Meikle Tòir Distillery, nestled within the picturesque Speyside region and housed at The GlenAllachie Distillery, embarks on a profound journey, guided by the esteemed Master Distiller, Billy Walker. The name "Meikle Tòir" translates to 'big pursuit,' reflecting their commitment to crafting a truly exceptional peated single malt. This endeavor began in 2018 when they ventured into producing peated spirit, a rarity in the Speyside region. With their dedication to quality and independence, Meikle Tòir focuses on making decisions driven by excellence rather than quantity, producing only around 100,000 liters of new-make annually for their premium small-batch releases.
Their traditional single malt, "The Original," is the real champion of Meikle Toir's peated endeavour. Made using St. Fergus mainland peat, the flavour contribution is sweeter than what one might expect from coastal peat. The whisky offers a flavor-rich, complex character thanks to its lengthy fermentation period of 160 hours, which is almost quadruple the industry average. The spirit checks in at 35 PPM and has been aged in first-fill Bourbon barrels, American virgin oak casks, and Rye barrels.
Tasting Note by Meikle Toir:Nose: Baking spices, burnt honey and roasted coffee beans, leading to hazelnuts, smokedalmonds and butterscotch.Palate: Wisps of sweet peat, with rich chocolate and heather honey, followed bycinnamon, ginger and oak-smoked sugar.
This single malt offers strong aromas of sweet spices and toasted nuts that join the peat smoke. It is aged in premium Chinquapin virgin oak barrels originating from the Northern Ozark region of Missouri, USA. The mainland St. Fergus peat that was utilised to kiln the grain gives the 35 PPM whisky a sweeter kind of smoke character. The whisky has a rich flavour after a drawn-out 160-hour fermentation process that holds up well to maturation in virgin wood casks.
Tasting Note by Meikle Toir:Nose: Aromas of smouldering oak embers, burnt liquorice and honeycomb, with wild heather, ginger, butterscotch and orange peel.Palate: Dark chocolate, creme brulee and toasted almonds, leading to cinnamon, brittle toffee, aniseed and lingering campfire smoke.
The casks were expertly aged in premium Pedro Ximénez & Oloroso Sherry puncheons, which added rich, fruity undertones that blend seamlessly with comforting peat smoke using mainland materials.The sweet phenolic concentration of the whisky is 35 PPM and comes from St. Fergus peat a prolonged. A 160-hour fermentation process yields a fruit-forward spirit that is ideal for maturing in highest quality Sherry oak.
Tasting Note by Meikle Toir:Nose: Cedarwood and cigar box, alongside butterscotch, mocha and orange peel, with hints of honey and plum jam.Palate: Rich dark chocolate, smoked honey and mocha, followed by fig syrup, treacle and burnt sugar, with puffs of peat smoke on the finish.
Using mainland peat and an extended fermentation process, the Turbo showcases a rich and robust character. The 2024 edition is crafted from a blend of five American virgin oak casks and four Oloroso hogsheads and delivers a strong peat presence, measuring at 70 PPM.
Tasting Note by Meikle Toir:Nose: Smoked blood orange, cinnamon spice and manuka honey, with bursts of rich dark chocolate and roasted hazelnuts.Palate: Worn leather, baking spices and cigar box, followed by honey, hazelnuts and dried red berries, with burnt orange peel and salted caramel.
The distillate's "heart of the heart," or the spirit cut with the highest phenol content, is used to create "The Turbo," which has an intensified smoky personality. The whisky uses mainland peat and has a long fermentation time, giving it a full-bodied taste. The 2023 Release is a blend of five Oloroso hogsheads and three American virgin oak casks. The end product is a complex whisky that packs a significant 71 PPM of peat.
Tasting Note by Meikle Toir:Nose: Manuka honey, worn leather and rich chocolate, with hints of toasted hazelnuts, dried sultanas and burnt orange peel.Palate: Intense peat, heather honey and mocha, followed by smoked spices, roasted chestnuts and charred oak.
