The Basics:
Do I recommend it?: It gets a slightly-warmer-than-tepid recommendation from me.
Availability: It was limited, but I’d guess something similar will hit the shelves of your local Total Wine at some point.
ABV: 52% abv
Presentation: Unchillfiltered and natural color
General information: Peated, so this would be what people are now dubbing a Staoisha.
Bottling type: Independent
Character: Dirty, smoky and oily.
Score: 81/100
The details:
Located on the Sound of Islay facing off toward the neighboring Isle of Jura from the coast north of the town of Port Askaig, Bunnahabhain was founded in 1881. In 1887, it became a founding member of Highland Distillers (now Edrington) when it joined with the Glenrothes distillery on Speyside. It remained with Highland Distillers as a somewhat unloved and unrecognized workhorse for their blends until 2003, when it was sold to Burn Stewart. In new hands, Bunnahabhain has flourished, with an vastly expanded core range and plenty of special releases, and all official bottlings are now integrity-presented.
Somewhat unusually for an Islay whisky, Bunnahabhain has generally not been peated (at least in recent memory), aiming more for mellow, subtle, slightly maritime and gently sherried character, instead. However, the distillery has been producing some peated spirit in recent years, which shows up in both proprietary and independent bottlings. Indie bottlers typically dub peated Bunnahabhain “Staoisha”.
Battlehill is an imprint of indie bottler Duncan Taylor; to my knowledge, it is only available at Total Wine. They tend to be on the youngish side, and fairly high–although not full cask–strength; although they have no clear specification on the presentation, a little research shows that they are unchillfiltered and natural color. When Total Wine first came to my area, they carried this stuff in huge quantities; nowadays (again, at least in my area) you’re…lucky, I guess?…if there are 2-3 on the shelf at any given time. They tend to be inexpensive, relatively speaking, and in my experience, they are fine enough malts that aren’t in any danger of wowing anyone. This peated Bunnahabhain is a little rough-and-ready, and definitely only for those who don’t mind peat smoke and a somewhat dirty dram; with that in mind, it’s not bad at all, certainly given the price paid (for me, $40-50).
Battlehill Bunnahabhain 7 year old, 52% abv
Bottling Information:
Expression: Bunnahabhain 7 year old
Bottler: Duncan Taylor
Range: Battlehill
Bottle Code: 20/06/22/277
Presentation: Unchillfiltered and natural color
Details: Peated malt, 1 of 3,000 bottles
Price: $50
Availability: You’re probably not going to dig up this particular iteration, but I’d expect another similar version is available or will come along sooner or later.
Distillery Information:
Region: Islay
Location: Port Askaig, Argyllshire
Geography: Coastal
Date Founded: 1881
Owner: Burn Stewart
Website: https://bunnahabhain.com/
Capacity: 2,740,000
Plant Summary: MASH TUN: Traditional; WASHBACKS: 9 Wood; STILLS: 4; HEAT SOURCE: Steam; CONDENSER: Shell and Tube
Total expressions sampled: 7
Overall distillery score: S
Tasting notes:
Nose: Ashy, herbal and oily. Vegetable oil. Dried oregano. Ripe white peach. Paper ash. Light smoke. Rather fat, with a trace of green olive.
Body: Medium, oily.
Palate: Salty ham. Vegetable oil. Cantaloupe with prosciutto. Dried rosemary, light woodsmoke. Green olive stuffed with pimento. Gunpowder.
Finish: Medium, gentle smoke, sage, brined capers.
Score: 81/100
Who should buy it?: People who know they like an oily, smoky, dirty dram. Skip on down if that ain’t your cup of tea.
Overall thoughts: A decent, interesting, budget friendly peated dram from one of my favorite distilleries; there’s better balanced peated whisky out there, including from Bunnahabhain, but not likely for a better price.
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