Whisky of the Month (August 2011): Bunnahabhain

SGwhisky's Whisky of the Month August 2011: Bunnahabhain


Following on from the high of the past two whisky of the month segments, SGwhisky will now love to add on to the list by introducing a lesser known but highly unique whisky from the revered island of Islay, which is home to giants like Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg. Far from the powerful peated monsters from their Islay neighbours, this month's whisky of the month is known affectionately as the Gentle Spirit of Islay. Here's presenting to one and all the whisky of the month for August 2011, Bunnahabhain.

Credits: www.whisky-pages.com

Distillery Information (From Malt Madness):

Name: Bunnahabhain

Region: Islay

Founded: 1883

Owners: Burn Stewart Distillers

Address: Port Askaig, Islay, Argyll, PA46 7RR, Scotland

Website: www.bunnahabhain.com

Located at the north of Islay, Bunnahabhain is located close to the iconic Sound of Islay, a body of water at the coast of the island. Near to Bunnahabhain lies Diageo's workhorse distillery on Islay, Caol Ila (which is interestingly the Gaelic phrase for Sound of Islay), and these two distilleries are the only two located at this part of the the island.

In terms of whisky style, Bunnahabhain has gone to great lengths to differentiate itself from its illustrious neighbours. As highlighted earlier, it has gained the moniker 'Gentle Spirit of Islay' and this is due to the low levels of peat used in the production of Bunnahabhain's whisky, resulting in a whisky that is lightly smoky compared to the power punches the likes of Lagavulin and Ardbeg offer. This by no means equates to poorer quality but rather to a very different style that shows off the versatility of the whiskies made on Islay. The fact that Bunnahabhain's production puts it as one of the largest producing distilleries on Islay (ahead of Lagavulin and Laphroaig), indicates that it is a big player in the world of whiskies.

In terms of whisky style, Bunnahabhain's whiskies have a nice salty tinge to it, a hint of smoke and some winey notes, proving once and for all its unique status in the world of Islay whiskies. This year, Bunnahabhain's owners, Burn Stewart Distillers, announced that it would be revamping the expressions by Bunnahabhain and its sister distilleries Tobermory and Deanston. The new expressions from the distilleries will be of the same age statements by-and-large, but will be bottled at a healthier 46.3%, a move well received by whisky enthusiasts around the world. This change was indeed timely as the image of Bunnahabhain had slipped due to a perceived drop in quality in the past few years.

The New Bunnahabhain 18 (46.3%)

Credits: Loch Fyne Whiskies

Despite its image as the gentle spirit of Islay, Bunnahabhain has also experimented with interesting finishes and peated runs, making it one of the distilleries that have jumped on the experimental wagon. The results of these experiments have led to several special releases and the Toiteach, a heavily peated expression from the distillery that showcases the peaty side to the whisky.

Here in Singapore, Bunnahabhain's reputation has also grown, thanks to the efforts of Planet Spirits and Quaich Bar, who are the distributors for the brand here. Whilst it definitely still plays second fiddle to the bigger brands, it is definitely one of the brands that are starting to make waves in the local market. For this segment, SGwhisky will be trying both the old and new versions of Bunnahabhain's expressions, to see for ourselves how the changes have affected the quality of what's in the bottle so stay tuned!

So for National Day this year, why don't give this lesser known Islay distillery a shot, and see what this Gentle Spirit is all about!