Torabhaig Allt Gleann is the second large scale release from this distillery on the Isle of Skye, part of The Legacy Series. It is a heavily peated single malt made from Concerto and Laureate barley (peated to 77 ppm) aged in first fill bourbon and refill whisky barrels. The spirit is a combination of the 2017 and 2018 vintages.
Torabhaigh Allt Gleann (46%, OB 2021)
Nose: despite a quick glimpse of (alcoholic) youth, this is quite warm and rich, with slightly medicinal smoke, coastal brine, lemons and some plain malty notes. Also salted liquorice, mint and a hint of leather. Like the Torabhaig Inaugural Release I had, this exceeds its age but it’s also quite polite.
Mouth: slightly less convincing. There’s a peaty note, some peppercorns and ashes, but it feels rather light. Some pear and melon, and an eau-de-vie note, which give away its youth. Smoked almonds. A bit of plain sugar and heathery notes.
Finish: shortish, with sweet fruit, smoke and a sea breeze.
This offers a great baseline quality for further expressions and you don’t have to bother about its young age. Although it’s in line with the inaugural release, it feels slightly more common and less punchy. Still available from The Whisky Exchange.