The Isle of Raasay Oak Species Maturation Series Tasting Pack presents four small but characterful 5cl whiskies, each fully matured in a different virgin oak species to reveal how Raasay spirit responds to unique wood influence. Hand-selected by co-founder and Master Distiller Alasdair Day and bottled at 50.7% ABV, the set is designed for anyone curious about oak-led maturation and for collectors seeking distinctive single-cask personalities in miniature form.
What makes this tasting pack special is its forensic exploration of oak: Quercus humboldtii (Andean oak) with long air-seasoning and heavy toast creates crème brûlée richness, Quercus petraea (European oak from Hungary) offers tight-grained, refined notes and silky mouthfeel, Quercus robur (French oak) lends warming fragrant smoke and caramel, and Quercus muehlenbergii (Virgin Chinkapin) delivers bold maple-syrup and smoky bacon character. Presented as four tasting measures, the pack allows direct comparison of extraction, toast levels and flavour nuance, making it an essential study set for both professionals and enthusiasts.
The oak-driven range pairs well with a variety of foods: the humboldtii expression complements crème brûlée or maple-glazed bacon, the petraea piece matches smoked cheeses and spiced charcuterie, the robur bottling sits happily with dried raspberries and dark chocolate, and the muehlenbergii dram marries roasted maple-glazed vegetables or smoked pork; tasting the four side-by-side also makes for an instructive pairing flight alongside a board of nuts and aged cheeses.
Together the pack displays a spectrum from herbaceous wood smoke, caramel and crystallised brown sugar through peat smoke, savoury spice, ripe red and dark fruits to smoky bacon, maple syrup and long gingered finishes, each dram finishing with its own distinctive oak-derived echo.
Isle of Raasay, Scotland