Sweet ripe bananas and sliced apples, with whiffs of bonfire smoke and maritime notes of seashells and an old wooden rowboat, then chalkiness on the nose. Honeyed and silky on the palate, with sweet peaches and spice, and darker fruit notes of blueberry compote. It’s a hot one, though not overly so. The finish is chocolaty and spicy, with good length. This is a hearty scotch with great balance and subtlety.
93 points, David Fleming, Whisky Advocate (Fall 2023)
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. The flagship Lightly Peated is a beautifully crafted expression that offers something for every Scotch enthusiast. The distillery’s signature six-cask recipe really lets the exquisite malts shine. Made of equal parts peated and unpeated malts finished in a combination of first-fill rye, first-fill red Bordeaux, and new Chinkapin oak casks, the Lightly Peated is exactly that at just 6-11 ppm in bottle. Initial aromatics are in the tropical fruit range, along with poached pear and green Jolly Rancher nuances, but the nose quickly takes a turn towards salty sea spray and iodine before giving way to some savory notes of smoked prosciutto and pot pie. The palate is a touch hot but nothing a few drops of water can’t tackle. The peat is more prominent here, though not overwhelming in the least. Robust yet expertly balanced, it offers a range of flavors from cooked bananas to wet seaside rocks to spiced chocolate and rye bread on a long finish that fades out in even fashion. Whatever they’re doing out in the Hebridean sticks of Raasay, they’re doing a bang-up job.
93 points, Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer (Nov 2024)
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