Interesting thoughts regarding Nc’nean & their green credentials. Do we know how they sustainably heat there stills & more importantly how they managed to build an entire new distillery without creating a huge carbon footprint as a result? I’m not even going to talk about distribution…..
It is a real shame that they're so anti-peat. I'd love to see them come up with a green alternative (even if it means that product wouldn't legally be whisky) but I don't know how realistic that is.
Something they could do is what some English distilleries have done is use ex islay casks to impart that peaty flavour to there new make. It's not the same as using peated malt in the distillate but it still imparts some peat flavour to the whisky.
Ah the summer look. Great review Shane. I am intrigued by Raasay but the price in my market has discouraged me from grabbing a bottle of this NAS offering. As you have pointed out, let's see where this distillery goes in the future with more maturation.
Totally with you on the boxes: Either leave the boxes out (which is probably the future, anyway) or at least make them protective instead of just an adornment. However, without the box you could hardly put the Lochlea on the Raasay 😅 Loved the Nc'nean I had. Therefore your description of the Raasay sounds fascinating! I'll try and get the stuff soon.
Good point about the box, for storage you want a box that blocks out at least the sun, and preferably adds some protection. At least to protect the label for snobs (the bad kind) or more protection for the bottle it self
Yep, things auger well for the future development of Raasay's whisky stocks. Of all the current 3-year-olds from new distilleries on the market I, too, find it one of the most promising and look forward to seeing it establish itself with older bottlings as the years pass. And, as you said, isn't it a breath of fresh air to have a new whisky which wasn't matured predominantly in STR casks? Good one. As for NcNean's publicly declared preference for unpeated distillate, I could accept their claim much more easily if they simply said they regard themselves as highlanders who prefer the unpeated style of whisky. When you consider, though, that the entire Scotch whisky industry's use of peat amounts to approximately 1% of all the peat utilized in the UK annually, then it does seem to deflate the balloon quite a bit if you try to make too big a hullabaloo about abstaining from it purely on environmental grounds. There are many other ways a distillery can reduce its carbon footprint significantly without having to make a bogey out of peat. Looking forward to further reviews in this fascinating series on new distilleries. Keep up the great work! Cheers.
Agreed. I feel that just not wanting to produce a smoky spirit plays a large part in their decision too. Probably doesn't fit in with their marketing and image. Cheers 🥃
Shane, thanks for reviewing these new distilleries. I have some Raasay & Lochlea. I haven't opened the Lochlea yet but I have opened the Raasay. It is the NA Sia Single cask series unpeated ex-Bordeaux Red wine cask @ 61.7 ABV and I quite like it. Also, were I live here in the states, Missouri, we have a fair amount of Chinkapin Oak. They say the acorns are very sweet although I have never tried them. Cheers to another great review.
Raasay certainly seem to be masters of cask selection! I'd definitely try their cask strength offerings. I also really like the Chinkapin Oak. Hopefully we'll see more of that in future. Cheers 🥃
Nice one Shane! I do like all of these new comers. I love trying them as it makes me feel like I'm part of the team from ground up :) They all shine a bright light for the future and hopefully more and more of these new craft distilleries will shame the old guard into clearing their act up. Cheers my friend! Ps. I love to showcase bottles so much and most of them are so pretty I hate it when I get a good looking box because then it makes me not want to throw it out :) almost always though I get a whisky without a box but I know a lot of people collect them.
I really think that supporting these new distilleries that are doing everything the proper way is the best thing we can do for the future of whisky. People complain about the prices for 3yo whisky but these new craft enterprises will continue to educate and raise standards for years to come. Brings a tear to your eye! 🥃
Loving the reviews of these recently sprouted distilleries! I just enjoyed a neck pour of the toddler-like Torabhaig Allt Gleann (eager to see how it behaves as I work my way further down the bottle)--nice to familiarize myself with one of the new guys on Whisky Row. There's just SO much out there that it's tough to keep pace, especially since it's a passion with a price tag.
Yeah when I began this series I foolishly thought I could cover every new distillery from the last couple of years. In hindsight I stood no chance. It would've taken over my channel for the foreseeable future. There's just so much!
