My pal David from Berlin not only co-runs the Whisky & Vinyl blog, but also writes and records music under his alias Wiljalba. For the release of his latest album “Lost Valley” he came up with something special: he paired his CD and LP with a limited edition whisky from the Signatory Vintage repository. The drop in question is a heavily peated Bunnahabhain 6yo that is quite fierce and feisty in character. With its edges not yet rounded off by time and its nature both true and untamed, I find this bonfire-y smoke bomb to be a fanstastic accompaniment to Wiljalba’s thoughtful, gloomy music. Although this Bunnahabhain is also available on its own from specialist mailorders, I recommend to buy it as a package with the “Lost Valley” album. If you can handle a truckload of peat going hand in hand with a torrid ABV, you will certainly have a fun time sipping the juice while jamming the tunes!

by Tobi

Eye: Apple juice with a good splash of water.
Nose: A thick wave of puffy bonfire smoke rises from the glass. It is followed by fresh notes of birch wood and light fruits. If I sniff this young and edgy Bunna a little longer, I also find vanilla milk and maracuja yogurt – seasoned with a spoonful of sea salt.
Palate: Kaboom! The first sip is quite overpowering. The second and the third, however, tell us more about this peated Islay beast: It brims with heavy smoke, stewed pear, dried herbs and crab meat. A few drops of water tame the spirit a little nad make it a lot sweeter.
Finish: The smoke remains. It blends with sweet licorice and warm apple compote to form a good, lasting finish.

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Region: Islay
Age: 6 years
Alc. volume: 60.7 per cent
# of bottles: 220
Bottle size: 0.7 litres
Price range: ~50.00 Euro
More info: https://www.wiljalba.com/ (Bottler) ; https://bunnahabhain.com/ (Distillery)