Whisky : Bunnahabhain Staoisha 5 Year, Battlehill Scotch Whisky Co. “Lord Xue Ying”

Country/Region : Scotland/Islay

ABV : 54%

Cask : Sherry Cask Finish

Age : 5 Years (Distilled 2014, Bottled 2019)

Nose : Meaty, smokey, and toasty.  Dirty BBQ grill by the beach, salty air, tar sand, and dried grass.  Notes of briny cheese and marinading meats— brown sugar, herbs, and Worcestershire sauce.  A few drops of water brought out sweet baked goods: the toasted edges of buttery pound cake and the nutty-brown sugar sweetness of a pecan pie.

Palate : Medium bodied with sweet char and ash.  Caramel candies that fell into a burnt out grill pit, charred gristle, and smoked herbs.  More pleasant notes of cola, subtle lemon-lime, and earthy ginger.  Hints of chocolate and cherry left the impression of coca cola brownies at the end.

Finish : Lingering sweet fruity candies and ash.

Score : 7

Mental Image : Limits of the Five Second Rule

Notes :  I knew my wife loved this as soon as she looked up from her glass and asked, “What is this and how much is it?”  She quickly set about googling the bottle to see what chance she had to get another, but got distracted by the character of Lord Xue Ying, the titular protagonist of an anime series… or something to that effect.  Either way, she was thrilled to see an attractive man on the label rather than a scantily clad woman for a change.

This was a bit too ashy and dirty for my taste and I was not quite as taken with it as my peat monster wife.  I did enjoy the transition from smokey grill to pastries on the nose or to brownies on the palate.  A few drops of water brought out some of those sweeter notes a bit more while also amping up the ashiness of the finish.  I love a good layer of thick smoke on a dram, but this was just too much like cleaning a grill pit.

Overall, Staoisha continues to impress and I definitely hope to find some more opportunities to try it with a sherry finish or even oloroso maturation.