Bunnahabhain "Toiteach a Dha" (70cl, 46.3%)

Get to know: Bunnahabhain Toiteach a Dhà

A smoky Islay single malt Scotch whisky matured in ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks.

Tasting Note

Smoke arrives first, warm and earthy, then steps aside for something sweeter. Deep amber in the glass, with sherry and rich oak sitting behind the peat on the nose. The palate turns to sweet Oloroso influence and oak, with a delicate pepper running along the edge of it. Bottled at 46.3% and left unchill-filtered, so it carries real weight and a slightly oily texture. The finish is long and rich.

Serving suggestions:

• Neat in a tulip glass, with a few drops of water to open up the sherry side
• Over one large cube of ice if you want the smoke dialled back
• In a Penicillin, where the honey, ginger and lemon give the peat something to push against

Kate Says

"Bunnahabhain are the odd ones out on Islay - they've made their name on unpeated whisky, so a smoky bottling from them is always going to be interesting. This one leans hard into the Oloroso casks, which is why the smoke never takes over. Pour it neat, add a drop of water, and give it ten minutes."

Producer Info

Bunnahabhain sits on the Sound of Islay at the northern tip of the island, down a single-track road that only replaced the boat crossing in 1960. Their stills are the tallest on Islay, pear-shaped with long swan necks, which keeps the heavier flavour compounds out of the spirit and gives it a lighter character. Everything they bottle goes out non-chill filtered with no added colour.

How it's made:

• Base: peated malted barley
• Distilled in Bunnahabhain's pear-shaped copper pot stills, the tallest on the island
• Matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and sherry casks, with a higher sherry influence than the distillery's core style
• Oloroso sherry casks doing the heavy lifting on the palate
• Non-chill filtered, with no added colour

Good to know:

• Region: Islay, Scotland
• Style: Peated single malt Scotch whisky
• Closure: Not supplied
• ABV: 46.3%
• Age statement: No age statement
• Bottle size: 70cl

Why we love it:

An Islay single malt whisky for anyone who likes peat with something sweet underneath it. The sherry casks give the smoke a soft landing, and at 46.3% there's plenty of body to work with, whether you drink it neat or stretch it into a cocktail.