Ingvar Ronde writes: Fermentations are long, up to 160 hours, and there have
been trials with a 500
The website https://meikletoir.com states: In 2018, we began producing peated spirit - a much rarer style for the Speyside region - for several weeks each year. We only produce around 100,000 litres of new-make annually to create our premium small-batch releases. [...] Using premium mainland peat for an oaky, sweet smoke style; a process of extended fermentation, exacting distillation and expert maturation elevates the spirit to its pinnacle. After years of patient slumber, the spirit within each cask must meet the rigorous standards of Billy Walker and his team in order to reach the bottle. [...] Made with mainland peat from St. Fergus, the flavour contribution is sweeter than that anticipated of coastal peat. [...] The bottles look good, but: A suit doesn't make a man. It's what's inside the suit that counts. Therefore only a sample.
Nose 30min:
O: Dates wrapped in bacon, Black Forest cake, barley sugar, dried apples, cider, sweet stall at the Christmas market, right next to the herb stall, wholemeal bread. Peat? Doesn't ball around, at least.
Ch: vanilla ice cream, left standing. Very restrained, shy and unpeaty.
Sh: Rice pudding with cherries. Crème brûlée, restrained smoke, yeast dumplings with icing sugar and red fruit jelly.
T: Muff, moss, sweat, sour milk, leather and tobacco. Ribwort cough syrup. Musty, Mordor smell. Tipped red wine, blood orange.
Mouth:
O: Sugar water, round, sage, some umami, encourages smacking, pleasant bitterness.
Ch: Citrus notes, sticky sweet, lemongrass, a bit out of round, smoke and sweetness and duel.
S: Sweet apple juice with herbal sweets, eucalyptic, oily, mouthcoating.
T: Malty, vitamin malt, nice peat. Coconut, ricola, herbal tea.
O: Coffee, cocoa powder, little peat.
Ch: Spicy, smoky, maritime, vanilla, dry finish.
Sh: Sweet, strong coffee, herbaceous.
T: Longer than expected, warming, herbal note, ribwort, coconut.
Turbo quick comparison...
Octomore 13.2: The Octomore is overall more balanced and exciting, despite/because of the higher peat and alcohol content.
Ardbeg Smoke Trails: The Smoketrails remains boring, sorry.
'Sometimes the things we seek in life are right in front of us the whole time.' - Winston Scott
O: 87/100 Ch: 87/100 Sh: 88/100 T: 88/100