Whisky: Bunnahabhain Staoisha 7 Year, SMWS 10.213 “A slice of peat-heaven”

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 60.6%

Cask: 2nd Fill Oloroso Butt

Age: 7 Year (Distilled 17 Oct. 2013)

Nose:  Meat, spice, and char. Slightly funky notes of pickled trotters carried into fragrant Chinese five-spice, black vinegar, and caramelized meat. The funk continued with shrimp paste with balsamic vinegar and the sweet char of scorched stone pot rice. Hints of tobacco lingered in the background.

Palate:  Full-bodied with sweet maritime, smoke, and spice.  Salty roasted seaweed, barley miso, and burnt brisket ends with sweet shoyu.  Charcoal smoke and burning green wood arrived at once and parted to leave behind pepper, roasted duck skin, and hōjicha— roasted green tea.

Finish:  Lingering slightly bitter roasty maritime and barley notes.

Score: 7

Mental Image: Stone Pot Bibimbap and Boricha

Notes:  Sweet and roasty with notes of scorched rice and slightly bitter tea— this Bunnahabhain was a full course meal replete with many of my favorite notes. The briny-meaty tang that brought to mind pickled trotters quickly faded to another memory starring pigs’ feet: the time I was tasked, all alone in a backyard kitchen, with a giant pot of hot oil and told to drop in the trotters. And, whenever the oil settled down, I was told to ladle in some water, so the oily became agitated again. I am happy to report that the trotters were properly crisp, and I did not burn down the outdoor kitchen.

Overall, I thought this bottle was exceptional. Some of the subtle roasty and meaty notes that came alive as duck and hōjicha reminded me of Laphroaig 25— though they were a bit rougher and more robust here than on the elderly Frog. While I am not always convinced that the SMWS premium over other bottlers on staoisha releases has been worth it, this bottle certainly was.