The North American Chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) has a particular influence on the maturing spirit due to its high proportion of charcoal and toast, without overpowering the end product. The strong charring of the barrels ensures that the inner surface of the barrel is enlarged, which intensifies the contact between the spirit and the wood.
This results in a deeper, darker color due to the extended interaction with the oak. The high toasting of the oak leads to the caramelization of the natural sugars in the wood, giving the spirit sweet caramel notes accompanied by subtle smoky barbecue flavours. These carefully controlled processes produce a complex, harmonious balance of sweetness and smoke, making the spirit a multi-layered and unique taste experience.
The blend uses both peated and unpeated spirit, matured separately in new and reused casks of this special North American oak. The island's mineral-rich water, filtered through volcanic rock and Jurassic sandstone, forms the foundation for this single malt, which was distilled, matured, and bottled entirely on the island.
