Abhainn Dearg - nice idea but no thanks

Its early days and I suppose things can only get better. However, my first two tastings of Abhainn Dearg have left not only a bad taste in the mouth but a reluctance to even countenance buying a dram. Buying a bottle was out of the question anyway. £150 for 50cl of a 3yo whisky stretches my sporan a bit too much.

Earlier this year, I was intrigued to see a quarter-cask of 9-month old Abhainn Dearg at MacSorelys in Glasgow. It was interesting though I have tasted spirit of a similar age that has been fantastic. Recently, I was very pleased to see a bottle of the recently released 3yo in Queensferry's famous Ferry Tap. In short, it was vile. I actually struggled to finish the dram. It tasted like the contents of the cleaner's pail - dirty, watery and not at all pleasant. A long long way from elegant and pleasant peaty drams of which we now have many.

As I've not heard anyone else mention this, I wonder if its a case of the emperor's new clothes? If so, apologies for rocking the boat but sometimes a spade has to be called a spade.

Its a shame as it is one new distillery that I'd really like to succeed. Outer Hebridean malts have been missing from the market for too long. As well as that, new enterprises in these sparsely populated areas are very much welcome. The bottom line is, that if they make unpleasant whisky and sell it at sky-high prices, then that success may be as remote as Uig itself.

Distillery coming to Na Hearadh

Good news today from BBC Alba that permission has been given for a new distillery on East Loch Tarbert on the Isle of Harris. Eilean na Hearadh for those who don't know is a stunningly beautiful and rugged island but one with an ageing population and few job prospects for locals. The Isle of Harris Distillers company are hoping to create up to 20 jobs. This is major employment for an area that usually sends its youngsters to the mainland for employment or further education.

Its also good to see our uisge-beatha being made again in our Gaelic-speaking heartlands. Further up the coast is an Abhainn Dearg whose first 3-year old malt was recently released on the world. Unfortunately, the price as £150 for only 50cl is a bit steep. Having tasted some Abhainn Dearg 9 month old spirit earlier this year which was best described as 'interesting but rough', it's probably fair to say that AD is a work in progress.

There are also the persistent rumours of a distillery in Barra. Uisge-Beatha nan Eilean has apparently been raising funds for some years now and secured planning permission. However, its 'distillery' appears to be little more than a windswept moor at this point in time. Ditto, the late Sir Iain Noble's plans for a new distillery at Torabhaig on Skye's Sleat peninsula. Another Skye malt would be very welcome.

Here's hoping that there's a new 'archipelago' of island malts which we can savour in years to come as well as a new clutch of distilleries to visit.