. My only complaint is that there’s no mention of this on their website! My guess is word got out and they had limited inventory (while a ‘single cask’, I hope they didn’t just have ONE single cask, but who knows). I’m making the leap that the price would be in line with the others, which is still on the high end.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

Macaloney’s The Peat Project: European Moscatel Barrique Read More »

Macaloney’s The Peat Project: Portuguese Red Wine with Washington Peat

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

Macaloney’s The Peat Project Series: Single Cask Portuguese Red Wine STR Cask with Washington Peat
Canadian Island Peated (54 ppm) Single Malt Whisky

46% ABV
$135
Website
Macaloney's Peat Project Washington Peat and Portuguese Red Wine STR Cask
We would like to thank Macaloney’s Island Distillery for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Distillery smoked using Washington Peat and carefully crafted in a premium Portuguese Red Wine STR Cask

This single cask release comes from a select re-charred red wine barrique, with a peat ‘terroir’ from Washington State (Canadian and Islay peat coming soon).

The nose has medium peat smoke, wood ash, floral notes, fruit, heather, lemongrass, juicy malt, nutmeg & cinnamon. The palate is creamy, very smooth and pleasantly warming, with big peat and waves of peat smoke, heather brush fire, wood wash and tropical fruits. Finishes with floral nectar, a dry malt sweetness, coconut milk, hint of salt and lingering smoke.

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

What Gary Says

Nose:  Earthy peat, minerality, salty sea air, caramel, subtle fruit, nylon rope, lemongrass and cinnamon.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, fruity with peat smoke, earthy mineral note, pepper, caramel and ashy.
Finish:  Moderate in length, drying with red berries, peat and sale.
Comments:  The peat is turned up in this cask, and for my palate maybe too much? Or at least too much for this particular cask? Just not as well balanced as the others and a bit one dimensional for my liking.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

Macaloney’s The Peat Project: Portuguese Red Wine with Washington Peat Read More »

Siol Dugall Canadian Island Medium Peated Single Malt Whisky

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Siol Dugall Canadian Island Medium Peated Single Malt Whisky

46% ABV
$130
Website
Siol Dugall Canadian Island Medium Peated Single Malt Whisky
We would like to thank Macaloney’s Island Distillery for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Siol Dugall, our Whiskymaker’s medium peated signature expression was married from a select combination of Kentucky Bourbon casks, virign American casks, and re-charred Portuguese red wine barriques.

Nose: The nose is superb with pine wood smoke, light peat smoke and tropical fruit, pork scratchings, rosemary, cedar, sandal wood, and lapsang souchong tea, developing to rose petals, dates, lemon zest, and butterscotch with hints of nutmeg, cloves and ginger. There are also summer meadow flowers, fresh cut grass, malt extract and burnt heather.

Palate: The palate has a velvety mouthfeel with sweet malty peat smoke, barley water, sweetpea flowers, clover honey, crème brûlée with burnt caramel, fennel seed, lemon sponge cake, and dried hay, with lingering oak, a light sweet smoke finish, and a hint of salt with ocean breeze.

27 PPM
ABV: 46%
Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich fruit and peat, savory notes of rosemary and thyme, subtle citrus notes, smokey with vanilla.
Palate:  Thick, creamy mouthfeel, rich with honey, fruity with peaches, pears, apricots, peat and caramel.
Finish:  Long and wet, with floral notes, peat and pepper spice trailing.
Comments:  This one surprised me, as sampling this next to An Aba it is lighter in color. This is much more intense, and not just the peat but all around. Really nice balance between the sweet and savory, with the nose advertising something more on the savory end of the spectrum. A bit of water brings out more bright, tropical fruit notes on the nose.

