What we’re drinking: Torabhaig Taigh Single Malt Scotch Whisky (pronounced “Tie,” Taigh means house in Scottish Gaelic)
Where it’s from: Part of Mossburn Distillers (which is also behind one of my favorite affordable smoky Scotches), Torabhaig is the second-ever licensed Single Malt Scotch Whisky distillery on the Isle of Skye. Launched in 2017, the whisky production is overseen by Neil MacLeod Mathieson, alongside a small team of local distillers, all trained in-house.
Why we’re drinking this: Torabhaig’s limited-edition Legacy Series bottles tend to end up in my best new whiskies of the month articles (see here and here) because they’re elegantly smoky and pretty damn affordable. So if this young but promising distillery is ready to deliver an easier-to-find (and still relatively inexpensive) expression, I’m curious.
Taigh is being marketed as Torabhaig’s first core expression, but it continues in a familiar house style. “Our whisky maker Neil said he wanted our whisky to be a very heavy peat on the way in and a very well-mannered peat on the way out,” says Bruce Perry, the global head of brand advocacy at Mossburn Distillers, during a recent media tasting in New York. “And with Taigh, this is the first time we’ve made anything replicable.”
In a way, Taigh is probably not going to be the most interesting whisky the distillery ever makes, but it may be the place to start before diving into those Legacy Series releases (or a possible upcoming 10-year release). “When we’re making something, particularly our very first permanent reference, we want it to be approachable,” Perry says. “We want lots of people to enjoy it. For real peat fans, peat lovers, this is what I call my Tuesday night whisky. I think it’s also a gateway to peated whisky. This is for the peat curious.”
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How the smoky and tropical notes of Ardbeg 10 transform an iconic cocktailIn a press release, whisky maker Neil MacLeod Mathieson expands on that idea. “We’ve been in production for nearly 10 years, but it’s still early days for our whisky,” he said. “Though we will continue to explore different casks and ideas with future expressions, we believe that Taigh captures everything we’ve been building towards since we began distilling in 2017. Our ‘Smoke with Taste’ ethos means elegance, balance and character, where peat enhances the flavor rather than dominating it. The combination of our traditional first-fill bourbon barrels alongside Madeira makes Taigh an especially welcoming, round expression for newcomers, and we’re proud to make it our first evergreen release.”
Smoke with taste? Let’s find out.
How it tastes: Bottled at 46% ABV and aged in a combination of first-fill bourbon, refill bourbon and Madeira casks, this is definitely a softer peated style with notes of apple cinnamon, vanilla custard, toasted almond and a little spice. It’s not the most complex Torabhaig release, and it’s not necessarily going to appeal to Ardbeg or Octomore fans, but it does a nice job of defining where the distillery wants to go.
Fun fact: The distillery invited Scottish poet Iona Lee to create an original body of work inspired by Torabhaig’s home on the Sleat Peninsula. You can see that here.
Where to find: Torabhaig Taigh retails for $50, and you can find it online and in select bars and stores in California, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York.
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