Bunnahabhain Staoisha 6 Year (2014), Signatory Vintage Cask 10721 for Spec’s
Whisky: Bunnahabhain Staoisha 6 Year (2014), Signatory Vintage Cask 10721 for Spec’s
Country/Region: Scotland/Islay
ABV: 60%
Cask: Dechar/Rechar Hogshead
Age: 6 Years (Distilled 23 Oct. 2014, Bottled 29 April 2021)
Nose: Brine and medicinal herbs, tar, menthol, camphor, charcoal, beach debris, hints of shellfish and coconut flesh.
Palate: Medium to full-bodied, viscous, brine, tar, bonfire, hints of tropical fruit, spice, more smoke and salt at the end with peppercorn.
Finish: Medium-length with spirited tickle, smoke, earth, and salt.
Score: 7
Mental Image: Impromptu Beach Cleanup
Narrative & Notes: The aroma was pungent and sinus-clearing with a supersaturated brine and a load of medicinal herbs. Camphor and menthol stood out with hints of vanilla between sand-crusted beach tar and charred coconut palm debris. Slightly woody, damp, and decaying beach debris arrived with time; hints of shellfish and coconut flesh promised a rustic snack. Medium to full-bodied and viscous with brine, tar, beach bonfires, and hints of tropical fruit. Beach debris, from dried-out driftwood to musty coconut fronds and broken shells, were gathered and set alight. Grilled pineapple rings and dried mango developed with an acrid smoke, nutmeg, and cloves. The brine carried on at the end with more smoke and a peppery bite. The finish was medium-length with a spirited tickle, smoke, earth, and salt.
Beachy is one word I would use to describe this heavily peated Bunnahabhain. Signatory seems to have no end to these aggressively phenolic young malts even as their partners, Ultimate Whisky Co., for example, have raided the Signatory warehouse to put out a number of them. Knowing there is so much of this malt stashed away, I assume Signatory contracted to fill many hundreds of casks, and I cannot wait to see how this spirit develops with more time in the cask. I enjoy it young and brash, particularly when a refill, or recharred cask, tames some of the phenolic sweetness that can otherwise come to dominate— an aspect that I suspect Octomore fans appreciate more than I do.
Overall, a coastal delight!
Image Credit: Whiskybase
