Origin: Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 46.5%ABV
Ageing cask: Ex-Bourbon
Chillfiltered: No
Added colouring: No
Owner: Pendulum Spirits Ltd
Average price: € 50.00
Official website: fablewhisky.com
Vote: 83/100
Having introduced the third chapter of this evocative series, let’s take a step back along the history of “The Ghost piper of Clanyard bay” by going to chapter two, the second of the two blended malts that make up the series.
Blended created with three malts from as many distilleries that have already had single bottlings (“Clanyard”, “Crows” and “Moon”), namely Caol Ila, Blair Athol and Glen Elgin, and being an admirer and also the author of a few stories of the same genre I couldn’t help but taste one of their bottlings.
Inside the package you can find a QR-code with which you can watch a short video that tells part of the story on the bottler’s website.
Only 3000 bottles were produced, the one under review is number 1294.
Tasting notes
Colour: Straw yellow
On the nose, contrary to what I thought, the peat is only expressed in a slight hint of smoke that makes it very pleasant, then leaving room for fruit such as peach, pear and kiwi. There are also hints of vanilla, honey and a slight hint of iodine.
On the palate, fruit dominates, with very pronounced hints of citrus and banana, but the peat of Caol Ila is not perceptible except for that slight hint of smoke that occasionally peeps through the flavours.
The finish is very persistent due to the spices that are most noticeable here with hints even of black pepper, then gives way to freshly cut grass and the sensation of being for a brief second on the beaches of Islay.
In conclusion, it turned out to be a very balanced whisky as good blended whiskies are, the alcohol content is not very noticeable, in fact it seems that it doesn’t even have its 46.5%ABV. It is excellent to drink at any time of day and pairs perfectly with fish and white meats.
Despite the sparse presence of peat, I liked it, although it may leave you surprised by this lack of incisiveness.