Torabhaig opened in 2017 on the Isle of Skye, perhaps more famous for its first distillery, Talisker. Situated in a farmstead from the 19th century built using stone from a nearby Cnoc Castle, the building has been refurbished with copper stills, washbacks, and all the other needed equipment. Thinking forward, the distillery roof is removable so that when the time comes to upgrade the stills, they can be moved in and out with minimal disturbance of the historical building. The Torabhaig Allt Gleann is the distillery’s inaugural release, so named from the Allt Gleann, one of the burns near the distillery that provides the water along with the Allt Breacach. Made with Concerto malted barley, Pinnacle MG+ yeast, and peated to 16ppm.
Corsair Wildfire
Since its founding in 2008, Corsair has been making creative spirits on the cutting edge of American craft distilling. In the early years, like many young distilleries, Corsair had to outsource part of the process. Introduced in 2015, the Corsair Wildfire is their first “grain to glass” offering, meaning the distillery handles every part of the production process. The barley is grown on a farm in Tennessee owned by the distillery and is smoked with hickory, a wood often associated with southern BBQ.
Laphroaig 15 Year
The Laphroaig 15 year first appeared three decades ago before being replaced by its slightly older sibling, the 18 year, in 2009. This anniversary edition carries on the proud tradition in celebration of the distillery’s 200th year, even if the supply is somewhat limited. In 2000, the 15 year was chosen for the Erskine Charity Bottling, when 270 bottles were drawn from a single cask signed by Charles, the Prince of Wales and is reported to be his scotch of choice. This offering is specifically geared toward offering a milder character, at least mild compared to more regular Laphroaig malts.