Isle of Harris The Hearach

Aroma: Mild peat, citrus. 7/10. Palate: It arrives dry, and this characteristic persists throughout. Spicy, hot ginger, black pepper, mild smokiness, and a strong briny note in the later stages. 4/10. Finish: Medium/Short. All peated whiskies have a good degree of persistence, but in this instance, not much else contributes to its length. Cereal transitioning to sour mash. 4/10. While "Soft/Dry" is a common descriptor for whisky, this spirit goes beyond dry into a profile I'd describe as distinctly "Harsh" with sour and briny notes clashing with hot spices. It's not what I'd call a pleasant or particularly impressive whiskey, and despite being apparently 7-8 years old, it tastes very young and unrefined. The aroma is by far the best part; if the palate and finish were comparable, I'd be giving this 3.5 stars. Unfortunately, that's not the case. However, to be fair, it was challenging to properly review this whiskey as the distillery only provided a tiny tasting sample in a plastic shot glass, and I'm sure I missed a lot of nuance. They really ought to invest in proper tasting glasses and offer a better tasting environment. Offering samples in 50ml and 200ml bottles in addition to full bottles would also be beneficial. I will revisit this whiskey at some point, as I suspect it's better than my initial impression suggests. "Average": 76/100 (2.5 stars)

The aroma features lemon coated in sugar, the scent of autumn trees in a garden rather than their fruit, along with baking spices and subtle vanilla. The taste is rich in citrus, sweet spices, red pepper, a warming green tea with lemon, and a pleasant touch of salt. I detect no smoke, despite prior comments. A well-made, young spirit, but significantly overpriced for its quality.

Nose: light peat, medicinal, developing into cacao notes. Mouth: dry, eucalyptus, quite complex. Finish: short, lacking structure. In my opinion, this is a very complex whisky because it's hard to categorize. Perhaps that is its strength.

A hint of pit, and a bit of apricots. Quite smooth. Decent first batch, but it lacks some character. Perhaps longer aging would improve it, or maybe my expectations were too high. Still a respectable release.

Part of the Whiskey Tour of the World 2nd Edition, #19. It has a clear, pale gold color with thin legs. The aroma is spicy, bready, and earthy. The flavor is spicy, woody, earthy, and smoky. It has a light body, is moderately warming, and has a low finish. 8/2/8/4/16 3.8

The initial impression is of a smoky aroma. The immediate taste is earthy, followed by a peppery finish. It is smooth to drink and best savored slowly. Exceptional scotch.