Bottle Details
SMWS Code
10.285
Distillery
Bunnahabhain
ABV
52.3%
Age
11 Years
Cask
First-fill American oak PX hogshead
Distilled
October 16, 2013
Region
Islay
Flavor Profile
Heavily Peated
Category
Scotch
The whisky presents an intense peat character with prominent smoke notes reminiscent of a kiln fired with peat over barley. The aromatic profile is robust and assertive, delivering a full peat-forward experience.
Substantial smoke is evident on the palate, though less pronounced than suggested by the nose. This is beautifully balanced by a redeeming sweetness of dark caramel and chocolate-coated brazil nuts. Water reveals a maritime character with notes of salty sea water, prawns in smoky marie rose sauce, and hot-smoked salmon, along with salty oysters and smoked clam with tomato juice.
The finish carries through the salty, smoky maritime elements with lingering peat smoke. The whisky was matured for eight years in an ex-bourbon hogshead before transfer to a first fill American oak PX hogshead, contributing to its complex and layered conclusion.
Holy smoke! Pure filth! Proper hefty peat! These were only a couple of the expressions nosing neat. Just in case you start to wonder, we all loved it. Imagine yourself standing on the barley when the kiln is fired with peat. There was plenty of smoke on the palate, but maybe not as much as the nose suggested. A lovely redeeming sweetness of dark caramel and chocolate-coated brazil nuts balanced the peat smoke perfectly. Water added a more maritime character in the form of salty sea water, prawns in a smoky mary rose sauce, and hot-smoked salmon. The taste was of salty oysters with smoked-clam-and-tomato juice. Following eight years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky into a first fill American oak PX hogshead.