Scotch

Meikle Tòir The Chinquapin One

$75

OVERALL
RATING

7

Whisky Review: Meikle Tòir The Chinquapin One

We review Meikle Tòir The Chinquapin One, a peated Scotch single malt aged for five years in in American oak ex-Bourbon barrels, followed by Chinquapin virgin oak barrels.

Tasting Notes:

About:
A peated Scotch single malt aged for five years in American oak ex-Bourbon barrels, followed by Chinquapin virgin oak barrels; 48% ABV; 35 ppm; $75.
Appearance:
This whisky has a lighter golden color in the glass, showcasing sophisticated legs and thick viscosity.
Nose:
The nose on this one is lightly smoky and somewhat sweet, bringing forth supporting notes of graham cracker, almonds, toffee crunch, and a hint of strawberry bubble gum.
Palate:
This is delicate and slightly smoky, backed by a chewy, sweet note. Goings on here include pear, golden apple, red licorice, smoky syrup, and some backend consideration of dried spice.
Finish:
The finish holds steady here, with some bitterness and a hint of smoke, drying my back palate as it fades.
Comments:
You’ll want to take this one for a spin for a while, as it will need to open up to get a more flavorful offering that’s more full-bodied. I am not particularly awed by this expression.
Meikle Tòir The Chinquapin One review
We review Meikle Tòir The Chinquapin One, a peated Scotch single malt aged for five years in in American oak ex-Bourbon barrels, followed by Chinquapin virgin oak barrels. (image via The GlenAllachie)

Editor’s Note: The party behind this whisky gave us a review sample. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review. It should also be noted that clicking the buy link in this review earns our site a small referral payment, which helps to support, but not influence, our editorial and other costs.

The GlenAllachie Distillery in Scotland has legendary master distiller Billy Walker at its helm, who took it over from previous ownership in 2017 alongside some partners. Located at the foot of Ben Rinnes in the heart of Speyside, one of Walker’s early goals was to develop a peated whisky for GlenAllachie. To this end, in 2018, his team laid down the first casks of what, five years later, has become known as the new Meikle Tòir (meaning Big Pursuit) lineup.

As part of this peated whisky focus, Walker used mainland peat from St. Fergus versus the more well-known Islay peat. Mainland peat, formed from the breakdown of trees versus herbs and seaweed common to Islay, creates what he describes as “a much sweeter smoke style.” GlenAllachie is producing only 100,000 liters of this alcohol annually across just six weeks each year.

Furthermore, all Meikle Tòir expressions are subjected to a lengthy fermentation time of 160 hours – nearly triple the industry average – which the Walker feels “adds a fruity, ester-rich character to the subsequent whisky.”

“Every element of the production process was carefully considered to ensure our vision was met,” said Walker at the time of this whisky’s release. “It’s not about accelerating the journey; it’s about expanding the experience. One of the key decisions was to significantly extend the fermentation period to 160 hours, creating thick, ester-rich distillate. Another was to use mainland peat, which delivers a more oaky style of smoke. These choices, along with the use of quality oak casks, are all factors steering us in our pursuit of peated perfection.”

The whisky I’m reviewing today, Meikle Tòir The Chinquapin One, is one of four making up this brand’s core lineup. Aged for five years in American oak ex-Bourbon barrels, followed by Chinquapin virgin oak barrels, this peated Scotch has a 48% ABV and a peat rating of 35 ppm. It is of natural color and is non-chill filtered, priced at $75.

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti is the founder of The Whiskey Wash, an award-winning whiskey lifestyle website dedicated to informing and entertaining consumers about whisk(e)y globally. As a whisk(e)y journalist, expert, and judge, he has written extensively about the subject, been interviewed in various media outlets, and provided tasting input on many whiskeys at competitions.

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