Cheers. Enjoyed the vid and this mini-series. I haven't bought a single one I'm afraid. I'm playing it safe this year and paying for age. Interesting what you say about McNean and peat. I just watched Whisky Jason's review of Ardbeg Heavy Vapours where he discloses that Ardbeg will no longer receive peated barley from Port Ellen from 2024. Diageo want it all for themselves which I suspect is down to the pressure distilleries are coming under regarding their use of peat. Ardbeg's signature peat will have to come from somewhere else and that might well change the Ardbeg profile.
I day say it will change the Ardbeg profile. It won't be for the first time though. Ardbeg now is entirely different to what they were putting out pre-LVMH. Fingers crossed that the next era will be to the same standard. Makes me think of when I visited Springbank in 2015. They had a temporary issue with the peat supply and had to 'switch brands'. The new stuff was dark and looked very soggy. Put out a lot of smoke. I'm interested to see if we get a dodgy batch of Springbank 10 in a couple of years 😂
Now this one sounds really interesting. Definitely going to pick up a bottle on the basis of this review. Thanks. Edit: £60 for this or £65 and you get 2 wee whisky glasses too. Not bad at all.
I'm with you on the 'hole-y' cardboard boxes....what's the point? Give me a cardboard tube which actually provides some good protection or just don't bother... Thanks for this excellent review, I always enjoy your background info and opinions almost more than the tasting notes themselves 🤙
The only thing better than a naturally-presented whisky is Whisky Lock's naturally-presented head in this video
😂 it was a VERY hot day so I gave the hat the day off!
Interesting thoughts regarding Nc’nean & their green credentials. Do we know how they sustainably heat there stills & more importantly how they managed to build an entire new distillery without creating a huge carbon footprint as a result? I’m not even going to talk about distribution…..
ncnean.com/pages/sustainability 🙂
It is a real shame that they're so anti-peat. I'd love to see them come up with a green alternative (even if it means that product wouldn't legally be whisky) but I don't know how realistic that is.
Something they could do is what some English distilleries have done is use ex islay casks to impart that peaty flavour to there new make. It's not the same as using peated malt in the distillate but it still imparts some peat flavour to the whisky.
Ah the summer look. Great review Shane. I am intrigued by Raasay but the price in my market has discouraged me from grabbing a bottle of this NAS offering. As you have pointed out, let's see where this distillery goes in the future with more maturation.
It was a very hot day recording this 😅
Totally with you on the boxes: Either leave the boxes out (which is probably the future, anyway) or at least make them protective instead of just an adornment.
However, without the box you could hardly put the Lochlea on the Raasay 😅
Loved the Nc'nean I had. Therefore your description of the Raasay sounds fascinating! I'll try and get the stuff soon.
If you like a whisky with a bit of peat and oak then I think you'll really like Raasay. Cheers! 🥃
Good point about the box, for storage you want a box that blocks out at least the sun, and preferably adds some protection. At least to protect the label for snobs (the bad kind) or more protection for the bottle it self
Absolutely! A box with holes is no box at all 😉
Yep, things auger well for the future development of Raasay's whisky stocks. Of all the current 3-year-olds from new distilleries on the market I, too, find it one of the most promising and look forward to seeing it establish itself with older bottlings as the years pass. And, as you said, isn't it a breath of fresh air to have a new whisky which wasn't matured predominantly in STR casks? Good one. As for NcNean's publicly declared preference for unpeated distillate, I could accept their claim much more easily if they simply said they regard themselves as highlanders who prefer the unpeated style of whisky. When you consider, though, that the entire Scotch whisky industry's use of peat amounts to approximately 1% of all the peat utilized in the UK annually, then it does seem to deflate the balloon quite a bit if you try to make too big a hullabaloo about abstaining from it purely on environmental grounds. There are many other ways a distillery can reduce its carbon footprint significantly without having to make a bogey out of peat. Looking forward to further reviews in this fascinating series on new distilleries. Keep up the great work! Cheers.
