6yo Ex-peated Cask & 2021 Distillery Reserve | 46% & 61.8% ABV

Scotland’s Magical East Neuk

The East Neuk of Fife - a sanctuary where the land rolls effortlessly into the horizon, kissed by the salty breeze and drenched in possibility. It’s a place of understated charm, where pastoral lush beauty meets golfing grandeur, proving once and for all that a whisky collection is a wildly reasonable indulgence when compared with the expense of golf.

The area is associated with many things, exclusive golf around St Andrews, students, lush farmland and second homes for lucky families to escape the cities. But this isn’t an area that is automatically associated with whisky, it isn’t Islay, Argyll or Speyside.

Around a year ago, I found myself standing in this magical corner of Scotland on one of the most significant days of my life. It was a blustery, golden afternoon, the kind of day that makes you feel like nature itself is leaning in to witness the event. The waves murmured their quiet blessings, and Elie’s sweeping beach stretched endlessly before us - a perfect stage for forever. The air was thick with laughter, love, and the rhythmic crash of the waves out at the end of the sands as we exchanged vows. Families gathered, their smiles warm as the afternoon light, as we wove our story into the fabric of this coastal haven. And, of course, whisky was never far from the narrative.

Fife’s distillery game is thriving, with Lindores standing proudly at its historic abbey, the elusive Daftmill sparking curiosity and exclusivity, and Kingsbarns offering its own understated brilliance. Then there’s Cameronbridge - a towering behemoth on the drive in, looming like whisky’s very own Mount Doom, best acknowledged with a respectful nod rather than unnecessary contemplation.

Between regular pilgrimages, a wedding, and countless memories soaked into its sands and fields, this place is now part of my story in the best way. It calls to me, much like its distilleries do. Kingsbarns and Daftmill especially, quiet contenders flying under the radar yet holding their own quiet confidence.

Whisky and nostalgia go hand in hand; a pairing as rich and flavourful as a well-aged dram. Because whisky isn’t just about taste - it’s about the stories tied to every sip, the places that flavour the experience, the memories poured into every glass. Fife, with its rolling fields, golden beaches, and undeniable pull, has gifted me moments worth bottling. And every dram I bring home is a time capsule, waiting to be uncorked when the mood strikes.

Here’s to the memories, and here’s to the whisky that keeps them alive.

Review 1/2

Kingsbarns Single Cask 6yo, Cask Number 1650749, ex-peated cask, 46% ABV
£68 paid, sold out

Kingsbarns Distillery is a Lowland distillery near the village of Kingsbarns. It was founded in 2014 and is now owned by Wemyss Malts, which is a large family-run independent whisky company. It has a production capacity of 200,000 litres of spirit per year.

There have been some great reviews of Kingsbarns drams on the site before, such as Dougie’s take on a recent 8yo Distillery Reserve and a duo review he did of the Balcomie official release alongside its Cask Strength sibling, but today I’d like to share two personal discoveries.

I am sure you have encountered the thrill of distillery-side decisions - the moment you spot that bottle and think “Yeah, this one’s coming home with me.” In 2023, that was me at Kingsbarns, lured by the promise of peat and the intrigue of how the ghosts of smoky drams past would weave their influence through this whisky. A cask seasoned by peated spirit? That’s not just maturation - that’s a whisky séance, where the spirit of peat lingers like an old friend who refuses to leave the party.

Of course, the distillery experience comes with the ritualistic sip - a tiny sample in a tiny plastic glass (because, apparently, distillery law dictates all tasting vessels must be thimble-sized unless you are doing a tasting). It passed the test, but the true challenge lay ahead: would this whisky, in its full bottle glory, still sing the same tune at home? We all know the bottle experience can differ.

Hey, that’s the gamble we take, the adventure we sign up for. But sometimes, when all the stars align (or at least the light hits the glass just right), you uncork the bottle, pour a dram, and realise - you’ve made a fine decision.

Score: 6/10

**Good stuff.**
***TL;DR***
*Despite peating by the back door, this smoky Fifer works*

Nose

It strikes you as immediately heavy on the sea-salt, but with dark fruits and damp sawdust, a bit of caramel in there too with pears - pear tatin perhaps. There is peat smoke, but you have to chase it on the nose, and it is far more noticeable after the glass has been covered for a period.

Palate

The full taste doesn’t hit you at first. The first thing you get is youth, a bit of new spirit, which perhaps hasn’t had long enough in the cask.

From there it remains fairly light and fruity, it becomes smokier, peppery with tobacco notes and some dark chocolate. The fruitiness isn’t the frequently found citrus or dark fruits, it is more like hushed tropical flavours.

Now, let’s talk peat. I love peat. Way more peat than expected for just living in an ex-peated whisky cask. It’s that kind of smoke that settles at the front of the tongue, warming up the moment, leaving behind a glow that sticks around far longer than anticipated.

The Dregs

Peat sneaking its way into whisky through the previous cask - now that’s a new one on me. A touch of smoke without the full peated blast. At first, I was ready to crown this one higher, but maybe my palate’s been on a journey since that first pour and the time it has sat on my shelf. Time has a way of shifting perspectives - whether it’s whisky or life. And then there’s the curious case of “bottled straight from the cask” - a phrase that teases cask strength but doesn’t quite commit. At 46% and six years old it suggests to me it isn’t cask strength, I would have expected a bit more bite; a little more punch.

Score: 6/10

Review 2/2

Kingsbarns Distillery Reserve, 2021 Edition, First-fill barrels and first-fill STR barriques, 61.8% ABV
£40 paid at auction, sold out

This was an auction purchase based solely on having liked the peated cask and it being a steal at £40. Kingsbarns seem to openly aim at a light and fruity style across the board. This edition was intended to be enhanced by a mix of first-fill ex-bourbon barrels and first-fill shaved, toasted, and re-charred red wine barriques.

Score: 6/10

**Good stuff.**
***TL;DR***
*Thankfully, the bourbon casks are dominant*

Nose

It smells winey, sharp on the nose with salt and waves of tannins but has some honey and a bit of banana, very sweet aromas.

Palate

It’s dark fruits (Dr Pepper) and some fudge toffee. There are definite dried spices, nutmeg and it tastes of dark winter nights. The barrique influence?

It’s thankfully restrained - it doesn’t go wild with funk or veer off into over-the-top territory. Instead, it plays its role with just enough depth to bulk up the texture and reinforce the robustness. This whisky isn’t delicate - it’s got presence, grip, and a solid backbone, but it’s balanced enough to be enjoyable without demanding your full concentration.

The Dregs

This one is worlds apart from the peated cask, but in the universe of wine cask maturation in style, it’s playing the game in a way I can accept. There’s a deep, welcoming warmth that spreads across the palate - not just a fleeting heat but a slow-burn embrace that sticks around far longer than expected.

Sometimes STR cask maturations land well, balancing richness and complexity; other times, they get a little too wild, veering into funk territory. This one? It’s solid, confident, and well-judged, maybe because the bourbon casks have done the heavy lifting, keeping things structured and grounded while the barriques add just a whisper of influence rather than taking over.

I’m yet to find a perfect STR cask maturation and finish. I will continue to look periodically but I am not hopeful. In the same way I thought that I would rate the peated cask higher, I initially thought I would rate this lower.

Anyway, we have here another two excellent moments in time captured by a distillery in Fife that, along with its neighbours, seems to somehow escape the attention being lavished on other distilleries and other regions. I know they say ‘West is best’ and all that, and there is some truth there, but it depends entirely on what you’re looking for. I think, as these two charmers show, we’d all benefit from spending a little more time with an eye on the East.

Score: 6/10

Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. CC

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