B-21 Top Recommendation Read More
"When I first read the specs on these Raasay whiskies, I had a hunch they'd be special, and the results in bottle leave no doubt whatsoever."
- Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer
Fans of top-tier single malt Scotch have their go-to names, and to be sure, the major players almost always deliver the goods, but we'd be missing out in a big way if we didn't highlight the myriad rising stars and small distilleries that are garnering serious accolades and making big waves among collectors and Scotch insiders. On a tiny island in the far-flung Hebrides with a population of just 161 souls, the Isle of Raasay distillery is one of Scotland's hottest boutique operations, racking up a bevy of awards and press, beginning with Distillery of the Year honors at the 2022 Scottish Whisky Awards. Add to that some impressive recent scores from Whisky Advocate and people are now paying attention.
The distillery uses a signature six-cask recipe to craft its hallmark style - equal parts peated and unpeated malts finished in three different cask types (first-fill rye, new chinkapin oak, and first-fill red Bordeaux). Only small cuts from the heart of the distillate make their way into the bottle, resulting in incredible purity that allows the top-quality malts to shine. The flagship, 93-point Lightly Peated bottling is "a hearty scotch with great balance and subtlety" that fully lives up to its moniker with perfectly judged peat character playing against superb weight and complexity. Taking things up a level in every way, the inaugural 2024 Cask Strength release just notched 94 points in the most recent Whisky Advocate report and clocks in at a full-throated but approachable 61.3% ABV. Balanced opulence is its calling card, done in such an impressive fashion that it's an undeniable contender for several "best of the year" lists.
With consistent glowing praise like this, it's a sure bet that the Raasay range is going to see its cachet rise considerably in the coming years, so savvy aficionados and collectors would be wise to jump in on these exceptional drams while they're available at our unbeatable, market-best pricing. |