Torabhaig Allt Gleann
The Legacy Series OB | 46% ABV
Score: 6/10
Good stuff.
TL;DR
Full-flavoured, characterful and impressive even at a young age
Misty mountains, ancient landscapes… and soaked sleeping bags.
I’m lucky enough to live within a half-day’s drive of the Isle of Skye. I love the place. The glossy photos and slick videos of Skye courtesy of the Scottish Tourism Board/VisitScotland don’t do the place justice. It really does live up to its reputation – if you can get the weather gods to look favourably upon you. Which they often do not.
One particularly memorable recent trip involved camping near Portree, the unofficial capital of Skye, known as such likely for the sole reason it happens to be the island’s largest town. It was a hiking trip and the day before our drive to the island, the forecast indicated clear weather was in store - something that sparked giddiness and glee with the prospect of fine days atop the wondrously wild, jaggy, and ruggedly beautiful Cuillin Ridge.
My partner and I reached the campground and went through our routine of tent set-up, dinner preparation and a wee dram before heading to bed in anticipation of the magical day to come.
I woke up around sunrise when I put my hand in a puddle. Inside the tent. It happened to be the same puddle that had engulfed my sleeping bag, my partner’s sleeping bag and our clothes and gear inside the tent. The light pitter-patter of rain on the tent noted that the heaviest rain had passed while we were asleep. Unknown to us, what looked like level ground upon which we erected our tent the day before, was actually slightly bowed - just enough for water to collect and drench us. After changing into some dry clothes (kept in the car) we looked towards the peaks. Sure enough, they had disappeared in a thick blanket of fog – along with our dreams of a rare sunny day in the Cuillin Hills.
This trip was before Torabhaig was on my whisky radar and so for something to do that wasn’t hiking, we headed over to that other distillery on Skye - Talisker. We reached Carbeth and walked up to the distillery only to find they were already fully booked for tours that day, so instead we took a short lap around the history-of-Skye display in the lobby. It was interesting, and the quotes from famously grumpy Dr. Samuel Johnson from his trip to Skye in the 1770s were a particular highlight. I was already familiar with Talisker, being a fan of their 10 year old, and so I picked up a bottle of their Distiller’s Edition and made our way back to the campsite to see if our dripping tent and sleeping bags were drying out.
Had I travelled to Skye a year later, Torabhaig probably would have receive a visit from us as I was more aware of it. Torabhaig feels as if it has slightly flown under the new distillery radar among whisky enthusiasts. As I savour and thoroughly enjoy this dram of their core release Allt Gleann, I wonder why that is. I suspect perhaps it’s because we haven’t actually seen much Torabhaig yet. Other new distilleries have adopted strategies of offering not only a core release, but other finishes, cask strength versions, limited editions and single casks. It seems as if we’re constantly treated to a new Lochlea, Lindores, Ardnamurchan, Nc’Nean, or Kingsbarns, to name a few. Sure, this is great and definitely not a complaint or criticism. But Torabhaig, on the other hand, seems to be keeping their powder dry for the time being. Other than a five year old single cask I recently saw at auction, and their inaugural Legacy 2017 release, the Allt Gleann is pretty much the only release they’ve had, that I’m aware of.
While I’d like to see a bit more Torabhaig, I do admire this strategy. It’s confidence in the spirit they’re producing, faith in the maturing stock they have, and it shows they’re not going to be rushed - even when many other newer distilleries are pumping out everything they can.
Review
Torabhaig, The Legacy Series, Allt Gleann, 46% ABV
£50 and generally available. (£30 paid at auction)
Nose
Ashy peat smoke, some maltiness, citrus in the background, almost waxy. Spirity and young, but not in an off-putting way; rather, in a vibrant and alive way.
Palate
Brine, salt, ashy peat again, hints of vanilla and citrus. A buttery mineralic quality. Some sweetness balanced alongside drying peat smoke and everything else. Mouthfeel is nice and lightly oily. Young, spirity, but full-flavoured with a longer finish than you’d expect from a whisky this young.
The Dregs
At a recent whisky festival I learned from Torabhaig reps that the Allt Gleann series is soon coming to an end. In its place will come another two series in the run-up to the release of their 10 year old. We also got to talking about how Torabhaig approaches peat, differentiating between the pre- and post-distillation ppm levels. The back label of this bottle of Allt Gleann offers a bit of transparency in this regard, stating “an in-grain phenols content of 77ppm,” and a “residual phenols level of 17ppm.” Given most distilleries that use peat give us the pre-distillation peat levels, it’s refreshing to be informed of the difference between the two. Some of my more chemistry-inclined Dramface colleagues will be able to tell us what the precise relationship between these two are and which one we should pay more attention to in the end. But until then, I’m happy to think about the peat process a bit differently thanks to Torabhaig’s approach.
This is very good stuff. Not “it’s good stuff for young whisky.” It’s just good stuff – period. Smokey, peaty, briny, salty, flavourful – this is very characterful whisky and I can’t wait to see what a 10 year old Torabhaig will taste like. For me, this easily blows out of the water the various non-age statements from Talisker. The day when we’re able to put a 10 year old Torabhaig next to the stalwart 10 year old Talisker will be a day when that older distillery may get an unpleasant surprise. Talisker, watch out.
Score: 6/10 DD
Wally’s Review
Torabhaig, The Legacy Series, Allt Gleann, 46% ABV
£50 and generally available.
Score: 7/10
Very good indeed.
TL;DR
Good enough to shade Skye and Islay
Nose
After a blast of potent smoke gives way, you’ll find a lovely coconut biscuit note, a mild creaminess and barley malt. Cold ash persists, but it’s clean if a little earthy, with a sense of coir mats, so the coconut theme continues. The fruit can be tied down to most things clean and green; gooseberries, green apples and tart green grapes.
Palate
Considering it’s reduced to 46% it lands thick and pleasantly oily with a clean and firm arrival. The smoke billows and suggests a potent Islay style at every turn. The development is pretty much what has been offered on the nose, with the spirity youthfulness kept well in check, all things considered. The finish leaves a little chalky note. Poured blind, I imagine this would have people knocking at the door of Ardbeg or Caol Ila, and I mean that in a very positive way.
The Dregs
As Drummond has touched upon, this isn’t being talked about nearly enough. Yet. Being able to bag this at auction for £30 betrays its current position on the whisky botherer’s radar - slightly off it.
That’s clearly down to their strategy of releasing slow and steady, and for that I commend them. The regular batches have kept it available, albeit in a quiet and stealthy manner. It’s almost as if it’s watching and waiting as its compatriots from Islay and Skye price themselves off most of our shelves, like it knows it’s about to be discovered, when the time is right. I’d go as far to say the time is now.
If you approach this in the knowledge you’re buying something young and bright, for a peat lover, you’re going to be happy getting to know it. It’ll take on Ardbeg’s Wee Beastie, young Caol Ila and many others, including the rather insipid modern manifestation of Talisker’s 10yo from just across the island. Easily.
And you know what? With that remarkably transparent label telling us about everything from yeast type to barley strain and even phenolic content suggesting 17ppm, I think it’s peatier than them all.
It’s probably a 6/10, as scored by Drummond. However, I’m scoring it a 7/10 because I think it deserves the title of being considered, in the current climate, not just good stuff but very good indeed. This will disappear in 2023 so, if peat is your thing, grab a bottle while it’s still this good value.
Score: 7/10 WMc
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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