Origin: Lowlands (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 57.5%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon 1st fill
Chillfiltered: No
Added colouring: No
Owner: Kingsbarns Distillery
Average price: € 90.00
Official website: www.kingsbarnsdistillery.com
Vote: 83/100
An edition for the German market but in fact available everywhere, with 1,680 cask strength bottles made in the first half of 2024 from first-fill ex-bourbon casks.
Seven years declared (not on the label) of ageing, it’s named after the largest lake in the Reign of Fife where the distillery is located, and comes from some of the first casks filled since the company’s birth.
Having tried the sherried version, I find it interesting to taste its ‘opposite’.
Tasting Notes
Given time for the strong alcohol presence to dissipate, the nose is rewarded with a silky, fruity profile of white fruit (peach, banana, unripe apricot and lots of pear juice), acacia honey, almonds, a hint of propolis, lemon zest. In length, it loses some of its harshness to become warmer, while retaining a certain underlying freshness. Lovely.
The palate begins with a lively, very pronounced peppery note that accompanies evocations between fruit and vegetable, taking up the white fruit with pineapple and lemon together with cereals and a slight herbaceous inflection. The sweet side is pushed to the back, with custard, sugar paste, almonds and nuts.
The finish is not very long and slightly peppery with nuts, pear, peach, grape juice, sugar paste.
Young with personality, the distillate holds its maximum alcohol content well even if it lacks depth, with the youth not yet spreading its wings but still leaving a fresh and pleasant dram.