Review 234. Islay delight: Mac-Talla Oloroso cask (2024 release)

(Peat Perfectly Suited to savour in Summer)

With all the splendid weather we’ve experienced here over the past few weeks (it was actually full on summer during most of May), we were caught off guard a bit when last week we were put back on our feet with some (granted: much needed) heavy rain and temperatures more reminiscent of Autumn than (near) Summer. Just as I was going through the cabinet, pushing those peat and- or sherry heavy whiskies more to the back to bring the ‘lighter’ style whiskies and spirits more to the front rows to permit easy access to those whiskies suited better for warmer days and mild evenings, things went all ‘Belgian’ again, weatherwise. I was actually planning on doing a sample series on whiskies that might suit Summer, but that one will just have to wait until things get all Summer-y again.

The past week it seems as if we tend to wake up in late Spring to switch rapidly into late October throughout the day with some heavy showers and strog winds, only to go full circle and end with more agreeable sunshine – in – June during the late afternoon and evening. Variations on this wheather schedule apply, up to the point where we're now close to having the whole '4 seasons in one day' experience Islay has become famous for. Rather than having my family thinking I’ve gone completely bonkers by yet again switching around half the bottles in my cabinet a second time, I just went for one of the boxes with samples to look for something that would suit this sudden and dramatic change in weather. Lo and behold, courtesy of Greg’s whisky guide, I dug up a sample that I’ve been eager to try for some time but didn’t get round to as of yet.

Mac-Tallo Oloroso cask matured (Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers), 2024 ltd release. NC, UCF, 54.8% ABV, app. €85/£73

Mac-Talla is one of the brands under ownership of Morrison Distillers, a family with quite a bit of pedigree in the world of scotch whisky. Owned and run by father and son Brian and Jamie Morisson, they are indeed two chips of the old block as they’re the son and grandson of the legendary Stanley P. Morrison, founder of Morrison Bowmore Distillers. While most of his legacy (as he indeed had been building a bit of a whisky empire) has since been sold to some of the biggest players in the industry, the Morrisons are still at the heart and centre of many things whisky, with Brian and Jamie involved with several indie  brands. Apart from Mac-Talla which focusses on Islay whisky they also own Old Perth which focuses on blended malts and the Carn Mor brand. Meanwhile, another branch of the family owns Clydeside distillery – a distillery I recently discussed here. While I never actually got round to trying something from their Mac-Talla range, I’ve been quite keen about a few Carn Mor and Old Perth releases in the past. Yes there was that very unfortunate business of Morrison filing a law suit against Dràm Mòr a few years back over the use of the word ‘Mòr’,  which I always felt  was a bit of a pity and unnecessary, but that’s all been settled from what I understand. Usually, both Carn Mor and Old Perth tend to deliver very decent quality at usually reasonable prices, so I’m curious to find out if the same applies to this sample from their Mac-Talla range as well…

Nose

Fruit! So much fruit! Berries: so many berries it’s almost marmalade! A lot of sweet and earthy peat – smoke too with chocolate and raisins in the mix. Over time the fruit all but takes over completely, and while the peat and smoke don’t disappear altogether, they are definitely being pushed towards the back a bit. Particularly if you add water those sweet fruity notes really get cranked up. In any case: yum!

Palate

Dense, with notes of dark red fruit, which again dominates things and certainly takes centre stage over the peaty and smoky flavours. With water oddly enough those earhy notes are restored somewhat, and the balance is again closer to 50-50. The fruit is more reminiscent of dried fruit, and while the peat and smoke make themselves more present, they still settle for 2nd fiddle.

Finish

Long, peppery and only now the peat and smoke make a lasting impact.

Final thoughts

 A very palatable, engaging dram. It carries depth and flavours, is well structured and has a pleasant balance which translates into  the fruit being quite dominant while the smoke and peat add layers and some complexity to the overall experience. Where I used to love the combo of oloroso casks and peated spirit, I’ve become a bit weary of modern day oloroso casks as I find they can impact the whisky with very (sometimes downright overly) dry and bitter wood and  tannic flavours, but in this case it delivers something very pleasant: a fine, lovely mixture of both ‘lively’ sweet and ‘nutty’ dried red fruits. I know it’s only a sample, but I would be inclined to drop €80 or so of my own money on a full bottle of this. In fact, I feel this may well appeal to both die hard peatheads and people who are usually a bit weary when it comes to Islay whiskies. Job well done!