Rating: Stands Out

Siol Dugall Canadian Island Medium Peated Single Malt Whisky Read More »

An Aba Canadian Island Lightly Peated Single Malt Whisky

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

An Aba Canadian Island Lightly Peated Single Malt Whisky

46% ABV
$130
Website
An Aba Canadian Island Lightly Peated Single Malt Whisky
We would like to thank Macaloney’s Island Distillery for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

An Aba, our Whiskymjaker’s lightly peated ‘sherried’, signature expression was crafted from a select marrying of Kentucky Bourbon casks, Spanish Oloroso barriques, Portuguese shaved-toasted-re-charred (STR) red wine barriques, virgin American oak casks, and Spanish Pedro Ximénez casks.

Nose: Complex and layered whisky with light peat on the nose, including fresh pine and oak, orange liqueur, lemon sherbet, rum and raisin fruit cake, liquorice, vanilla sponge cake, ripe banana, gooseberry, red currant, dried mango and milk chocolate.

Palate: It has a lush creamy mouthfeel, medium peat, burnt heather and bonfire embers, leading to prunes, dried figs and apricots. Also on the palate there is malted milk, stewed apples, peaches, blooming heather, lavender and daffodils, developing to linseed oil, marzipan, lingering oak and a dry, light peat finish with an essence of the seaside, befitting our island location.

11 PPM*
ABV: 46%
Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sea breeze with lite peat smoke, grilled peaches, tropical fruit, cedar, pine and vanilla.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, fruity and smokey with a bit of oak and pepper, honey, toffee and a slight spice.
Finish:  Moderate in length, damp with earthy peat and light fruit notes trailing.
Comments:  This is a nice, although I hate to say – kinda boring dram. The nose has quite a bit more going on than the palate for me. I’m not someone who thinks when it comes to peat you have to ‘go big or go home’, there’s plenty of lightly peated whiskies that I really enjoy. The palate for me just fell short of what the nose was setting me up for. And at this price point – I expect more than I got here, although your mileage may vary. I do appreciate the non-chill filtration and ABV.
* NOTE: Their website lists this as 11 PPM, and the sample I was sent had 11 PPM on the label, although in other press I’ve read 12 PPM (not that 1 PPM is going to make a noticeable difference, just pointing this out in case you saw something different as I did!)

Rating: Average/Stands Out

An Aba Canadian Island Lightly Peated Single Malt Whisky Read More »

St. Mallie Portuguese Re-Charred Red Wine Barrique

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

St. Mallie Portuguese Re-Charred Red Wine Barrique
Canadian Island Single Malt Whisky

46% ABV
$130
Website
St. Mallie Canadian Island Single Malt Whisky
We would like to thank Macaloney’s Island Distillery for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

St. Mallie, formerly known as Invermallie, is our connoisseurs / collector’s edition. It is an ever-changing series of classic single malt expressions based on unique one-off single casks, or other special selections. With individually numbered bottles, it is sought after by those who appreciate fine whisky.

This St. Mallie special release comes from a select re-charred red wine barrique imported from Europe. This barrique underwent the Dr. Jim Swan shave-toast-rechar preparation and gives a wonderfully complex nose with red berries, dried fruit, demerara sugar, leather, oak and honey. The palate is creamy and full bodied with layers of tropical fruits, wood spices, brandied dark fruit cake, cigar, cocoa, Maltesers, oats and honey. The finish is long with dried fruit and lingering oak.

ABV: 46%
750ml bottle
Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

What Gary Says

Nose:  Fruity with red berries, tropical fruit notes of mango and candied pineapple, malt, honey, oak, worn leather and floral notes.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, fruity with a sugar cane/molasses (nearly rum) vibe, peaches, kiwi, honey and cocoa.
Finish:  Moderately long, slightly drying with oak, fruit and pepper.
Comments:  My first sip of this one immediately had my brain thinking ‘rum’, but letting it sit on the tongue the other fruit notes emerge. The non-chill filtration really lends to a lovely mouthfeel, and I appreciate the ABV. I still struggle with the price points for these non-age stated single malt whisky, but there’s nothing off putting and it’s a perfectly delightful dram..

Rating: Stands Out

St. Mallie Portuguese Re-Charred Red Wine Barrique Read More »