Raasay’s fourth While We Wait is released

The fourth expression from Raasay While We Wait 2018 is being released this month.

The brand’s independently bottled single malt was created as a representation of the flavours that drinkers can expect from future Raasay scotch whisky.

The release of Raasay While We Wait 2018 begins the countdown to 2020 when the first ever Raasay single malt in Scotch whisky history will be released.

Unlike some new whisky distilleries, the team at Raasay Distillery decided to concentrate their attention on whisky. The result is an independently bottled single malt – Raasay While We Wait – which has been crafted as an accurate representation of Raasay Distillery’s future core style.

Designed as a peaty and fruity single malt, each iteration of Raasay While We Wait has been crafted through the vatting of two malts from a single Highland distillery – heavily peated at 45ppm and unpeated – matured in bourbon barrels and finished in Tuscan Montechiari wine casks.

The team at Raasay Distillery are keen to push the boundaries of the spirit, exploring the effect that different finishing times and casks have on the flavour profile of the spirit.

Compared to previous releases, the 2018 Release uses a higher proportion of second-fill than first-fill Tuscan Montechiari wine casks, resulting in a finer balance between the influence of French oak and smoke.

With a welcomed smokiness on first nosing, mixed with red berries, lemon, lime and grassy notes. With more time in the glass this evolves into notes of pear, tangerine and melon. On the palate there is dry peatiness, mixed in with fruity red wine notes and orange zest, while the finish is oaky and buttery.

This easy to drink whisky adeptly balances peatiness with smoothness, making it the perfect introduction for newcomers to peated single malt, and acts as an unusual addition to a flight of red wine finished whiskies. Raasay While We Wait 2018 has been crafted to be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, and served in premium cocktails.

Raasay While We Wait 2018 is priced at £53 and available to purchase on raasaydistillery.com and Master of Malt Raasay Distillery is now working with the award-winning U.K. specialist wholesaler, Gordon & MacPhail.