Bunnahabhain 8 2010 SMWS 10.180 "Westering Rhone"

I picked this up a while ago when I wanted to try another Bunnahabhain after I looked over my states and realized that wine casks were doing well for me. I’ve gained more of an appreciation for unpeated malt since I ordered this, so I’m glad it ended up falling so far behind in my reviews. Anyway, here we go.

Bunnahabhain 8, 2010 Vintage, Scotch Malt Whisky Society 10.180, Islay Single Malt, 60.5% ABV

Minutia: Distilled on September 27, 2010 and matured in matured for 8 years yielding 267 bottles. The first 6 years were in an ex-bourbon hogshead before transfer to a charred 2nd-fill ex-red wine barrique. This is part of the Sweet, Fruity & Mellow flavor profile named “Westering Rhone”. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Russet, Muscat; 1.3.

Nose: Sweet, nutty, floral.

Taste: Nutty, grassy, malty. Sharp/hot. Cinnamon.

Finish: Malty, cereal, tart, salty. Medium-long.

While it doesn’t taste like it, it does have a lot of qualities that remind of a dry wine. I like it enough, but it’s a bit hotter than I like, so I’ll probably use some water as I go through the bottle.

Score: 78

Musical Evocation: Automatic Loveletter – “Make-up Smeared Eyes”

SMWS 125.76 Glenmorangie 14 2005 "Like meeting an old friend"

A good friend I hadn’t seen a lot of at the time ended up with a handful of life accomplishments around the same time and I got the idea to spend a bit more and get him one gift for all of those collective occasions. He was a big fan of Lasanta and around the time I had the idea this was fortuitously enough available in the shop. I picked it up and finally got a chance to give it to him after not having seen him in over a year due to covid, so even the name fit the occasion. He was gracious enough to share a dram with me, so I took some notes.

Glenmorangie 14, 2005 Vintage, Scotch Malt Whisky Society 125.76, Highland Single Malt, 57.1% ABV

Minutia: Distilled on February 8, 2005 and matured in a 2nd fill bourbon barrel for 14 years and bottled in 2019 yielding 178 bottles. This is part of the Sweet, Fruity & Mellow flavor profile named “Like meeting an old friend”. Enjoyed neat in a tumbler, at a meeting with an old friend.

Color: Pale straw, 0.2.

Nose: Buttery and malty. Putty. Light stone fruit.

Taste: Malty, peach, minor heat, cereal.

Finish: Bigger malt and cereal. Peach leaps out after. Long

As a peat fan, I found this thoroughly enjoyable. It’s unique among whiskies I’ve tried as I don’t recall ever getting such a distinct peach flavor (or even a faint one, at that). This was bursting with flavor, and the color is unbelievably light for the age and only a second fill barrel. I found myself thinking, “This is what an unpeated whisky should taste like.” Hell of a cask, this one.

Score: 88

Musical Evocation: Ted Nugent – “Good Friends and a Bottle of Wine”