Arbikie 1794 Batch 22 Highland Rye Single Grain Scotch Whisky 70 cl 48%

The rye field lies three hundred metres from the stills. That is not a romantic turn of phrase, it is an address. At Arbikie everything is sown, harvested, distilled, matured and bottled on the same farm running down to Lunan Bay, and that makes this whisky something very few Scottish distilleries can imitate.

The Expert's Description

Arbikie 1794 Batch 22 is a Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky matured in new charred American oak casks and bottled at 48%. The batch yielded 2,490 bottles, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

The rye makes it a Single Grain rather than a Single Malt, since the term Single Malt is reserved for whisky made solely from malted barley. 1794 was the first rye whisky ever made in Scotland, and the name refers to the year distilling first took place at Arbikie. Maturation happens entirely in new charred oak, which is unusual in Scotland but entirely normal for American rye.

Every batch turns out differently, because weather, field and grain variety shift from year to year. Batch 22 carries a deep rich amber colour from the new wood and aromas of hedgerow berries, black tea and caramel. The Stirling family has been farming since 1660 and has been at Arbikie for four generations.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Hedgerow berries and black tea first, with a layer of warm caramel underneath. The rye reports in as dried dill and a peppery, almost green note. The new oak gives vanilla and a light resinous scent, more American than Scottish.

Palate

Spicy and dry from the start. The rye fills the mid-palate with pepper and a sweetish cereal character, while the charred oak lays caramel, cinnamon and burnt sugar on top. At 48% there is body enough to carry it without the whisky turning hard.

Finish

Long and spicy. Pepper, dried fruit and a dry woody close, where the rye hangs on longest.

Specifications

Name: Arbikie 1794 Batch 22 Highland Rye Single Grain Scotch Whisky 48%
Distillery: Arbikie
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: New charred American oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 2,490
Edition: Batch 22
EAN no.: 5060398440616

Flavour Profile

Spiced · Dry · Caramel · Berry · Peppery · Oaky

Did You Know?

The Stirling family has been farming since 1660, originally on the west coast. The land passed through seven generations before great uncle Bill moved to Lunan Bay on the Angus coast in the 1920s. The family has now worked that farm for four generations, and it is the same ground the rye for this whisky grows on.

See our full range of Arbikie

Frequently Asked Questions about Arbikie 1794 Batch 22 Highland Rye Single Grain Scotch Whisky 48%

Why is it a Single Grain and not a Single Malt?

Because it is made from rye. The term Single Malt Whisky is reserved for whisky produced solely from malted barley at one distillery. Use another grain and it becomes Single Grain, still from one distillery but with a different grain build.

What does field to bottle mean?

That the entire process happens in one place: the grain is grown on the farm’s own fields, distilled in the distillery’s stills, matured in warehouses on the estate and bottled on site. Arbikie was the first Scottish distillery to do all of it themselves for both clear and matured spirits.

Why do they only use new oak casks?

Because that is how American rye whiskey is traditionally made. New charred oak gives strong vanilla, caramel and spice in a short time, and it balances the dry peppery character of the rye. In Scotland used casks are almost always the norm, so this is a deliberate break.

What does 1794 stand for?

The year distilling first took place at Arbikie. The name refers to the farm’s own history rather than to the age of the whisky, and there is no age statement on the bottle.

How does rye taste compared with barley?

Drier and more peppery, with a green, almost dill-like edge that barley never delivers. Barley in turn gives more sweetness and a rounder cereal character. See other styles in our range of Highland Whisky.

Why do the batches taste different?

Because the grain comes from the same fields year after year and the weather changes. When you do not blend across harvests to even out the differences, that year’s variation ends up in the bottle. That is the whole idea behind a batch-numbered whisky like this one.