“Born in the USPeat”
Whisky Review # 1051
Country: Canada 🇨🇦
Region: Vancouver Island
Brand: Macaloney's The Peat Project -Single Cask Series - Double Distilled
Type: Canadian Island Peated Single Malt Whisky - 54PPM
Age: NAS
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Portuguese Red Wine STR* Casks
Maturation: Portuguese Red Wine STR* Casks
*STR means: Scraped (Shaved), Toasted and Re-Charred
Sample provided by: Graeme from Canada. Many Thanks!
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 70-90 (December 2024)
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 70-90 (December 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😑 Borderline acceptable at around US$ 70
Buying Advice: 😐 It's nice to try a sample but I miss the power of young Islay
Colour:
Deep Amber with shades of Orange and Brown (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Light and Young but not Sharp. Almost Creamy. The Alcohol is well-integrated. The Peat is certainly noticeable and although it's not overdone it still dominates most of the other Aromas. The Red Wine casks bring some Fruity notes. It's not a very complicated Nose but it's pleasant and not too Sweet. Only in the background I detect some Burnt notes as well as a little Plastic. Nothing serious though.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, (Dark) Red Berries and Currants, Dried Fruit like Dates, Lemon and Raisins, Orange, Earthy Peat, Grass, Burnt Herbs and Heather, Green Coffee Beans, Butter, Leather, Floral Perfume, Cinnamon and Ginger.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Vanilla, Syrup, Red Wine, Honey, Ashes, Soot, Burnt Toast, Cow Dung mixed with Straw, Charred Oak and Shavings, Wet Rocks, Plastic, Coconut Shavings, Cooked Vegetables, Tobacco Leaves, Nutmeg, Steak Tartare and Slivovitz.
Dr. Graeme MacaloneyPalate:
Young, Thin and a little Rough but surprisingly Creamy at the same time. Sweet but not in a cloying way. A few Burnt, Sour and light Bitter notes provide balance. The Peat & Smoke are present of course but are less dominant than on the Nose.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, slightly Sour Red Wine, Red Berries and Currants, Earthy Peat, Dirty Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Coconut Shavings, Orange, Melon, Figs & Dates, Charred Oak, Burnt Heather & Grass, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Ginger.
Colour:
Deep Amber with shades of Orange and Brown (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Light and Young but not Sharp. Almost Creamy. The Alcohol is well-integrated. The Peat is certainly noticeable and although it's not overdone it still dominates most of the other Aromas. The Red Wine casks bring some Fruity notes. It's not a very complicated Nose but it's pleasant and not too Sweet. Only in the background I detect some Burnt notes as well as a little Plastic. Nothing serious though.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, (Dark) Red Berries and Currants, Dried Fruit like Dates, Lemon and Raisins, Orange, Earthy Peat, Grass, Burnt Herbs and Heather, Green Coffee Beans, Butter, Leather, Floral Perfume, Cinnamon and Ginger.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Vanilla, Syrup, Red Wine, Honey, Ashes, Soot, Burnt Toast, Cow Dung mixed with Straw, Charred Oak and Shavings, Wet Rocks, Plastic, Coconut Shavings, Cooked Vegetables, Tobacco Leaves, Nutmeg, Steak Tartare and Slivovitz.
Young, Thin and a little Rough but surprisingly Creamy at the same time. Sweet but not in a cloying way. A few Burnt, Sour and light Bitter notes provide balance. The Peat & Smoke are present of course but are less dominant than on the Nose.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, slightly Sour Red Wine, Red Berries and Currants, Earthy Peat, Dirty Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Coconut Shavings, Orange, Melon, Figs & Dates, Charred Oak, Burnt Heather & Grass, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Ginger.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Yeast, Wet Rocks, Grilled Meat and Pineapple, Tobacco Leaves, Leather, Licorice, Cloves, Strawberry-flavored Candy and Dark Chocolate.
Thin and on the Short Side although the Dirty Smoke, Ashes and Soot stay with you for a while. The Spirit can't hide its Youth anymore at this point. The Alcohol is a little Rough now as well. Quite Dry towards the end. It's also more Sweet at this point while Peat and Smoke are less dominant when compared to the Nose. I find Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Honey, Nutshells, Red Wine, Red Berries and Currants, Orange, slightly Dirty Smoke and Soot, Ashes, Burnt Heather and Herbs, slightly Burnt Toast, Charred Oak, Floral Perfume, Coconut Shavings, Cinnamon, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves and Ginger. A hint of Meat on the BBQ.
Drinking Advice:
Drinking Experience:
Good but a little Young, Edgy and Rough in places.
Drinking Advice:
Added Water does not improve this Single Malt.😐
Rating: 7 (*******)
Nose: 8 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6
*** Important Note with respect to Rating.
If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.
Good but a little Young, Edgy and Rough in places.
Conclusion:
This Island Distillery is equipped with a one ton semilauter Mash Tun, 7 stainless steel wash-backs, a 5500 litre wash still and a 3600 litre spirit still. The first Single Malt was released in December 2020. Part of the Barley is malted on site and the complex also includes a craft beer brewery called TWA Dogs.
This Island Distillery is equipped with a one ton semilauter Mash Tun, 7 stainless steel wash-backs, a 5500 litre wash still and a 3600 litre spirit still. The first Single Malt was released in December 2020. Part of the Barley is malted on site and the complex also includes a craft beer brewery called TWA Dogs.
The Potstill whiskies are traditional Irish-Style triple distilled whiskies. Dr. Macaloney, the founder, is a Scot of Irish Heritage who attended the Midleton Irish Whiskey Academy and learned traditional Irish methods a.o. with ex Master Distiller Brian Nation. Back in Canada he then learned to optimize the traditional whisky process following Dr. Jim Swan's methods. The resulting New Make Spirit won several global awards.
The Peated Series was launched in 2023. The Canadian Barley is smoked using the Washington peat and follows the process of distilleries like Laphroaig, Bowmore & Kilchoman. Canadian and Islay Peat will be used in the future.
Washington Peat is not the same as Islay peat but nevertheless Macaloney's did a good job on the peaty part of this Single Malt. As such the Peat Project can be safely called a success. My issue with the Macaloney's so far is the lack of Wood contact. Call me old-fashioned but all the new methods that speed up maturation processes do not (yet) make up for sufficient time of good Fruity Spirit in a well-made quality cask. In this specific case you would not notice this on the Nose that, while a bit heavy on the Peat, is still quite pleasant. But Palate and Finish are Thin despite the adequate ABV and do not provide a fully satisfying mouthfeel. I truly hope Macaloney's will be able to fix this issue in future releases. At least for me as the distillery wins prizes all over the place anyway!
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