Ailsa Bay 1.2 Sweet Smoke – Girvan, Ayeshire

Lowland

70cl / 48.9%

£50

Distillery

Recent distillery founded in 2007 – Owned by William Grant (behind Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Monkey Shoulder)

12m litres pa ; 4 wash stills , 4 spirit stills

Source - Penwapple resevoir

Several styles of malt whisky are produced there, from sweet and light to heavier and more sulphury (two stills have steel condenser rather than copper) as well as peated styles; also Hendricks Gin

Ailsa Bay - named after the island of Ailsa Craig west of the Girvan Distillery in the Firth of Clyde - is unusual in a number of respects. Display the PPM (Phenol Parts per Million) of the actual whisky on the bottle, but it also provides a figure for SPPM: Sweet Parts Per Million.

The latter is a revolutionary method for measuring a whisky's sweetness, designed by master blender Brian Kinsman.

Whisky

Only Lowland peated single malt (peat from Highlands)

Ailsa Bay is the only Scotch whisky to undergo a micro-maturation whereby the spirit is first filled to small ex-bourbon casks (Hudson Bay - 25 – 100 ltrs)9 months for an intense rapid maturation, before being transferred to virgin, first-fill and refill American oak casks for several years

Nose: -

FRESH WOOD SMOKE WITH NOTES OF SMOULDERING DAMP HEATHER AND AN EXTINGUISHED BONFIRE. FOLLOWING THE SMOKE IS A WAVE OF OAKY SWEETNESS AND VANILLA OAK, CANDIED ORANGE PEEL.

Taste:

BEAUTIFULLY BALANCED PEAT AND RICH VANILLA OAKINESS, THIS SECOND BATCH HAS MAINTAINED THE SAME INTRIGUING FLAVOUR MEANDERING BETWEEN SMOKE, FRUIT AND CREAMY TOFFEE, THIS EXTRA MATURATION PERIOD HAS DEVELOPED DEEPER TOASTY OAK NOTES WITH EVERY SIP.

Finish: - AN INTRIGUING BALANCE OF OAKY SWEETNESS AND PEATY DRYNESS.

MoM:

Nose: Custard and some phenolic ash, some Big Red too, becoming more chalky and cereal driven with subtle golden syrup. As the producer's notes state, bacon then emerges.

Palate: Undoubtedly meaty 'n' peaty. More of that chalky cereal (dry muesli?) and golden syrup with Big Red in support.

Finish: Sweet, smoky and drying. More Big Red with vanilla.