Uproxx.com just publised their 2019 list of The Best Whiskey in Every State, and I think you know where I’m headed with this, yup, Colkegan!
From the article: “Colkegan is a combination of the Scottish Highlands and New Mexico’s Indigenous ingredients. Instead of smoking their barley malts with peat, Santa Fe Spirits uses local mesquite logs in the kilning process, giving the base of this whiskey a clear New Mexico vibe.
Tasting Notes: There’s a subtle balance of brisk desert smoke next to olive brine umami. Then hints of rich and sweet marzipan arrive with white chocolate fattiness and whispers of vanilla blossoms. The smoke carries through with a sense of dark, tart berries and rhubarb, and dry mesquite wood.
That berry fruit feel carries on into the mellow finish as the smoke dissipates.”