Bunnahabhain 4 Year Old 2013 The Ultimate

Apart from Moine (meaning peat) there is another heavily peated Bunna called Staoisha. It is a reference to one of the water sources used by the distillery on Islay for the production of their peaty whisky. This cask was filled with spirit in 2013 and bottled at very young age by van Wees, the Dutch bottler. They don’t come much paler than this.

The nose reminds me in all honesty al lot of new make. Lots of grain – sweet malt, by the way – pear drops, vanilla and woodsmoke. Some baked eggs, which is a first for me! Immature, but not unpleasant for that matter.

It continues on the palate, albeit with a sweet uppercut of vanilla and a smoke development that is unrivaled. The ABV makes me gasp for breath. A salty note in the background, but lots of sweetness to the fore with quite a bit of peat. Powerful and in your face. Quite cheeky, but I like it.

The finish again betrays its young age, but it’s all good in my book.

Not a champion, but that’s impossible at this age, of course. Having said that, this is the ideal dram to sip around a bonfire during winter.

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