Ailsa Bay Single Malt Whisky

Peat is certainly not the first thing which comes to your mind when thinking of Lowland whiskies. As a relatively new distillery built for the production of blends, Ailsa Bay surprised with this release. Notes of wet hay, floral peat smoke and burned moss form the nose. Water brings out citrus, sweet BBQ and hints of fennel. The taste falls a bit flat: aromatic peatiness, grapefruits and heather honey struggle with the youthfulness of the spirit. Bitter lemon, salted licorice and mineral peat remain in the long finish. A promising start despite the lack of maturity. RATING: 3.5/5.0 stars ≙ 83 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE

Holy shit why is this a 3.2?

Thanks to @PBMichiganWolverine for the sample of this inaugural release from a new distillery, which I thought was magical. Scotch's ineffable magic lies in its slow maturation, and the industry's greatest strength --as well as its greatest weakness -- similarly lies in the glacial pace at which it changes. A handful of distilleries, however, have recently opened and are more open to trying innovative methods of production or aging. Ailsa Bay is one of those distilleries, and this 2016 first release featured a few twists on the age-old formula. First, the distillery identified the exact parts per million not just of peat but also of "sweet," a proprietary measurement that Ailsa Bay developed. This one is 21 ppm peat, 11 ppm sweet. Second, the distillery aged its distillate initially in very small bourbon casks to speed up the maturation process and impart flavor more quickly. The results . . . are amazing. I'm instantly vaulting this distillery up there with Kilchoman as my favorite new-age whiskymaker. I didn't realize that this was a peated scotch before I caught its scent, but instantly I recognized that alluring mixture of earthy gravel, coffee, and sweet cream as the quintessential nose for a mainland peated scotch. Its palate features sweet cereal, honey, mild herbal peat, cinnamon, and a light floral touch. Its finish is floral as well, well-balanced, with a healthy measure of toasted oak. I can't wait to see more from this distillery.

Late spring into summer has been...busy, to say the least. Now that the garden is thriving and my kiddo’s back in daycare 1-2 days a week, I finally have the mental energy to start approaching some new drams. This one, generously shared with me by @PBMichiganWolverine, is an intriguing one. “Peated” and “Lowland” - not descriptors that typically go together, and yet Ailsa Bay manages to dovetail two seemingly disparate styles. Quintessential Lowland traits - lightness, dryness, tree fruit notes - aren’t overwhelmed by the ashy peat, citrus, and salinity that would not be out of place on Islay. While clearly young, this whisky still manages to walk the tightrope. I’m eager to see what more time in the barrel can do here, but this isn’t a bad first release at all.