Nc'nean Ainnir - Inaugural Release

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.