AILSA BAY FIRST WHISKY LAUNCHES IN UK

[Cerebral15]

https://scotchwhisky.com/magazine/tastings/new-whiskies/batch-27/

NOSE
I found this, like a foundling child, on the doorstep earlier this week. On opening, there's gentle, but pervasive, smoke, and very sweet smoke at that. In time some chestnuts, firelighters, smoked almonds dusted with paprika, honey, and grass clippings.

PALATE
It really comes into its own here as the smoke recedes, smouldering slightly into the mix as the soft fruits and syrup begin to move forwards alongside cream, poached pear and just a touch of cereal giving some crunch. Water shows how well the smoke is integrated and how it works alongside rather than in opposition to the soft, thick, mid-palate.

FINISH
Gently smoky but still sweet.


Will have to try this, sounds like an interesting expression from a new distillery.

[eelbrook]

First 'official' bottling presumably, as I tried (and enjoyed) an 'independent' bottling quite some time back.

[opelfruit]

Sounds interesting.

Isn't it a totally backwards world when distillers are trying to be transparent and show as much as they can with things like ppm in the liquid, and this new sppm figure, but if they try to show any ages of the constituent parts then the SWA lays the smack down.
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"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough."

[jcarrick]

It is in www.scotchwhisky.com interest to make all whiskies sound interesting as the website is owned by the owners of The Whisky Exchange but this fact is hidden. I think they are attempting to be a key influencer of whisky sales and not revealing they are behind this new shiny website.

[Whisky Dog]

[IndianaBlues]

Agreed, there's always a way though

https://who.is/website-information/scotchwhisky.com

[Mark]

Unfortunately the website will end up a key influencer in online whisky sales, with professional web designers behind it will certainly bump a few good independent websites and blogs off of page 1 of the search results and very few people go beyond page 1 of search results. At least now I know it is just an industry marketing platform.

[ziggsteruk]

Just picked up my bottle today. I'm liking the packaging but it will be a while before I get a chance to drink it (too many ahead of it on the list). I got it from The Whisky Shop (UK) who are unusually competitive at £55 (and 10% discount for W Club members). Comments coming in seem to suggest it's a very nice dram.

[William]

I tasted the new Ailsa Bay, very impressed with this, a deliciously sweet peaty Lowlander. You can read my review and tasting note here:

www.scotchmaltwhisky.co.uk/ailsabayreview.htm
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There's no bad whisky. Just good whisky and better whisky.

[Whisky Dog]

[Genuine Risk]

Just to say I have picked up a bottle of this and agree with William very decent dram indeed. Ordered another after trying it.

I know it doesn't matter to some but I think the packaging is spot on.
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Putting the func in dysfunctional.

[Bookie]

Added a bottle to my next order.

[Lennox]

Ordered a bottle of the Ailsa Bay today.

[Charlie]

Just opened my bottle of Ailsa Bay, I agree William very impressive as it should be at £55

[eelbrook]

The official release is OK.

Not a patch on the 'spooned' single cask bottling released earlier by Malts of Scotland