Isle of Raasay 2021 Oloroso Sherry #21/142 – 59.6%

In May 2017, Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day brought barley cultivation back to Raasay after more than 40 years. Since then, the old Icelandic barley varieties Bere and Iskria, among others, have been thriving here. But that wasn’t enough to serve as the basis for the distillery’s inaugural malt. Malt made from Scottish barley, still kilned over Highland peat (plans are already in place to use local peat for future bottlings), forms the foundation for the Isle of Raasay Single Malt Inaugural Release 2020. Slightly smoky, with rich aromas of dark fruits and a natural, deep reddish-brown color, this Scotch offers a sensuous introduction to the Raasay Distillery’s style—and builds anticipation for the Core Range, expected in May 2021.

Other distinctive features of this whiskey include the Raasay water, filtered through volcanic sedimentary rock, and the unusually long fermentation period of 96 to 110 hours. This process preserves the water’s high mineral content, ensuring the characteristic berry-like flavor even before the whisky comes into contact with the cask.