Raasay Batch R-01 (Skotchtoberfest #16)

I didn’t get a bottle of this, mostly because I did get a bottle of the inaugural release so I wasn’t super motivated to get a bottle of the first batch, but there was a sample available, so here’s a review of the first batch of their typical blend.

Raasay Batch R-01, Island (Raasay) Single Malt, 46.4% ABV

Minutia: Distilled in 2017 and 2018 from peated and unpeated malt, each style matured for 3 years in ex-rye casks, virgin chinkapin oak casks, and ex-Bordeaux red wine casks. Batch R-01 yielded 26,000 bottles. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Yellow gold; 0.5.

Nose: Smoke and leather. Non-red apple. There’s malt and floral notes to be teased out.

Taste: Creamy, vanilla. Pepper and slight smoke come in, with a woody/winey feel.

Finish: Sweet, some bitter herbal character.

While some of the components may have struck me more, this feels a whole lot more put together. This first release from Raasay of what will ostensibly be the makeup of future releases once stock matures enough is very promising. Can’t wait to see if Batch R-02 is consistent tomorrow.

Score: 83