Bunnahabhain's Stiùireadair single malt pays homage to the distillery's shoreline on the north-east coast of Islay. They used whisky matured in first and second fill Sherry casks, with a leaning towards deliciously coastal malt.
Brine, toasted sugar and caramel-drizzled raisins.
Honey-roasted nuts, cinnamon and clove, with a touch of salt sea too.
Sherried peels and chilli-chocolate.
Obvious sherry and oak smell, but also raisins, plums (or any dried dark fruit). The sherry taste comes through quite obviously at first. After, the dark fruit comes through, but tastes closer to cherries and chocolate than what I'd have expected from the smell. I bought this after trying the 12 year Bunnahabhain in Edinburgh over the weekend. The major difference is the smoothness, which you'd expect. The 12 year is pretty perfect for a sherry cask whisky. The non-age statement is perfect at this price point though. You won't get many of this quality between £25-£40. Better than Glenfidich for me.
I put off buying a bottle,as I'd got it in my head it was a novelty weeker tasting trial bottle that wouldn't touch the 12 year old. My dad bought one for my birthday this month and... I Love It.
Nice flavoured whiskey with a mild taste and salt flavour
Good specs for "entry level" (46%ABV, no chill-filtration, no added colour). And despite being NAS, this is at least as well integrated a whisky as you'd typically expect with a 10 or 12 year age statement. Stiuireadair has quite a different character, without the trademark "woodiness" of Bunna's excellent 12-year. But as a "maritime" malt plus good, but not overwhelming, sherry cask influence Stiuireadair more than holds its own as "the business" in it's own right. Good as it is, I would probably still not buy this at full price, simply because there are a few other malts I happen to prefer (including Bunna 12) available for not much more money. However - and it's a BIG "however" - Stiuireadair is usually available with a good discount from various supermarkets or Amazon. And at 30-ish squids a go, sometimes even less, it's an absolutely cracking "bang for buck" affordable everyday dram. I'm currently on my third bottle and it certainly won't be my last.
was it smooth? not very smooth on the palate, needs some drops of water. was ot tasty? Yes !! Sweet, nutty, bit salt , nice complexity bringing all tastes together in a balanced way. I liked it a lot , not hangover next day.
