Here at The Real Dram, we are really excited by the amount of new distilleries there are that are popping up across scotland and the rest of the world. Not only does this development bring new ideas and new spirits to our beloved hobby, It also shows a developing interest from a wider audience.
Raasay is an Island of the West coast of Scotland. It is nestled between the mainland to the East and Skye to its West. It is 14 miles North to South and just three miles East to West. The distillery is set to open in the Summer of 2017. For more information and to see the latest steps in building head to the Raasay and Borders Website. For us, Raasay is one of the most interesting and daring ventures that are currently being built. There is a definite thread of both romanticism and ridiculousness in building a new distillery on a remote Scottish island, especially on where most people will need to get a sea plane or ferry to even arrive!
Today, we try the appropriately titled While We Wait – 2nd Release.
Price: £56.95
ABV: 46%
Appearance: Pinkish yellow, like an autumnal sunset on a night when shepherds would be proper chuffed.
Aroma: Thick sweet peat smoke, sweet red fruit and tannin spice.
Taste: Starting straight where the nose left off, this dram is sweet and spicy with tannins. The sweetness seems to derive from both the light spirit and the wine cask that it is matured within.
As the dram develops, so the spice develops. The spicing here sits somewhere between the drying nature of red wine tannins and the lighter oak spice of barrel ageing. There is also a honeyed, fruity sweetness, which reminded us of different things everytime we sipped. We settled eventually on describing the fruit as the light syrupy sweetness of Tropical Fruit, blending with the wider more robust fruit of soft red berry fruit.
Finally in the final throws of the middle and towards the end of the dram the peat smoke appears. Smaller than expected, but still noticeably there. This part of the dram carries a rubbery, stationary shop like quality, which is both moreish and dynamic.
Mouthfeel: Smokey and Sweet.
Overall: This is a very original dram, which carries through on the distilleries promise to create something new and interesting. We think that it might not be to everyone’s taste, as the combination of red wine and peat is bound to be a crowd divider. However it is a full flavoured and interesting dram that gives the drinker a very new flavour profile to enjoy. We are really excited to try their proper whisky and if time allows to visit the distillery also!
Real Dram Factor: 7.8
Source: Distillery Sample
More Information: Raasay and Borders Whisky Website
Buy Online: Raasay and Borders Shop: While We Wait – Batch Two – £56.95