For my first review in some time, I figured I'd try something a little different. This is my first (nearly) unpeated Islay. I've had some great experiences with peated Highland/Speyside Scotches, now it's time to flip the script. Nose: Sherry notes jump out of the glass. I get both white and red grape, raisin, date, cranberry, and fig. I'm also getting orange and caramel. Big toffee note and a bit of baking spice. Honey, graham cracke, sandlewood. A healthy dose of oak at the end. The profile falls in line with a sherry/bourbon cask aged highland malt. Palate: Orange peel and those red sherry notes of cranberry, fig, date, and raisin. More grape and now there's some pear. Vanilla, caramel, and toffee. Much spicier than the nose suggested; black pepper and clove. Oak note coming presented as bitter chocolate. Similar notes to the nose, although the spice is now equal to the sweetness and bitterness. If you told me there was no peat at all, I'd believe you. Finish: Best part of the whisky. A slice of rich chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. The red fruit/orange/grape notes remain present before it transitions to black pepper and cinnamon to the conclusion of a moderate length finish. Great stuff here. I know full well that there is a bit of peat here, but I will admit that I don't even pick up a trace. Perhaps my palate isn't up for the task, but I'm detecting nothing remotely characteristic of the Islay region. And yet, that's not a bad thing. Bunna 12 does quite well for what it is. Respectable age statement, quality barrels, appropriately proofed. And on sale for $50 (down from $55) it's a damn good value. Approachable enough for the novice, complex enough to satisfy a seasoned drinker. What's not to like here? It's a rich, well-balanced malt that demonstrates that the Islay region is capable of producing much more than the peat bombs I've come to expect. Highly recommended. Well done, Bunna.