Bakery Hill Cask Strength Peated Malt

Nose: Oily, rich, mineral-infused peat smoke. Dried apples and pears soaked in whisky and grilled over coals. Root vegetables cooked in an earth oven. An old, greasy coal-fired engine. Oak barrels and a mix of herbs, spices (anise? arnica?), and balsamic pine resins. Adding water reveals lighter fruit notes, a clear hint of coconut, and shifts the aroma to a gentler, muskier, fruitier character. Palate: The initial taste is substantial but not harsh, showing pine tar, charcoal, and oak tannins without any heat or dryness. The character is primarily sweet, fruity, and malty, with the peat smoke notes appearing after a moment with each sip. When they emerge, they are lightly spiced and oily. Black tea and licorice notes are present in the later palate. The texture of the neat spirit is oily and rich. With water, luscious stewed fruit notes appear, and the texture becomes incredibly creamy and smooth. Finish: Medium to long. Oily, herbal, and smoky flavors with a hint of baking spices. A gentle, smoke-tinged resinous taste lingers. This whisky isn't strongly peated and, as expected, resembles the Bakery Hill 46% peated expression but with a more intense and distinct character. The key is that despite being cask strength, it has a very mild style. Upon first smelling, fans of heavily peated Scotch whisky might wonder if it's peated at all. The smokiness is unusual, lacking the typical medicinal, maritime, or bonfire aromas. The smoke element isn't overwhelming; instead, it concentrates subtle scents and flavors. I actually found the 46% version to have more noticeable smoke, and indeed, adding a few drops of water to this one does slightly enhance the smoke. This whisky made me envision what an industrial or construction site might have smelled like in the 1800s – a mix of oil, earth, wood, and smoke. The closest Scotch single malt I can compare it to is Ben Nevis. Like that spirit, this is fundamentally an earthy whisky with just a hint of smoke. At approximately 60% ABV (batches vary), it's remarkably easy to drink. You can enjoy this neat like water; it's simply soothing and warming. Superb craftsmanship. If only it wasn't prohibitively expensive, it would be a staple in my collection. Alongside the unpeated cask-strength version, this is the standout of Bakery Hill's lineup. Tasted from a 50ml distillery-filled miniature. "Very Good": 85/100 (4 stars) --------------------------------- Addendum: This was the last of 5 distillery-bottled miniatures in a tasting set I recently acquired. Before tasting these, my experience with Bakery Hill was limited to their standard Classic Malt expression and several experimental caskings I sampled at an event some time ago. I wasn't particularly impressed with my prior tastings and was hoping these samples from their core range would offer a better perspective and perhaps change my view, which is exactly what happened. In my opinion, Bakery Hill is at its best at cask strength, whether it's the Classic Malt or the Peated Malt. Their whisky is designed for easy drinking, but this can result in an expression that feels a bit too relaxed at lower proofs. At high ABV, the experience is quite different, showcasing more concentrated aromas and flavors, yet the alcohol presence remains very easygoing and smooth. If you can find either of the Cask Strength expressions at a reasonable price, I recommend trying them.

The last pour of the selection and my second favorite. As mentioned in my write-up of the Sovereign bottling, their standard peated style is on the milder side. It bears a resemblance to Highland Park's peat character, which is why I appreciated this line. This final glass was a superb conclusion to the tasting. It was a real pleasure to sit and converse with a fellow. He was kind enough to welcome my children and chat with them, giving them a look around the distillery. A genuinely good person! Anyway, this is akin to the standard bottling, just with a bit more peat. As the fellow noted, you perceive distinct bursts of flavor on your palate, which a few drops of water helped to integrate. Overall, I'm impressed with the skill involved. While lighter styles of whiskey aren't my usual preference, this one won me over. He exercised considerable patience before releasing any spirits, and his background in science and meticulousness truly come through. I'm eager to sample the tasting pack I acquired with companions back home. The light style of whiskey is not my preference but the fellow won me over. He waited for several years before releasing any whiskey and his patience, chemical /food science background and attention to detail really shine through in the whiskey. I'm looking forward to trying the tasting pack I bought with friends back in NZ.

Alright, there's some improvement here. I didn't care for the standard Peated Malt, but at a higher alcohol percentage, some progress has been made. A much more intense aroma with more campfire smoke. The palate is a bit more viscous with a mix of sensations, including a touch of spice and smoke. The finish lingers longer than the standard. It's reminiscent of an Irish Peat like Connemara.