Blackadder Raw Cask Peat Reek 2016 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 61.8%

There are small flakes at the bottom of the bottle. That is not a fault — it is the whole point. Raw Cask means the whisky has gone from cask to glass without being cleaned up in any way.

Expert description

Blackadder Raw Cask Peat Reek 2016 is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky from a single Oak Hogshead, bottled at cask strength, 61.8%.

Peat Reek is Blackadder's series for peated Islay whisky where the distillery name is withheld. Robin Tucek, who runs the house, has consistently kept the source confidential, but the series name leaves little doubt about what waits in the glass. Cask PR2016-2 yielded 279 bottles, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

Raw Cask is the house signature: filtration is coarse enough only to hold back the largest pieces of wood. Everything else comes along, including the particles and sediment that settle in the bottle over time. The method produces an unusually thick, flavour-saturated whisky.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dry peat smoke and heather, with lemon peel, salted caramel and a trace of iodine underneath. Cask strength makes the aroma sharp and penetrating.

Palate

Massive and oily. Soot, black pepper, toasted barley and a honeyed sweetness fighting the smoke for room.

Finish

Very long with ash, salt and dried citrus. The smoke stays put well after the glass has been set down.

Specifications

Name: Blackadder Raw Cask Peat Reek 2016 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 61.8%
Bottler: Blackadder
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 61,8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oak Hogshead PR2016-2
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Bottled: April 2016
Number of bottles: 279
Edition: Raw Cask Peat Reek

Flavour profile

Smoky · Maritime · Powerful · Salty · Iodine

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask bottling of 279 bottles from a series no longer produced in this form. Blackadder's Raw Cask releases are followed closely by collectors.

Did you know?

The word reek is Scots for smoke. Auld Reekie, the old nickname for Edinburgh, comes from the same root and refers to the city's thick coal smoke.

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Frequently asked questions about Blackadder Raw Cask Peat Reek 2016 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 61.8%

Why are there particles in the bottle?

Because the whisky is unfiltered. Blackadder bottles straight from the cask and lets wood fragments and sediment travel with it. Do not shake the bottle before pouring and most of it stays at the bottom.

Which distillery is behind it?

Blackadder does not say. The whisky is an Islay single malt, but the name is withheld. Bottlings like this are often called teaspooned or anonymous and turn up regularly among independent bottlers.

How strong is the smoke?

Strong. The Peat Reek series sits among the more peat-heavy releases on the market, and 61.8% amplifies the impression. More smoked options are gathered under Peaty Whisky.

Should I add water?

At 61.8% water makes sense for most drinkers. Add a little at a time — the whisky takes plenty, and every drop shifts the balance between smoke, sweetness and salt.

Is 279 bottles a lot or a little?

A little. A hogshead typically yields between 250 and 300 bottles, so the figure fits a single cask. By comparison, a standard release from a large distillery can run into hundreds of thousands.

What characterises whisky from Islay?

The island's whisky is shaped by peat, salt and maritime air, because the malt is traditionally dried over peat fires and the warehouses sit close to the sea. See the whole category under Islay Whisky.