TRI CARRAGH - KIRKINNER 4 YEAR - 1ST FILL RED WINE & 2ND FILL CHEVAL BLANC
A young Lowland malt that punches well above its age statement. Distilled April 2022, finished across three 1st fill red wine octaves married together for 9 months, with a 2nd fill Cheval Blanc cask layered into the maturation. Bottled at 59.8% cask strength. 224 bottles.
The cask architecture here is what makes this release stand out. Three small first-fill red wine casks marrying together produce concentrated wine character in a short window. Cheval Blanc adds a quiet thread of one of Bordeaux's most celebrated estates underneath.
About Tri Carragh
Tri Carragh is Gaelic for "three pillars," a nod to the three core ingredients that make whisky: water, barley, and yeast. The independent bottler selects single casks one at a time, choosing each one for the conversation it will start. Every release is small. Every release is final. When the bottles are gone, that cask is gone.
This release is part of Tri Carragh's quarterly outturn and was selected by The Whiskey Lab for import to the United States.
Distillery profile
- Kirkinner is Tri Carragh's bottling name for an undisclosed Lowland distillery. Independent bottlers commonly use alternative names for casks where the source distillery has not authorized direct labelling.
- The Lowland region is known for light, grassy, often triple-distilled spirit. Lowland malt is traditionally the gentlest of Scotland's regional styles, which makes it a good canvas for active finishing casks.
- At 4 years, this is a young whisky, but the combination of small octave casks and high-influence wood means the maturation curve is compressed.
- The Lowland naming convention follows the same pattern as other independent bottling code names: the spirit's character is real, the distillery name is held back at the supplier's request.
Cask profile
The cask architecture is the story. Three 1st fill red wine octaves, each one roughly 50 litres, married together for 9 months. Octaves at first fill are the most active small-format casks available, and marrying three of them together produces a layered red wine influence rather than a single dominant note.
Underneath, the spirit also drew on a 2nd fill Cheval Blanc cask. Cheval Blanc is a Premier Grand Cru Classé estate in Saint-Émilion, producing one of Bordeaux's most prestigious wines. The 2nd fill cask carries the estate's fingerprint without dominating: a soft, complex red fruit and Bordeaux structure that integrates with the octave finishing.
Bottled at 59.8% cask strength, non-chill filtered, natural colour. 224 bottles total.
Nose: Intense and highly aromatic, combining earthy peat smoke with layers of dark berries, blackcurrant cordial, and stewed plums. The extended red wine maturation brings a rich vinous depth, while the Cheval Blanc finish adds a more refined note of cherry, polished oak, and subtle herbal complexity. Smoked meats, cocoa powder, and cracked black pepper emerge beneath the fruit-forward sweetness.
Palate: Powerful and mouthcoating, opening with waves of smoky red fruits, blackberry jam, and charred oak. The heavily peated spirit delivers earthy smoke and bonfire embers, balanced by sweet wine richness and creamy vanilla underneath. Notes of dark chocolate, espresso, and mulled spice build across the palate, while the Cheval Blanc influence contributes subtle tannins and a drier, more elegant structure than a typical wine finish. Despite its youth, the whisky shows impressive concentration and texture at natural cask strength.
Finish: Long, smoky, and warming, with lingering notes of black fruits, peppery oak spice, and drying red wine tannins. Ashy peat smoke and dark cocoa remain on the palate alongside a final touch of sweet berry compote.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Tri Carragh |
| Whisky style | Single malt Scotch whisky |
| Region | Lowland |
| Distillery | Kirkinner (Lowland Distillery) |
| Age | 4 years |
| ABV | 59.8% |
| Volume | 700 ml |
| Cask type | 3 x 1st fill red wine octaves married for 9 months |
| Cask size | Barrel |
| Distillation date | 5 April 2022 |
| Outturn | 224 bottles |
| Release | Tri Carragh Release 10 |
| Cask strength | Yes |
| Non-chill filtered | Yes |
| Natural colour | Yes |
The Whiskey Lab's Quality Commitments
- Single Cask & Small Batch: Ensuring a unique profile for each release.
- Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered: Preserving the authentic character and purity of the whisky.
- Honest Storytelling: Every cask profile, every tasting note, written by people who actually tasted the whisky.
