Ian MacLeod’s 12-year-old Isle of Skye whiskey — an upscale blended malt whisky — makes the move from Britain to the U.S. this month, following the 8-year-old version that arrived in 2009.

This is an intriguing whisky on its production alone: Using (various) Island and Speyside malts, it is put back into cask after the initial blend is made, a rarity among blended malts, which are typically blended, then go straight into the bottle.

The whisky is a solid one, bold and assertive, with a big mouthfeel you don’t often get with blends. On the dark side in color, it offers clear honey character, caramel and nougat, copious sherry, and wisps of smoky wood beneath. If I didn’t know better I’d say it was a single malt: Rounded and long-lived, a really solid dram.

86 proof.

A- / $39 / isleofskyewhisky.com [BUY IT NOW FROM CASKERS]

Isle of Skye 12 Years Old (2011)

$39

9

Rating

9.0/10

BUY IT NOW