🥃 Whisky Auctioneer

Very promising. Unlike many other three-year-olds, the Ainnir could easily hold out a whole bottle.

Cocoa Butter I was lucky enough to also get my hands of a sample of the Ainnir – which means something like ‘awakening’ in Gaelic – the inaugural release from Nc’nean of which bottle number one sold in a charity auction for no less than 41.004 pounds. The total proceeds of the first ten bottles in said auction yielded no less than 92.000 pounds. It’s the same vatting they use for the ‘regular batches’, meaning 65% STR red wine casks and 35% former bourbon casks. The difference is that this one was composed with only 5 casks, i.e. #60, 92, 120, 128 and 130 which resulted in 1.320 bottles at just over 60%. The first thing I notice is the difference in color, which is a lot darker than the ‘regular’ batches. Oh, this is quite different on the nose from batches 1 and 2 that are bottled at drinking strength. I get a lot more butter and buttermilk, cornflakes and digestive biscuits, while the citrus fruit is conspicuously absent and seems to be replaced by some wet clay and white wine. You can almost smell the yeast, as it were. Apart and unexpected, but certainly not an unpleasant surprise. Au contraire. It is very creamy on the palate, but immediately piquant. I get lots of chili peppers and some fresh ginger and liquorice. That results in the fruit having a hard time showing itself, but after my saliva glands have put out the fire some apples and grapes shine through, with a hint of pomelo and even some white chocolate. No, wait, it’s cocoa butter! It will come as no surprise that this lingers quite long. And only in the finish, which starts quite peppery, do I get some more fresh and fruity notes. Apples and pomelo. I like it. Well, this whisky has certainly gotten a place in history because of the record breaking auction result for a first release, if not for the exceptional taste. This is young and a bit rough – how can it not be? – but the potential is unmistakable. I will keep Nc’nean on my radar for I’m sure there are beautiful releases ahead of us.

89 points because it's only 3 years old and such a fruity taste and powerful for this age For me it has potention Best to drink without water

Distillation dates: April - June 2017. Number of bottles: 1320. Spirit recipe: Light and Fruity. Yeasts: Anchor and Fermentis. Cask mix: 65% STR Red Wine, 35% Ex-Bourbon. Cask numbers: 2017 / 66, 92, 120, 128, 130. Disgorging date: 07/07/2020. Bottling date: 17/08/2020.

All and all tasty and a good mouthfeel. I love the philosophy. More of that please. But I do have the feeling this could be lots better if only 100% bourbon matured.

With this being the inaugural release you can't be mad for them trying to impart some wood influence on an otherwise young spirit. Because of it it punches well above its weight and age. It's a little singular, with oak and barley (porridge?) leading the way, but showing a lot of potential.

I was following the distillery before the hype and I have to say, that the release is weak. The nose is the best part, fresh fruits, everything else falls apart after that, especially when compared to other recent innaugural releases (Ardnamurchan, Raasay, Torabhaig). Lacks uniquness. Hopefully future releases will renew my interest.

fresh fruity smell, taste of bright fruits such as apricot and peach - but also lemon and a bit of apple in the finish quite short but still slightly fruity. Pretty impressive for its age.

Beautiful Whisky cask + bottle.