Colkegan Cask Strength Single Malt

This bottle came home with me from a trip to Santa Fe. Didn’t make it to the distillery, but tasted 5 different bottles at their downtown tasting room. My favorites were this one and the apple brandy finished single malt. I understand that the single malt is a blend of 30% mesquite smoked malted barley and 70% unsmoked. Compared to the Del Bac Dorado, the mesquite flavor can be difficult to find. In fact, on the nose I don’t notice mesquite or smoke at all. It’s mostly apple, bubblegum, and something slightly herbal. The palate and finish seem to be where the mesquite shows up, but I’m not sure that I’d identify it if I wasn’t looking for it. It’s fairly subtle. It’s drinkable neat, but I prefer it with a little water. On the palate more apple and now caramel and cinnamon. A little smoke shows up on the back end going into the finish. It’s not immediately recognizable as mesquite smoke as it is with Del Bac, but some smoke is there nonetheless. Something mildly herbal shows up again, which someone else identified as sage, and I could go along with that. Overall, I enjoy this. It’s perhaps less interesting than Del Bac Dorado, but it’s more drinkable with the mesquite dialed way back to almost unnoticeable. It still retains some interest with the slight smoke and herbal note. Not on the level of some of the better Balcones single malts, but I think worth checking out, especially at the reasonable prices at the distillery. The regular priced at 49, apple brandy finished at 59, and cask strength $69.

I don’t think i’ve had a Colkegan before. Well, finally will this eve, thanks to @soonershrink , who sent over a generous sample. Colkegan is an American single malt from New Mexico. Uses 30% mesquite smoked malt and ages at an high altitude of 7000 feet. It’s maybe 3 yr old or so, and close to 60% ABV. Nose is incredible—- apples, smoke. Not overpowering smoke, but gentle—-and very different than what you expect typically from Scotland. That 30% is enough to make the presence felt, but not overpowering Palette …oak, and now the mesquite makes an appearance… wow, personally i love the aroma of mesquite, so this is right up my alley. Cinnamon, apples, mesquite This is an incredible American single malt. It doesn’t try to be Scottish, it’s uniquely American. Not sure the cost, but anything less than $100 would be am immediate buy. Thanks again @soonershrink for the pour!

Cask strength Colkegan Nose: Leather Butterscotch Caramel Dates Mesquite smoke Light tobacco (i.e., Connecticut) Taste: Some brine Pepper Tobacco Vanilla Mesquite A really great sipping whiskey. The cask strength really brings out the intense barrel notes. The mesquite notes are more prominent in the nose, but hover around in the taste. Love the New Mexican whiskey, and this is my favorite of the 3 Colkegan offerings (2 others to follow, hopefully).

This is my favorite of the Colkegan line-up (must stop on a Sante Fe visit), and it retains the most of its unique character of the single malt. The mesquite smoke element is not for everyone (almost like a faint peat note), but there is a delicious earthy, almost vegetal note alongside fruit jam, chocolate, and dark honey. (Colkegan's sherry finish is also very good, but the sweetness envelops the whole experience and is pricier.)

Heavily peated aroma, mildly sweet undertones. Barley, touch of vanilla, a good amount of apple, and peat. Spice and barrel burn on the tongue, peat takes a backseat to the alcohol hit. The same barley sweetness is there, it's actually a pretty nice balance. Tail is long and spicy, this is lovely.

👃: fruity and leather notes, with a hint of peat 👅: honey at first, giving way to brine and smoke notes with lingering spiciness 🏁: exceptionally smooth, especially for 59% ABV. Just a very slight bitter note and the idea of peat