MacNair's Lum Reek Peated Small Batch

An intense blended malt Scotch from The GlenAllachie Distillery in Speyside, Scotland. This combines peated Islay Single Malts from ex-Bourbon casks, peated Speyside Single Malts from Oloroso Sherry casks, and older GlenAllachie Single Malts from virgin oak and Red Wine casks. It opens with an aromatic bouquet of earthy peat, thyme honey, a touch of butterscotch, and flamed orange peel. The bold mid-palate brings dense smoke, dark chocolate, blackberry, currant, and sea-salt caramels, leading to a long, balanced finish with dry cooking spices like allspice and a hint of charred oak. December 2020 / August 2022

A very light blended scotch with peat but not much smoke. The nose has some lighter notes of toast and lemon, with the peat primarily noticeable in the taste rather than the aroma. The taste also includes some interesting white pepper notes. It's not the most complex Scotch, and I wouldn't particularly seek out a whole bottle, but there's nothing fundamentally wrong with it.

It's okay if someone offered me a glass, I'd drink it without hesitation, but I wouldn't buy it. It's just bland. The aroma is fantastic, and the finish is good, but the actual drinking experience is empty, almost like water.

From an advent calendar. The aroma has smoke, grapes, and a sherry funkiness. The taste is slightly sweet with peat, oak, and citrus. This one is powerfully funky... I'm a big fan of Glenallachie, but the sherry finish is too immature and grape-forward.

Slight smokiness on the aroma, but it becomes more pronounced on the finish. Hints of smoke and sweetness, with caramel notes. It's an unusual combination to my palate. It doesn't quite achieve the clarity of a Speyside, nor is it smoky enough for my personal preference.

Intense smoky peat notes arrive with a touch of sweet citrus and spice. The nose is dominated by peat. A real treat for those who enjoy peated whisky!