Bunnahabhain 2014 Staoisha Heavily Peated 7 Year Old Single Cask No. 10767 (Signatory)

Review #065 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 58.8% Comments: aged 7 years, matured in a dechar/rechar hogshead Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Chestnut color. Swirling reveals a thin line sticking to the side of the glass, legs are slow to form. Nose: 18/20 Dominated by lots of peat smoke. It’s thick and sooty, but also has a hint of grilled meats, perhaps heavily charred salmon? After giving it some time it becomes subtly salty, with hints of barbecue and molasses sweetness in the background, and lemon zest also. It reminds me of a charcoal grill on an ocean beach, and it’s mouth watering. Palate: 35/40 Greeted initially with more intense smoke flavors. I’d wager this is on-par with Octomore levels of peat, though it’s more sooty and salty. It’s not just smoke, it’s also greasy charred logs from a beach fire, just extinguished with a bucket of ocean water. Burnt toast mingles with toasted seaweed, other low tide muck, a hint of something interesting I can’t place and makes me think “burnt electrical”, but also sweet brown sugar and sour lemon citrus. Finish: 33/40 Medium-long finish. It’s not complicated, mostly just being the slow retreat of the soot and charcoal flavors. There’s also some spent coffee grounds, along with mild salinity and citrus notes that accompanies it. Not remarkable, but still very enjoyable. With Water: A couple drops of water brings out some interesting herbal scents on the nose, most notably oregano and other subtle floral notes. The palate is largely unchanged, but the finish is what I can only describe as “juicier”, for lack of a better term, but in the same way you might think of a double IPA as being juicy. There’s definitely more grapefruit and orange citrus influence there now. Total: 86/100 Final thoughts: I think maturing this whisky in a dechar/rechar hogshead took the already heavy peat influence and dialed it up to an 11. It hints at having a dynamic flavor profile even with all the peat smoke, but I think the marriage of this distillate with that cask type for full maturation was too much and masked that. This bottle takes to heart the phrase “don’t half ass two things, whole ass one.” It’s very good at being a great heavily peated scotch, and only that, so I’m very happy with this purchase. It’s a great Octomore equivalent at less than half the price. Price: $89 Would recommend: yes Would buy: yes Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.