InchDairnie RyeLaw Review: Scotch Rye-style whisky?

The InchDairnie Distillery in Fife, Scotland has launched its inaugural release with RyeLaw. Crafted with precision to a unique recipe, this whisky showcases the distillery’s meticulous approach. In this InchDairnie RyeLaw Review, we take a closer look at this Scottish rye-style whisky.

Ian Palmer founded InchDairnie in 2011 and distilled the first spirit in 2015. His goal was to build an innovative distillery. What he created is a company that blends tradition with modernity, where science plays a key role in whisky making. The distillery follows a truly unique process.

For instance, they use a mash filter instead of a mash tun. The Fife distillery is one of only two places in Scotland using this type of filter. They also use hammer mills to finely crush all the ingredients. In 2017, the foundation for the inaugural whisky was laid using this approach. RyeLaw is made with 53 percent malted rye and 57 percent malted barley. The spirit matured for five years in new oak casks before being bottled in 2022.

In essence, InchDairnie has made a rye whisky, but that term doesn’t exist in Scotland. RyeLaw therefore goes to market as a grain whisky. We’ll tell you what this dram does on the nose and palate in this review, but first, here are some quick details.

The RyeLaw bottle is free of unnecessary frills, yet it certainly makes a statement. Instead of a “standard model,” InchDairnie Distillery chose to taper the bottle slightly, with a narrower base and broader shoulders. It almost evokes the stance of Superman!
The front is completely transparent with no label. All you see is the distillery name, the expression you’re holding, and the fact that it’s a single grain whisky.

Look closer and you’ll notice the glass isn’t perfectly smooth. On the left side there’s a playful ripple, as if the lettering on the front were floating on gently rippling water. It’s a cool touch that breaks up the bottle’s otherwise sleek lines.

Above the shoulder, the glass transitions into a metallic-looking neck, beginning at the shoulder with the phrases “Engineered in Fife” and “InchDairnie Distillery.” It isn’t actually metal: until you reach the cork and go to open it. That part is metal and seriously weighty. It’s the proverbial cherry on top that completes the stately design.

As you pour the whisky into your glass, you’ll notice the copper-hued liquid isn’t especially viscous. It leaves barely a trace on the glass. On the nose, however, creaminess does come through. The inaugural whisky from Fife introduces itself with sweet, confectionary notes reminiscent of butter toffee and fudge, with light hints of spice and vanilla bean. There’s also a pleasing floral note. Even just nosing it gives whisky drinkers plenty to explore.

On the palate, that candy note fades at first and you’re met with another surprise. Instead of sweetness, there’s a prickle of pepper and spice that clearly nods to the rye. The overall profile leans sweet, with hints of orange, spice, and some woody tones. As it evolves, the spice gives way to sweeter notes and darker berry nuances, before the whisky slips away in a medium-length finish.

RyeLaw is a strong inaugural release that immediately sets out the distillery’s character, though at 120 euros it won’t be for everyone. Then again, this isn’t just any whisky.
“We do things differently” is the message it broadcasts from every angle. You’re served up two distinct surprises that veer off the traditional single grain path and don’t neatly fit the rye whisky box either. So where does it fit? There’s one place we can wholeheartedly recommend: in your glass!

+ A stunning bottle

+ Surprises on the nose, palate, and finish

+ Engaging for both whisky enthusiasts and newcomers

- The price puts it out of reach for some