Santa Fe Spirits Colkegan Cask Strength Single Malt Whiskey 750ml Bottle

Tonight’s dram takes me (virtually) to the sunny state of New Mexico, to the Santa Fe Spirits distillery. Colkegan opens with sweet mesquite smoke, vanilla, and toffee, followed by syrupy canned fruit and caramel, then the tart earthiness of blackcurrant. The bitterness of the mesquite/hickory flavors offset the sweetness, complimented by the tart, earthy, and savory – a well-balanced dram. The thick clingy legs deliver a long savory, smoky finish with a hint of salt brine. I was very hesitant to try this one, as I do not care for peaty drams at all, and expected the mesquite smoke to be similar; however, I found the mesquite-smoked malt to be quite different from peat-smoked malt – a much more pleasant smoke flavor, not overpowering and offensive like peat. On the other hand, peat-lovers will most definitely enjoy this dram – think of it as smoke from mesquite wood fire vs. smoke from a manure fire (peat is composted plant matter – virtually the same as manure) – and that’s no BS… Drink slow, drink long, drink a variety, drink often.