Raasay Hungarian Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky 2021 Vintage

Raasay’s Oak Species Maturation Series is back for a third year, this time putting the spotlight onto Quercus petraea from the Zemplén Mountains region in Hungary. In true Isle of Raasay Distillery style, a combination of both peated and unpeated Raasay spirit has been used, matured separately in this cask type before being married together for a perfectly complex, lightly peated taste.

The oak from the Zemplén Mountains (Zempléni-hegység) in northeastern Hungary is one of the world’s most prized woods for coopering. Long before French oak became the undisputed global standard, top winemakers across Europe, including those in France, relied heavily on Hungarian oak to mature their finest wines.

What makes this release different to its predecessors is not only the species of oak used, but the fact that the spirit has been fully matured in ex-Oloroso sherry casks, rather than virgin oak. This choice allows the inherent spiciness of the Hungarian oak to be softened and enriched by the deep, dried-fruit profile of the Oloroso. With only 8,000 bottles available worldwide, this limited release won’t be around for long.