Review by: dustbunna
Distillery: Isle of Harris.
Bottler: Distillery bottling.
Region: Islands (Harris).
ABV: 46%.
Age: NAS, though minimum 5 years according to their website. Bottled in 2023.
Cask type: Vatting of ex-bourbon, ex-Oloroso and ex-Fino sherry casks.
Price: $80 USD for 750mL.
Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.
Bottle open across approx. 6 months, notes taken leisurely across that period. Bold notes taken beneath the shoulder (consistent all the way through the bottle.)
Nose: fresh, grassy, barley sugar, some menthol and moss in the background.
Palate: salt, orange peel, more grass, a wisp of smoke, minerals, fresh linen.
Finish: medium length ~ on minerals and spices, wood polish, vanilla cake, green melon.
Conclusion: This, for me, is a near-perfect simple sipping experience. It’s not the most complex whisky, but it’s offering a little bit of everything, notes in great harmony with no obvious flaws. The lightly peated malt plays beautifully with the vatting of casks (and I’m a sucker for Fino, so it’s nice to see them being used here alongside more traditional bourbon and Oloroso.) Fresh linen is a note I’ve never encountered before—it might sound like there’s some soapiness present, but that’s not the case. It’s just clean and crisp, and frames the rest of the profile nicely.
The price has gone up a tick since I first saw The Hearach on shelves; at $80 I’d be hard-pressed not to keep this in stock, though at $90+ it’s harder to commit to re-buying. Regardless, it’s one of my favorite new young Scotch whiskies to come onto the scene so far. I love how Harris is making their whisky, and look forward to much more from them.
Final Score: 86.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 