Ardnahoe – 5 Year Old Cask Strength Batch 2 First-Fill Bourbon Barrels (70cl, 61%)

This is the second cask strength batch from Ardnahoe, an Islay single malt aged for five years in first-fill bourbon barrels. The distillery picked particularly full casks for it and married the whiskies together. It was bottled at its natural cask strength of 61%, without colouring or chill-filtration, in a 70cl bottle. The young, peaty spirit stays closely tied to the character of the first-fill bourbon wood. The nose brings coastal salt, earthy peat and dense cocoa. On the palate come orchard fruit, herbal tea and salted caramel alongside strong peat smoke. The finish stays smoky for a long time and closes on clear citrus.