Bunnahabhain 12 Year

This is the first single malt I've tried from Bunna because I have mixed feelings about non-or-low peated scotches from the Islay region of Scotland. I'm not insinuating they don't belong on that wind-swept island of heavenly scotch bliss, but yeah they don't belong there...(j/k) This Islay single malt is non-chill filtered and comes in at 92.6 proof. It's a nice, rich copper color (coloring is added IIRC) and produces long, oily legs when swirled around a bit. The nose has a spicy, nutty and toffee aroma that's pretty inviting. There's almost no smoke or sea salt that I can detect. That first sip is rather enjoyable. It's incredibly smooth for the slightly elevated ABV and the sweetness from the sherry cask immediately settles across the tongue. There is also a brief appearance of peat smoke that reminds me of a tempered down Bowmore offering. On the finish there's a hint of dried berries (maraschino cherries) and caramel/toffee that really gives it a nice, tasty finale. There's no lingering burn to be found, while the flavor hangs around awhile. That, along with being incredibly smooth, makes this one very nice. I'll have to put a few of these on my BUY list. I wanna say a full bottle of this is on the cheap side (around $45-55). That works really well for me and I recommend giving this one a go. It's a solid performer that you won't mind spending some quality time with. Cheers, friends.

Islay, where is your peat? This is good whisky that surprises by having some smoke yet no hints of that vegetable matter we come to expect from the region. There are notes of caramel and cacao, with a finish that can use some water to correct its distracting burn. If you can accept its anesthesizing effect on the mouth, you can enjoy this whisky.

This is yet another whisky that wasn't my style, but I couldn't help but enjoy the impressive style and craftsmanship. It's a softer on peat and rather complex, not fruitier, but more fruit dominated, as per the Northern Islay style, but I am more attached to the Southern Islay style. I would definitely recommend this, worth trying!