Siol Dugall Canadian Island Medium Peated Single Malt Whisky

46% ABV
$130
Website

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

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

46% ABV
$130
Website

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