Scotch Whisky Review #121: Bunnahabhain Toiteach a Dhà

Distillery: Bunnahabhain

Region: Islay

ABV: 46.3

Age: NAS

Cask Type: Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry Cask

Price: $6.19 for a 1 oz pour during Happy Hour

Color: 1.2, Chestnut/Oloroso Sherry. Non Chill Filtered and Natural Color.

Nose: The sherry influence is immediately noticeable. There’s a also a lovely sweet, smokey peat note with a bit of salty sea air. The combination of the three results in something a lot like barbecue potato chips.

Palate: Honestly, the best way to describe this is that it is liquified, alcoholic barbecue potato chips. It’s slightly sweet and tangy, slightly salty, and also got a little bit of smoke to it. Really lovely.

Finish: Super long. More of those barbecue chips.

Conclusion: While I love a complex dram with loads of flavors to pick out, every now and again I have something that reminds me that there is beauty in simplicity. This whisky is definitely one of those. It’s incredibly straight forward, with the same three notes from start to finish, but man is it incredibly done. Would I buy a bottle? Absolutely.

Final Score: 82.

Scotch Whisky review #121, Islay Whiskey Review #13, Whisky Network Review #161

Scoring Legend:

• 96-100: The perfect dram, nectar of the gods.
• 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky.
• 85-89: Amazing, will always try to keep a bottle of this in my collection (if feasible).
• 80-84: Very Good, maybe only one minor nitpick about the whisky keeping it here.
• 75-79: Good, quite enjoyable to drink.
• 70-74: Solid, wouldn’t go out of my way to get it.
• 60-69: Meh, still drinkable.
• Below 59: If you have a bottle of this, start cooking with it instead.