Jackton’s RAER Inaugural
Lowland Single Malt Scotch | 48.7% ABV
Score: 5/10
Average. In a good way.
TL;DR
Not perfect, but has some promise
The first blow is half the battle
Dramface has covered many inaugural releases: the spectacular arrival of the five year old Ardnahoe, the calm stealth release of The Cairn First Peek, even debates if Edradour No.2 counts as an inaugural release from the twin distillery. It does… I think.
From the Scotch scene across the Dramface site it is all sevens and up. So, does every first release highlight the best a new brand can be? Does hype add to the spectacle of the bottle or has the shine fallen from the days of sold-out shelves?
I lingered outside the more invested whisky world via physical stores and supermarket aisles before diving deep in 2018 to our digital dram scene and discovering the discourse around the liquid.
The first inaugural release that caught my eye on my whisky journey was Ardnamurchan’s AD/09.20:01. While I couldn’t remember that number-based name, I remember the palpable excitement of the release which did the rounds in whisky groups everywhere.
Before the term blockchain became a boring corporate buzzword, they released their NAS first release including a great depth of information and transparency through their QR codes. Impressively released in 2020 at the £45 mark - in the UK - which roughly translates in today’s pennies to £57.34. It has been a tough six years on the economy since then.
I remember Isle of Raasay, Lochlea and of course Ardnahoe all releasing their first bottles since. However, maybe it’s just me letting the fomo float past, but the hypebeasts of fresh bottles seemed to have died down with many new releases coming in under the radar.
It feels like there have been inaugurals dropping here, there and everywhere. By my quick count, this is the fourth “first release” from a Scotch distillery this year alone. For any distillery to power through the first three years and get a bottle to shelves, it is cause for a celebration. The logistical nightmare of making it that far, funding via crowds, gins, sourced whiskies or pure dreams is a feat in its own right. However, I do feel the choice of starting point can slightly taint our expectations on first releases. Which brings us to today’s release.
I have been fortunate to have tried three (and owned one) of their four sourced Raer blends that were released in the run up before Jackton’s own liquid was of age. Certainly a mixed bag, but there was room for hope:
RAER Original Blended Scotch Whisky - 3/10 Disappointing
At £26 it falls in line with other lower shelf blends with quality as well as price.
RAER Oloroso Blended Expression - 4/10 Some Promise
At £42 it feels 15-20% too pricey for my pocket but it does show some promise and brings a step up to their sourced range.
RAER Amontillado Blended Expression - 5/10 Average. In a good way.
Again, although sitting personally a bit too high at the £42 price point, this release genuinely impressed me and at times I have side-eyed it around “sale season”. If bottled at 46% this could absolutely sing.
All these three are released with no confirmation on colour and sadly all at 40% ABV. Now, higher alcohol by volume does not always equal higher quality, but if that Amontillado blend had a bit more viscosity it could reach a 6, maybe even stretching to a 7 on the right day. It is again worth highlighting the Dramface scoring system as while these numbers look low, the midpoint is at 5/10 for an “Average. In a good way”.
While the blended warm up act didn’t light many fires, the rumours spread around their fantastic new make and enthusiast driven plans for their own spirit. A small number of bottle nerds, including myself, have been quietly excited for this release. So with a bottle provided via the Dramface Deflection System, let's see if it lives up to those expectations.
Review
RAER, The Inaugural Release, Jackton Distillery, Lowland Single Malt Scotch whisky, matured in “Bourbon, Pedro Ximénez, Amontillado and Oloroso Sherry casks”, 6,000 bottles, 48.7% ABV
£68 RRP and still some availability, this bottle sent to me via Dramface HQ
The specs alone on this inaugural batch should fill every enthusiast with optimism. A very healthy and specific 48.7% abv. Not to mention a fairly priced price point in the inaugural landscape.
Fully natural colour and non-chill filtered, and stated as such too. Yes, many of us nerds would like to see an age statement and gain further insight into the liquid, but three out of four ticks is very good going. If it is 3 years old though, like The Cairn, state it. Single digits are fine these days. Like the 5 year old Ardnahoe, it is always interesting to know and digest with the dram. However, with the first casks being laid during a very different world back in February 2020, we can estimate that the liquid inside is between 3 and 6 years old.
Score: 5/10
Average. In a good way.
TL;DR
Not perfect, but has some promise
Nose
This is a highly sherried nose. Lots of strong orange peel, melted dark chocolate, almonds and a tiny hint of burnt match sulphur.
There is a sharp bright yellow element slicing through the purple raisins, cherries and figs. Possibly, a slight lime tang or slice of lemon drizzle cake.
The nose also very much has a sweet, white chocolate, grain-forward note, akin to grain heavy blends.
With most new drams, I pass it by my wife who, while not a fan of the taste of whisky (yet), enjoys having a good sniff in the glass and can pull out some fantastic notes. With my nose being more than double hers in size, at times her delicate snout puts my honker to shame. Size doesn’t matter after all. However, here, my wife questioned if I had returned to an old bottle of Bristol Sherry in the cupboard rather than a freshly popped single malt.
Palate
Texturally, it is remarkably thin for a non-chill filtered, higher ABV dram. A lighter more vibrant sherried note which is quite contrasting to the usually more musty and deep sherry focused offerings.
Fairground warm roasted glazed almonds and pecans. There is a lot of chili spice, ginger and overall heat to be found here.
Interestingly, returning to this whisky on the third night following a 100º Proof Springbank 5 year old and a Benromach Cask Strength, which is just shy of 60%, this Raer actually feels hotter.
I will say it does become significantly better with a couple of drops of water and a good wedge of time. It feels like a much creamier and richer dram bringing tinned peaches, dark fruits and peanut butter on burnt toast.
The finish is sadly short, no matter the amount of water additions, and only leaves behind a slightly gritty heat at the back of the throat.
The Dregs
While a mildly promising start for Raer, I feel they haven’t yet found their feet in the sherry-focused scene, but may soon carve out its own corner amongst the Glengoynes, Tamdus and GlenAllachies.
This score is not to downplay the achievements of a young family distillery getting a well presented single malt to the shelves in today’s market, and I truly hope they go strength to strength and reach the highs of other Lowlands like Glasgow and Lochlea. Hopefully they can provide the same variety of maturations and expressions of building maturity down the line too.
Score: 5/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. GG
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At the point of this article’s publication, Jackton doesn’t appear in the Dramface Top 40.
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