Agreed. I feel that just not wanting to produce a smoky spirit plays a large part in their decision too. Probably doesn't fit in with their marketing and image. Cheers 🥃
Shane, thanks for reviewing these new distilleries. I have some Raasay & Lochlea. I haven't opened the Lochlea yet but I have opened the Raasay. It is the NA Sia Single cask series unpeated ex-Bordeaux Red wine cask @ 61.7 ABV and I quite like it. Also, were I live here in the states, Missouri, we have a fair amount of Chinkapin Oak. They say the acorns are very sweet although I have never tried them. Cheers to another great review.
Raasay certainly seem to be masters of cask selection! I'd definitely try their cask strength offerings.
I also really like the Chinkapin Oak. Hopefully we'll see more of that in future. Cheers 🥃
Great and very honest review, thank you.
Cheers Alasdair 🥃
been wanting to try a Raasay since they started so I’m very excited to have a bottle of R01.1 enroute!
Nice one Shane! I do like all of these new comers. I love trying them as it makes me feel like I'm part of the team from ground up :) They all shine a bright light for the future and hopefully more and more of these new craft distilleries will shame the old guard into clearing their act up. Cheers my friend!
Ps. I love to showcase bottles so much and most of them are so pretty I hate it when I get a good looking box because then it makes me not want to throw it out :) almost always though I get a whisky without a box but I know a lot of people collect them.
I really think that supporting these new distilleries that are doing everything the proper way is the best thing we can do for the future of whisky. People complain about the prices for 3yo whisky but these new craft enterprises will continue to educate and raise standards for years to come. Brings a tear to your eye! 🥃
Loving the reviews of these recently sprouted distilleries!
I just enjoyed a neck pour of the toddler-like Torabhaig Allt Gleann (eager to see how it behaves as I work my way further down the bottle)--nice to familiarize myself with one of the new guys on Whisky Row. There's just SO much out there that it's tough to keep pace, especially since it's a passion with a price tag.
Yeah when I began this series I foolishly thought I could cover every new distillery from the last couple of years. In hindsight I stood no chance. It would've taken over my channel for the foreseeable future. There's just so much!
Cheers. Enjoyed the vid and this mini-series. I haven't bought a single one I'm afraid. I'm playing it safe this year and paying for age. Interesting what you say about McNean and peat. I just watched Whisky Jason's review of Ardbeg Heavy Vapours where he discloses that Ardbeg will no longer receive peated barley from Port Ellen from 2024. Diageo want it all for themselves which I suspect is down to the pressure distilleries are coming under regarding their use of peat. Ardbeg's signature peat will have to come from somewhere else and that might well change the Ardbeg profile.
More dirty tactics from Diageo! I wondered if Ardbeg might be safe. Diageo have a minority stake in Ardbeg after all but apparently not. Cheers 🥃
I day say it will change the Ardbeg profile. It won't be for the first time though. Ardbeg now is entirely different to what they were putting out pre-LVMH. Fingers crossed that the next era will be to the same standard.
Makes me think of when I visited Springbank in 2015. They had a temporary issue with the peat supply and had to 'switch brands'. The new stuff was dark and looked very soggy. Put out a lot of smoke. I'm interested to see if we get a dodgy batch of Springbank 10 in a couple of years 😂
Gret review once again!
Cheers 🥃
Who are you and what did you do to our Shane in his bonnet? 😀 ...... another great video ;-)
😂 it was a very hot day when I recorded that. Cheers 🥃
Now this one sounds really interesting. Definitely going to pick up a bottle on the basis of this review. Thanks.
Edit: £60 for this or £65 and you get 2 wee whisky glasses too. Not bad at all.
Very interesting indeed! I think it shows smarter use of casks and vatting than the majority of whiskies out there 👍
I'm with you on the 'hole-y' cardboard boxes....what's the point? Give me a cardboard tube which actually provides some good protection or just don't bother...
Thanks for this excellent review, I always enjoy your background info and opinions almost more than the tasting notes themselves 🤙
Thanks Sascha!
Pal, is GLENRINNES drink good?
Hi - you mean the new gin distillery? I enjoy gin occasionally but not tried their products yet.
@@WhiskyLockalso make vodka
Like N: 22 is mine ) never drrink Raasay and Nc'nean , price not chip ) Slàinte !
🥃👍🏻😁
Looks like a juice bottle
I see what you mean.