Bunnahabhain Toiteach A Dhà

Nose: A sweet and gentle peaty aroma. Pungent, but not acrid or sharp. Red berries and sweet fruits in the background from the sherry casks, along with notes of camphorwood and clove oil. There is a briny presence but unlike most peated Bunnahabhain it's not maritime. It's more savory, like the aroma of heavily salted barbecue pork. Palate: Starting sweet and fruity, it rapidly gains a grapefruit and slight plastic/rubber note. Green capsicum, cabbage water, green apple peel and gherkin brine follow as it develops, culminating in a bright, shimmering saline presence that cascades into the finish. The mouth-feel is drying, cooling but just a little too much on the watery side for my preference, with a brackish character. Finish: Medium. Cracked black pepper leading into a salty aftertaste. The nose is most enjoyable - complex, rounded and satisfying. However I thought the palate did not live up to the nose, being rather simple and thin with the only outstanding notes being some strident salt and bitter/sour fruit. Nevertheless, on the whole I liked the profile but I thought both the strength and texture could be improved. I would very much like to taste it at a slightly higher abv and with a more oily texture. As it is it seemed a little shallow. Adding a dash of water did deepen the mouth-feel but it also compromised everything else. If you do like this profile then you're probably going to enjoy it most when neat. It's an acceptable and enjoyable dram, worth trying but not one I would ever buy. There are many more interesting peated whiskies from which to choose, including several from Bunnahabhain. Tasted from a 30ml sampler. "Above Average" : 81/100 (3 stars)

The nose has some smoke, but quite a bit of sweet sherry and brine. Perhaps a hint of vanilla. Decently smokey. I can taste the classic Bunnahabhain flavor behind the smoke, but it's a bit muted by peat and sherry, though I get some buttery shortbread. The sherry flavors here are sweet and raisiny. I get a bitter, vegetal, earthy aftertaste mixed with salt and ashy smoke. I think it's a decent whiskey, but the finish is a bit unusual and I can't decide if I like it or not. The ashy smoke lingers, which I like quite a bit, but I'm not as keen on the bitter vegetal note. I'll have to drink more and see if my opinion changes. I had a small pour of this, followed by a decent sized pour of Laphroaig Lore, followed by more of this which is what I'm actually reviewing. I'll have to revisit it some other night and just have it by itself.

I don't think this is a fair review. Is there that much lack of flavor profile on this that only two or three characteristics barely scratch the surface and the rest are zero? What is this? Just some smelly water cut down to 53.7% WBV by alcohol? I THINK NOT!!!!! It deserves a more fair shake.

Nose: Iodone, mint, anise. Toffee, treacle. Green bell peppers, camphor. Earthy peat and smoke - oversmoked brisket. Green apples with lemon juice, honey, with some floral characteristics. Palate: Earth, iodine, ash. Honeyed stonefruits, orange blossom, green apple. Black pepper, vanilla, and some oak. Wintergreen, lemon oil, pine sap and tar. Graham cracker and a slight cocoa/dusty leather. Mouthfeel is medium light, with medium-high oil content. Finish begins with a wash of wood, ash, dusty earth, and light stonefruit. The sweeter layers peel off revealing some cocoa and dusty leather, which stays pretty consistent until the end, when some of the tannins pop out and you get a little brightness from the ethanol, along with green apple at the very tail end. Medium-long finish. Other notes: Being totally unfamiliar with anything else Bunnahabhain, I'm liking this. A little different from what I normally reach for as far as Islay is concerned, the flavors on display are nice, albeit unique. This sits somewhere between Ardbeg and Laphroaig, if I had to make a comparison. Well worth a buy, though I probably won't seek it out again.