Bunnahabhain Moine Oloroso

I really enjoy a peated Bunnahabhain there is something slightly different about the peat in a Bunnahabhain over the other offerings on Islay. The barley is peated at Port Ellen maltings and is also used in the Ledaig offerings from the Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull. Both distilleries having the same parent company in Burn Stewart of East Kilbride.

The flavour profile of this bottle is very self explainitory where “Moine” means peat in Gaelic and Oloroso is a type of dry sherry. This therefore is a non age statement sherry matured peated whisky from the Bunnahabhain distillery on one of the remotest parts of Islay.

I have visited the distillery only once on my way to the ferry back to the mainland. The long single track road up to the distillery is not for the faint hearted. You have to endure mud, sheep, huge puddles and cars coming the other way.

At one point it was a face off between me and a large off road vehicle. It was me Vs him on who would give way. As it turned out it was a certain Mr J McEwan (Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Ardnahoe fame) so you know….I let him go first it is only right.

The Dram

This limited edition official release from Bunnahanhain is made from only 7 sherry casks which were laid in warehouse number 7. This is apparently a sea facing warehouse which is great from a marketing perspective but I am not convinced it is really an influence on taste. The cask list must contain at least some first fill sherry casks though from the beautiful colour as you can see in the next section.

The bottle has no age statement but the natural cask strength of 60.1%ABV would suggest it is fairly young. Additionally, this release has not been coloured or filtered.

There are still bottles available for £77.50 here.

Tasting Notes

Colour – the deep red-orange hue of sherry

Nose – classic briny nutty Bunnahabhain character with smoked wood notes. Raisins and milk chocolate

Palate – oily and chewy mouthfeel which almost reminds of sherry. Immediately the peat is apparent but it is not over powering. Chocolate covered toffee sweets.

Finish – The finish is where the peat is more forceful with its ashy charcoal lingering finish hanging around long after the glass is empty. toffee and tobacco notes complete the experience.

Final Thoughts

This is quite young whisky and I did not get the full enjoyment of it until I get it breath in the bottle for nearly a month. It also needs quite a bit of water being at over 60% alcohol to bring out the flavours which are tightly bound up.

It has a lot of great points to it from the classic peated Bunna experience to the sweet yet drying sherry influence. I have noticed I keep coming back to this one so it must be good however I think the price is a little on the heavy side by perhaps a tenner or so.