Bunnahabhain Cruach Mhòna

Nose: It's a bright, clear day on Islay. Brillant blue skies, warm sunshine and a bracing onshore breeze lift the senses as you take a morning stroll on the foreshore at Bunnahabhain Bay. Sunlight sparkles off the water and you suddenly smell the aroma of a beach bonfire - dried kelp burning on the sand, carried to you on occasional gusts of wind. Upwind, someone opens a container of freshly shucked oysters and squeezes lemon over them, and on the hills to the west someone starts a diesel engine and fires up a Toscano cigar. Palate: Delicate sweet-brine on the entry with developing peppery smoke and a delightful oily texture. As it unfolds, the peat-smoke builds and expands, gaining a warm and comforting tarry quality and a phenolic presence. Creosote, lemon, Seville orange, rhubarb, sage and brine build alongside the smoke. Finish: Medium/long. Initially herbal, smoky and citric, but the late finish and aftertaste bring a most unexpected chocolate-malt note, which is delightful. The initial nose is refreshing and crisp, and continues to open and develop as it rests. After a while, sweeter fruity aromas become apparent and these are in turn followed by more lemon, some soy sauce and just a little discreet oak. It's a marvellous nose, and classic Islay all the way. The palate is just a half point less impressive than the nose but that does not mean it disappoints, as it has a rich and satisfying character. Don't add water, this is just perfect neat. An (unfortunately) rare example of a good value TRE bottling. At retail prices, when it's available, this costs about AUD$160, but when I purchased it at Sydney airport a while back it was AUD$115 for a 1 litre bottle, and at that price I'd certainly recommend it. It's very different in profile to the Lagavulin 16 I tasted yesterday, but easily its equal. I've tasted several of the peated Bunnahabhain expressions and this one is far and away my favourite. "Very Good" : 85/100 (4 stars)

Au nez : sec et poivré, une belle note de céréale, particulièrement de foin, tourbe amer et marine, puis vient une amande légèrement épicée, le tout toujours accompagné d’une touche d’algue et d’une touches d’herbes aromatiques Au palais : poivré et tourbé, la tourbe est caoutchouteuse, poivrée et marine, des notes pleines de caractères, chaudes et épicées et une légère réglisse La finale est moyenne et tourbée Note personnelle : 91/100 Vraiment très bon whisky qui malgré une forte tourbe propose tout de meme nombreuses autres saveurs. Un whisky complexe et plein de caractère

A really nice, moderately peated whiskey. Picked this up in Heathrow Duty Free for 85 USD for a liter bottle. Not a bad price, but not necessarily worth going out of your way in your travels for.

50% abv Natural color Non chill-filtered Nose: quite complex! phenolic peat smoke; vanilla; slight floral; slight earthiness; dried sweet fruit. Taste: rich, juicy sweet and acidic, with citrus-laden bonfire peat smoke; chili pepper; honeyed-vanilla; slight fishiness; apple; brine; fudgy coffee; hint of spice and plum. Finish: medium, with orange citrus; vanilla; cherry cola. A lingering sweet spearmint at the tail end. Value: Travel exclusive around $100 USD Final thoughts: this is an interesting, young peated whiskey. Not a lot of depth but it somewhat compensates with its complexity. You could do far worst for a travel exclusive. All in all, enjoyable but overpriced. Score: 3.5/5. Recommend trying or buying at a good price. Malt musing: “Whisky is sunlight held together by water.” Link to video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX2SImwuQpU&t