RyeLaw Vintage 2018 Fife Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46,3%

Barley and rye both grow beneath the Lomond Hills in Fife. A young distillery between Kinglassie and Glenrothes uses the two together, and what ends up in the glass tastes of pepper, toasted wood and toffee rather than anything you'd expect from Scotland.

Expert's Description

Inchdairnie RyeLaw Vintage 2018 Appalachian Wood is a Fife Single Grain Scotch Whisky made from malted rye and malted barley, matured in new charred oak casks and bottled at 46.3%.

RyeLaw is Inchdairnie's flagship. Vintage 2018 is the second release, following Vintage 2017, which made its debut in 2023. Each vintage gets its own oak origin. This one comes from the Appalachian forests of the eastern United States, which is what the Appalachian Wood variant on the label refers to. According to the distillery, the change made for a spicier and more complex whisky, with longer maturation than the first release.

The mash bill is 53% malted rye and 47% malted barley, both grown in Scotland. The label says the rye comes from a single farm and the barley is spring barley. The grain is hammer milled, mashed and fermented outdoors. Distillation is double, in pot stills, with the second run in a Lomond Hill still the distillery designed itself. Scotland has no rye whisky category, so RyeLaw is officially a Single Grain Scotch Whisky, even though rye is the main grain.

Maturation is a single stage: new charred oak casks in Fife, from 2018 until bottling in 2025. New charred oak brings vanilla, caramel and baking spice, plus a dry, tannic finish. That suits the pepper of the rye, and it's where this differs from a whisky matured in used casks. The bottling has no added colour and no chill filtration.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Wood and rye spice lead, with clear oak underneath. Vanilla custard and caramel sit on top, and with a little time orange peel and marzipan come through.

Palate

Peppery rye from the first sip, then drying oak. Behind the pepper there's ginger, clove and a layer of dark treacle.

Finish

Long and dry, with pepper and oak spice. Soft toffee notes settle in at the very end.

Specifications

Name: Inchdairnie RyeLaw Vintage 2018 Appalachian Wood Fife Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Inchdairnie
Region/Country: Fife, Scotland
Type: Fife Single Grain Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: New charred oak casks from the Appalachian Mountains
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled in pot stills, second distillation in a Lomond Hill still
Distilled: 2018
Bottled: 2025
Edition: Vintage 2018 Appalachian Wood
EAN No.: 5060916320222

Flavour Profile

Peppery · Spiced · Oak · Toffee · Vanilla

Did You Know?

RyeLaw means hill of rye. The name comes from the Ryelaw farm close to the distillery.

See our full range of Inchdairnie

Listen to our podcast:

Frequently Asked Questions About Inchdairnie RyeLaw Vintage 2018 Appalachian Wood

What does Inchdairnie RyeLaw Vintage 2018 taste like?

Peppery rye and dry oak, with toffee and vanilla sweetness in the background. The rye gives edge and spice rather than the soft malty sweetness of a classic Scotch single malt, and the new charred oak underlines the spice.

Is RyeLaw a rye whisky or a single grain?

Both, but officially it's a Single Grain Scotch Whisky, because Scotland has no rye whisky category of its own. Rye is still the main grain in the recipe. A second Scottish whisky with rye in the mash is Borders Malt & Rye, if you want something to compare it with.

What does Appalachian Wood mean on the label?

It's the variant name for this release and tells you the casks are made from oak from the Appalachian forests of the eastern United States. They're new and charred. Each RyeLaw vintage changes oak origin, and that's what sets Vintage 2018 apart from the first release.

Is Inchdairnie RyeLaw Vintage 2018 worth trying?

Yes, if you're curious about something that doesn't resemble ordinary Scotch. According to the distillery, RyeLaw is the only whisky in the world made from malted rye and distilled in a Lomond Hill still. Rye, new charred oak and a young, forward-thinking distillery make it a good bottle for whisky nerds and for an unusual gift.

How should you serve RyeLaw Vintage 2018?

Try it neat at room temperature first, perhaps with a single drop of water. A tulip-shaped glass collects the aromas best, and you'll find our range of whisky glasses here. The distillery says it also works in cocktails, and the rye spice suits an Old Fashioned.

What is a Lomond Hill still?

It's a copper pot still with six bubble plates in the neck, which gives more control over the spirit. It was designed by Inchdairnie's founder Ian Palmer together with the Italian maker Frilli, and it's named after the Lomond Hills, which can be seen from the distillery. Inchdairnie uses it for RyeLaw.

Where is Inchdairnie, and who is behind it?

The distillery is in Fife, Scotland, between Kinglassie and Glenrothes, and was founded in 2015 by Ian Palmer. The grain is grown in Fife, and the whisky is distilled and matured on site.