For quite some time I turned a blind eye on the malts produced by Bunnahabhain Distillery for no specific reason. But then I read a review of a Bunnahabhain malt and from that moment on I knew I had to try it. Luckily, just a few days later I went to a whisky fair, where I tried two different drams from Bunnahabhain. What can I say? I was absolutely stoked by both of them and so I had to get to try more of their whiskies. Earlier this year, I bought this bottle of Bunnahabhain 8yo matured in a refill hogshead. It was distilled in October 2007 and bottled by Douglas Laing for their Provenance range in November 2015. It has these slight notes of chocolate as well as a certain saltiness and some peatiness – a perfect combination in my opinion. If you are a lover of holidays in small guesthouses close to the North Sea coast, then you should definitely give this whisky a try.

by Aaron

Eye: A very light yellow-gold, almost like white wine.
Nose: It smells like having breakfast on the terrace of a small cafe right next to the North Sea. The rough and salty air is mixed with coffee and hot chocolate. At the table to your right, someone puts a twist of lemon in his tea. And from somewhere very far away you get a little hint of the ashtray that was standing on your table the previous evening.
Palate: Much sweeter than you would expect. More sugar and smoky notes than there were in the nose. But keep in mind you are still close to the sea. The saltiness is quite dominant and you have the taste of freshly mowed grass from the dyke on your tongue. Remember the hot chocolate you ordered? It is definitely a dark one, but there is enough sugar to sweeten it.
Finish: A pleasant and long finish that develops more and more peatiness and spiciness.

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Region: Scotland (Islay)
Aged: 8 Years
Cask: Refill Hogshead
Alc. volume: 46%
Bottle size: 0.7 litres
Price range: ~55.00 Euro
More info: http://www.douglaslaing.com/ (Bottler) ; http://www.bremerspirituosencontor.de/ (Importer)