Bunnahabhain is renowned as one of the three historical Islay distilleries of unpeated whisky. In 2015 they decided to launch the Mòine (Galeic for peated) range to offer their interpretation of Islay peat. Over the past years the range presente more and more issues, limited release, particular finishes, and several experiments. This bottle is a NAS (off-the-record they said 6 years of maturation) presented in 2018, unfiltered and uncolored, with the distillery’s signature ABV of 46,3%.
- Type: Single malt
- Origin: Scotland
- ABV: 46.5%
- Cask: not declared
- Age: not declared
- Price: $50 – €40
- Details: –
TASTING NOTES – BUNNAHABHAIN MÒINE
Nose
the usual marine and smoky Islay notes are joined by citrus and herbal scents, licorice, green apple, and Williams pear. Its overall profile is still fairly young, with cereal and malt biscuits to the fore, but the peat is convincing and pleasing.
Palate
peat is distinctively intense to the palate, but it moves along citrus and herbal nuances rather than medicinal or ethereal ones. Salty, marine, then algae, smoked fish, and flint stone. There are also sweet notes of cinnamon, vanilla, and salted caramel.
Finish
peat fades to sweeter tones: caramelized lemon zest, mint and licorice toffee, salted butter, cloves.
This Mòine is an interesting entry-level to Bunnahabhain’s peated range. For a really fair price, there’s all the spirit of Islay with a pinch of youth in a more joyful and smoother expression.
Rating: 85