Torabhaig Allt Gleann The Legacy Series 2nd Edition

This appears to be the second bottling from one of Scotland's newest distilleries, Torabhaig. The name Allt Gleann translates to "Old Glen." Its tagline is "Smoke and brine"; let's find out if it lives up to it. At 46% ABV, it has a pale straw hue. The aroma is incredibly wild and intricate. Notes of pineapple, grapefruit, worn socks, agave, and gooseberries are present. It carries scents reminiscent of a pond and also of a Mexican Mezcal. Tuna, artificial plastic, and soot are also detected. It evokes a fish market. The palate offers significant sweetness! Flavors include vanilla, coconut, creamy meringue, and a tanning lotion scent. The finish is robust and impactful, positively so. It's akin to deeply inhaling cigar smoke. Salt and pepper notes dominate, with a very oceanic character. Ceviche notes are discernible. Overall, this is a commendable release, especially considering its youth (under 5 years old). The nose's complexity might overwhelm some, and I completely get that, but peat enthusiasts will likely find this dram quite enjoyable. I'm keen to sample future bottlings from this distillery. My rating is 89 out of 100.

Nose: Salt/brine, light peat, smoke, vanilla, honey Palate: Gentle yet potent sweet peat and smoke. Oily, nutty, with fennel/aniseed and a slight floral character. Lightly medicinal. Salt/brine. Spirit-forward. Finish: Medium short. Green/herbal, light sweet fruit, more salt/saline. Dry smoke. Similar to their initial release, there's a green/herbal and slightly medicinal note. Unlike the first one, this doesn't turn sour on the finish. A more enjoyable dram that's truly progressing well. Still tastes a little young, but not distractingly so. Spirit-driven with minimal cask influence. Finished tied for first place among the six drams, receiving 29% (6 votes) of the total vote for favorite of the night. 86% (18 votes) of attendees indicated they enjoyed the whiskey. A bottle was purchased prior to the tasting.

The emergence of Torabhaig and Ardnamurchan was a highlight of the year in whisky, proving Scotland can still produce exciting new distilleries. While I enjoyed the initial Torabhaig release immensely, joking it rivaled Talisker, this second bottling isn't quite as strong. The aroma is wonderful: toffee, butterscotch, and barley, later joined by grapefruit and lemon before the butterscotch reappears. However, the taste is thin and woody, with only a trace of lemon echoing the nose. It's a letdown, but this whisky is still developing and I anticipate it will reach its full potential next year.

AROMA Waxy – candied – vanilla, minerality, smoke, citrus, malty sweetness, and a touch of copper. Clearly young and driven by the spirit, but nothing unpleasant. It's actually rather nice. TASTE Minerality, smoke, waxy – candied – vanilla, malty sweetness, briny saltiness, with some copper and light citrus and butterscotch. Surprisingly flavorful and complex considering what it is. I'm enjoying it. FINISH Long – Peat, caramel, oak, malt, and a gentle sweetness fade out warmly.

Heavily peat-forward, almost excessively so. Compared to Laphroaig or Ardbeg, it seems to have less complexity beneath the peat. It's good, but perhaps one-dimensional. It's likely a young whisky as there's no age statement. I'll update as I continue with the bottle; perhaps more character will emerge, or perhaps my palate will adapt.

The nose presents typical peat smoke for this kind of spirit. A touch of alcohol burn suggests it's relatively young. The palate is full of flavor, with smoked meats being particularly noticeable. The finish is brief and unimpressive, again suggesting a young spirit masked by a high peat level.