“The Scientist”
Whisky Review # 1094
Country: Scotland 🏴
Region: Lowlands
Brand: Ailsa Bay Release 1.2 Sweet Smoke
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Micro Maturation Series - 9800 Bottles
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 48.9%
Maturation: Hudson Baby Ex Bourbon Small Casks (6-9 months) followed by a mix of Virgin American Oak, 1st Fill and Re-Fill Ex-Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: No
Maturation: Hudson Baby Ex Bourbon Small Casks (6-9 months) followed by a mix of Virgin American Oak, 1st Fill and Re-Fill Ex-Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price: Around US$ 60-75 (June 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Border line okay
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Border line okay
Buying Advice: 😐 Not great but different and sufficiently interesting
Colour:
Light Golden (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Young. The Sweetness is a bit Artificial. Lots of Cold Smoke and Burnt notes. Not really bad but a bit Funky, Mineral & Yeasty. Medium Dry. The Alcohol is noticeable but does not interfere with the Nosing procedures.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Yeast, Cold Campfire Smoke, Dirty Peat, Soot, Tar, Cold Cigar Ashes, Burnt Grass, Heather and Straw, Stewed Fruit and Vegetables, Bacon on the BBQ, Charred Oak, Dried Herbs, Pepper & Ginger.
Sweet Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Yeast, Cold Campfire Smoke, Dirty Peat, Soot, Tar, Cold Cigar Ashes, Burnt Grass, Heather and Straw, Stewed Fruit and Vegetables, Bacon on the BBQ, Charred Oak, Dried Herbs, Pepper & Ginger.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Brown Sugar, Artificially-flavored Candy (Banana, Lemon, Orange and Tangerine), Dark Chocolate, Rye Biscuits, Farmyard, Hospital, Wet Stones, Toasted Almonds, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Plastic, Metal, Tobacco, Green Olives, Mint & Garam Masala.
Brown Sugar, Artificially-flavored Candy (Banana, Lemon, Orange and Tangerine), Dark Chocolate, Rye Biscuits, Farmyard, Hospital, Wet Stones, Toasted Almonds, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Plastic, Metal, Tobacco, Green Olives, Mint & Garam Masala.
Palate:
Young, Light, Medium-Dry & Sweet with additional Bitter, Salty & Sour notes. The Alcohol is noticeable.
Main Flavours:
Young, Light, Medium-Dry & Sweet with additional Bitter, Salty & Sour notes. The Alcohol is noticeable.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Burnt Buttered Toast, Cold Smoke, Dirty Peat, Soot, Tar, Ashes, Burnt Grass and Straw, Yeast, Charred Oak, Herbal Tea, Bacon on the BBQ, Wet Rocks, Metal, Pepper, Mint and Garam Masala.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Hospital, Artificially Flavored Candy (Orange, Lemon, Grape, Pear, Peach), Cooked Apple, Grapefruit, Toasted Almonds, Cacao, Tobacco, Leather, Plastic, Chemicals, Floral Soap, Licorice and slightly Musty Asparagus.
Image Credit: Whiskysaga.com
Finish:
Young, Light, Medium-Long, slightly Hot & Bitter-Sweet. A few Sour notes as well. Medium Dry. I find Toasted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Burnt Grass and Straw, Cold Smoke, Dirty Peat, Soot, Ash, Tar, Hospital, Lemon, Grapefruit, Sugared Toasted Almonds, Charred Oak, Metal, Plastic, Paint Thinner, Cacao, Artificially-flavored Candy (Tropical Fruit), Herbal Tea, Ginger & Garam Masala. After a while your mouth is filled with a Soapy, Artificial Sweetness that stays for a while.
Drinking Advice:
Addes Water does not improve this Ailsa Bay
Drinking Experience Neat:
Addes Water does not improve this Ailsa Bay
Rating: 7 (*******)
Nose: 7 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 6
*** Important Note with respect to Rating.
If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.
Okay/Good
Conclusion:
The Ailsa Bay distillery was founded in 2007 by William Grant & Sons on the same site as the Girvan Grain Distillery. Grant needed additional Malt capacity for the Blend production. Ailsa Bay produces both peated and un-peated Malt. Only a very small percentage of the 10-12 million production capacity is used for Single Malts like the 10 Year old Land Cask and the Sweet Smoke launched in 2018 that I'm reviewing today.
The Ailsa Bay distillery was founded in 2007 by William Grant & Sons on the same site as the Girvan Grain Distillery. Grant needed additional Malt capacity for the Blend production. Ailsa Bay produces both peated and un-peated Malt. Only a very small percentage of the 10-12 million production capacity is used for Single Malts like the 10 Year old Land Cask and the Sweet Smoke launched in 2018 that I'm reviewing today.
The Sweet Smoke is made by trying to achieve the scientifically ideal blend of Smoke & Sweetness according to the Master Blender. (Respectively 22 PPM and 19 SPPM in this case). Micro Maturation is also used to accelerate the aging process. It's innovative although I think that a lot of people might find this expression a bit too Sweet. Personally I think it's within limits.
This is my first Ailsa Bay and I'm not disappointed. Of course it's very Young and on the Thin side and there's a bit too much Metal around. But it's interesting and that can't be said of many of today's Single Malts. I do hope that Grant & Sons will allow some Spirit to mature naturally so that we can enjoy a proper matured 12 or 15 years Ailsa Bay in the years to come.
Cheers! 🥃
Jan van den Ende June 11, 2026
