Torabhaig Sound of Sleat, Isle of Skye Single Malt 46%

Description

Torabhaig Sound of Sleat Single Malt Whisky is the fourth release in Torabhaig Legacy Series,. It follows the inaugural release, the Allt Gleann (and Allt Gleann batch strength bottling) and the Sherry casked Cnoc an Moine.

This is another exploration in Torabhaig’s journey into “Smoke with Taste” building up to their first 10 year old release in a few year’s time. Buy now at Fareham Wine Cellar.

About the Torabhaig Distillery

Torabhaig is a new distillery on the island of Skye. It was founded in 2013 and is believed to be only the second distillery opened on Skye in over 190 years (the other, Talisker, was founded in 1930). The distillery is owned by Mossburn Distillers which is part of Swedish pharmaceutical billionaire, Frederick Paulsen’s, empire.

Torabhaig Distillery is located in a listed, 19th century traditional stone farm steading which has been painstakingly restored using local materials. The renovation project began in 2014, the stills and washbacks were commissioned and installed in 2016 and the first spirit flowed from the stills in 2017.

The distillery features a specially designed removable slate roof which allows easy access to the two stills for repairs or should they need to be replaced. These are two copper traditional copper pot stills custom-made by Forsyths of Rothes. A long fermentation in eight, 8000L Douglas Fir washbacks and plenty of copper interaction during distillation provides fruit-forward spirit.

The distillery uses only the purest island spring water from Allt Gleann Torabhaig and Allt Breacach and will have a capacity to produce around 1.5 million bottles of whisky each year.

A Team of Distillers

There is no head distiller at Torabhaig, instead a team of nine distillers, many of them new to the industry, but now accomplished brewer-distillers, began work on this new release in January 2017. They have served their apprenticeship under a team of whisky industry mentors and veterans, including consultant brewers, distillers and maltsmen, who have over 200 years of know-how between them.

Torabhaig Sound of Sleat Single Malt Whisky

The tech-y bit, from Torabhaig. This single malt whisky is made using a mix of Concerto and Laureate malted barley with an in-gran phenols level of 78+ PPM and in-glass phenols level of 14.5 PPM. It is fermented with Pinnacle MG+ yeast and aged solely in Quercus Alba American Oak. It is bottled at 46% with no chill-filtration or colouring.

Maturation

• 75% First-fill Bourbon Barrel
• 20% Virgin American Oak Cask
• 5% Refill Bourbon Barrel
• Wood: Quercus Alba & America Oak
• Barrel Size: First Fill Bourbon / Refill ASB (200L) & Virgin American Oak HHD (250L)
• Time in Cask: 5 – 6 years

Sound of Sleat Artwork & Label

The label and box for this fantastic whisky release feature artwork by local artist Ellis O’Connor, which captures the essence of the Sound of Sleat.

What is the Sound of Sleat?

The Sound of Sleat is the narrow sea channel that separates the Sleat Peninsula on the Isle of Skye from the mainland areas of Morar, Knoydart, and Glenelg. This wild and rugged stretch of water sits behind the distillery.