Bunnahabhain
- OWNER: DISTELL GROUP
- FOUNDED: 1887
- REGION: ISLAY
- PRONUNCIATION: BOO-na-hav-venn
Bunnahabhain was founded to provide peaty whiskies to the blending industry, and though it has since dropped almost all its peat to become one of the only more or less unpeated Islay brands, it remains a favorite of blenders: It is a primary component in Cutty Sark, Black Bottle, and Famous Grouse, among others. The distillery ages 90 percent of its whisky in ex-bourbon barrels and 10 percent in sherry casks, all on-site; it also ages casks from the Isle of Mull’s Tobermory Distillery (including the Ledaig brand), which is also owned by Distell. Generally, “Boona” is known for its salty ginger note (and for its insanely hard-to-pronounce name).
Bunnahabhain
Aged 12 Years
In 2011, Bunnahabhain jacked up the proof on its 12 Year Old, from 80 to 92.6; not unrelated, it stopped chill filtering its whisky. It’s unpeated, but maybe there’s something in the air on Islay—whiffs of smoke pervade.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE 12 years old
- ALC/VOL 46.3%
- NOSE Nutty, woody; mushrooms, dried pineapple, orange zest, and a bit of smoke; it pops with water, blooming with fruit punch and wet stones. “Coastal” is a good, if vague, descriptor.
- PALATE Oily, with cherry cough syrup, coffee grounds, cashews, and oak chips; it loosens up with water, getting sweeter, with a pepper spice at the mid-palate. The medium finish is a bit dry and bitter.
- GENERAL Water makes a huge difference here. But it still suffers from too much wood influence.
Toiteach
Toiteach–pronounced TOE-chuck—is Gaelic for “smoky,” a good name for Bunnahabhain’s first contemporary peated whisky.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE So there’s peat, and a good dose of it—iodine, slate, heather, kielbasa, and campfire encircle sweeter notes of charred pineapple, hay, melon, anise, and fennel. Water tames the peat, bringing out lavender, baked goods, and citrus—think key lime pie.
- PALATE It opens sweet, with a thick brown sugar and cigar note, then builds to hot peppers, salted almonds, campfire, and smoked sweet sausage; add some water to get cherries and Cel-Ray soda. The finish dries toward a hot wisp of campfire and strawberries.
- GENERAL This may be Bunnahabhain’s first official peated release of the modern era, but they came to play. It’s some serious peat, with some lovely interlacing between sweet, spicy, and smoky notes.
Bunnahabhain
Ceòbanach
Pronounced KEEOW-bin-ack, it translates as “smoky mist” in Gaelic. Like its similarly phonetically challenged sibling, Toiteach, it’s heavily peated, and in this case a bit more than ten years old, aged in ex-bourbon barrels.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 46.3%
- NOSE Portobello mushrooms, peanut shells, vanilla, dried roses, hints of sherry, and loamy earth; water brings out slate, savory tomato sauce, potting soil, and lavender perfume.
- PALATE Thick and savory: Think mushrooms cooked over a campfire, pine resin, lilacs, maple syrup, and seaweed; water underlines the meaty sweetness. The finish is long and hot, with a bit of mint and potpourri.
- GENERAL Like most Bunnahabhains, peated or not, it unfolds beautifully on the palate, going from sweet to a rolling heat. Some will find it a bit too sweet, though.
Aged 18 Years
Bunnahabhain recently reintroduced this expression, this time au naturale—non–chill filtered, natural color, and at a higher proof.
- PRICE $$$ · RATING
- AGE 18 years old
- ALC/VOL 46.3%
- NOSE Caramel, hemp, fresh fig, blackberry jam, cinnamon, nutmeg, Magic Shell, salty (but not briny), and decomposing wood; water brings out caramelized fruit, ginger cola, dried reeds, and geraniums.
- PALATE Viscous mouthfeel that builds to a sweet mid-palate, with cherry tobacco, caramel, and maple sugar; there’s also some leather, copper, and black tea. It’s more honeyed and floral with water. The finish is hot, with sweet and spicy pepper, and slightly tannic. A bit “coastal” right at the end.
- GENERAL Voluptuous, long, and spicy; it echoes between sweet, spicy, and earthy flavors. A real treat. It marries smoke and sherry expertly.