Rock Island Rum Cask Edition 2023：海風、泥煤與Rum交織的島嶼頌歌
Rock Island Rum Cask Edition 2023：海風、泥煤與Rum交織的島嶼頌歌
Rock Island 一向被視為 Douglas Laing Remarkable Regional Malts 系列裡，最能代表蘇格蘭島嶼個性的作品，將 Islay、Arran、Jura、Orkney 等多個海島的單一麥芽融為一體，呈現海風、礦物感與柔和泥煤的立體層次。 在 2023 年推出的 Rock Island Rum Cask Edition，進一步以Rum酒桶熟成，將原有的海洋氣息與煙燻泥煤，包裹在熱帶甜感之中，形成既熟悉又新鮮的風格表達。
Remarkable Regional Malts 系列以「產區代表」為核心概念，如 Big Peat 代表 Islay、Scallywag 代表 Speyside，而 Rock Island 則是對蘇格蘭群島與海洋精神的致敬。Rock Island 一直以海風鹹感、礦物感與柔和泥煤聞名，此次 Rum Cask Edition 則在此基礎上加入Rum酒桶帶來的熱帶水果與甜香層次。
品酒筆記:
聞香時 Rock Island Rum Cask Edition 2023 的第一印象，是強烈而鮮明的島嶼泥煤與海風鹹味，令人聯想到 Islay 海岸邊的煙燻火堆與濕潤礁石。烤菠蘿、熟成熱帶水果、甘蔗與Rum酒糖蜜的甜香，與燒烤煙燻氣息交疊。入口時酒體溫暖而稍帶辛香，整體風格偏向飽滿厚實，卻不失平衡感。烤菠蘿、熟芒果、甘蔗糖、黑朱古力與烤堅果的風味交疊，讓原本偏冷冽的海島風格多了一絲溫暖甜感。
Rock Island Rum Cask Edition 2023 的風格鮮明，兼具泥煤、海洋與甜感，既有海島威士忌的骨幹，又不失Rum酒桶帶來的親切甜香，對於已習慣泥煤煙燻的飲家，會是一款易於接受又富新鮮感的選擇。
Rock Island Rum Cask Edition 2023: A Symphony of Sea Breeze, Peat, and Rum Elegance
Rock Island has long been regarded as the quintessential expression of Scotland's island character within Douglas Laing's Remarkable Regional Malts series, harmonising single malts from Islay, Arran, Jura, Orkney, and beyond to deliver layered profiles of sea wind, minerality, and gentle peat. The 2023 Rock Island Rum Cask Edition advances this legacy through rum cask maturation, enveloping the spirit's inherent oceanic and smoky peat notes in a veil of tropical sweetness for a style that feels both familiar and refreshingly innovative.
The Remarkable Regional Malts series centres on "regional ambassadors," with Big Peat embodying Islay's intensity, Scallywag capturing Speyside's finesse, and Rock Island paying homage to Scotland's archipelago and seafaring spirit. Renowned for its briny sea air, mineral edge, and subtle peat, Rock Island's Rum Cask Edition builds on this foundation by incorporating rum cask-driven layers of tropical fruit and indulgent sweetness.
Tasting Notes
The nose of Rock Island Rum Cask Edition 2023 opens with a bold and vivid impression of island peat and coastal salinity, evoking smouldering bonfires on Islay's rugged shores and damp, seaweed-strewn rocks. Aromas of grilled pineapple, ripe tropical fruits, sugarcane, and rum molasses intertwine with barbecue smoke, creating a rich, evocative bouquet.
Entry to the palate is warm and subtly spicy, with a full-bodied yet balanced texture that maintains poise throughout. Flavours of grilled pineapple, ripe mango, sugarcane syrup, dark chocolate, and toasted nuts overlap, infusing the traditionally crisp island style with a layer of inviting warmth and sweetness.
Rock Island Rum Cask Edition 2023 boasts a distinctive profile that marries peat, maritime essence, and dessert-like sweetness, retaining the robust backbone of island whisky while embracing the approachable allure of rum cask influence. For enthusiasts accustomed to peaty smoke, it offers an accessible yet novel choice that bridges tradition and innovation.
