Bunnahabhain Toiteach

Based on my experience with Bunnahabhain 12, this distillery may be one of Islay’s underrated gems. Their flagship 12 year is unpeated, while this Toiteach serves as a peated alternative. I’m hoping this delivers and that Bunna isn’t just a flash in the pan. Nose: Moderate peat smoke, brine, seaweed, and sea salt. Red pepper, black bean chili. Ash, bandaid, and a touch of iodine. Some soft notes of honey and toffee behind the more intense ones that jump out of the glass. Caramel and a big-time butterscotch note. Heavy notes on dark chocolate and vanilla as it starts to open up. Palate: More of the coastal and peat notes. Brine and sea salt. There are now some additional earthy peat notes, more ash and some rubber. Some smoked meat/brisket notes. Black bean, red pepper chili adds some nice heat. Heavy butterscotch and peanut butter. Sugar cookie. Vanilla and caramel. Cinnamon and white pepper. Finish: Mix of briny and earthy peat and smoke. Red pepper, black bean chili. Caramel, vanilla, sugar cookie, malt, and toffee. Cinnamon and black pepper. Moderate length. Solid. Across the board. Good nose, good palate, good finish. Respectable ABV. I appreciate the non-chill filter. Great balance between coastal and earthy peat. At $70, this is exactly where this should be priced—not a dollar more or less. It’s a strange one. It fails to exceeds expectations in any one place, but simultaneously checks every box. Bunnahabhain, as a distillery, seems to be game. Definitely going to dig deeper. 4/5 even.

A little too much peat, but otherwise a nice clean taste

Nose: floral scent, smoke but reminds me of burning dry forest brush, a light whiff of chocolate, vegetal funk, spent match sulphur Taste: smoke, woody, salt, grilled grapefruit, menthol, slightly bitter Finish: salty, paracetamol Not a big fan of this. Reminds me of a cross between a Kilchoman Machir Bay and a Ben Nevis 10. But in a "sum is less than the parts" kind of way.