This single malt is to whisky as a fourty year old Bordeaux is to wine: complex, interesting, and more than worthy of the price. It is stunningly young, coming from the "first legal distillery" on the Isle of Raasay, which opened only in 2017. They may happily allude to the island's history of illicit distilling, and if a bit of underground action is what's required for a decent dram, then sign me up because this one is a corker.

Immediately striking is the bottle. Gone are the smooth and simple bottles common to other distilleries. Instead, the whisky is presented in rough glass, with the impressions of Raasay fossils across its surface. Talk about sticking to their roots and heritage.

The distillery itself sits atop a small rise on the south west side of the island, and looks over the sea to the Isle of Skye and beyond. It is in extremely esteemed company in this part of the world, with the likes of Talisker only a stone's throw away. Indeed, Raasay's single malt shares a similar style: sweet with an understated peaty note on the nose and on the palate. But what the Raasay adds is a complexity; sea salt and ripe fruit on the nose that reminds me of my short time on the island. A complex flavour follows, with toffee, citrus, cream, wood smoke, all wrapped in a warming winter blanket of pepper and light cinnamon. It finishes with lingering smoke and a comforting caramel richness.

Since I stumbled upon this distillery and this whisky, both have climbed the ranks of my favourites until they now sit healthily at the top. This whisky is something special, and certainly not one to miss out on.