If the movie industry has proven anything (apart from Tom Hanks being a treasure), it's that people love a good sequel. Well, that idea is coming over to the whisky world - this right here is Bunnahabhain's Toiteach a Dhà, which means "Smoky Two" in Gaelic. It's the sequel to their popular peaty treat Bunnahabhain Toiteach, featuring a much more up-front core of sherried spice shining out between the smoky plumes.
Roasted peanuts, cinnamon and red chilli flakes, blackcurrant and Port.
Sea salt and kippers, dark chocolate, sultanas, a touch of cantaloupe.
Barley, dry smoke and pepper.
In sweden we get the pleasure of paying 33£ for this wonderful dram. Close to a year ago I got a bottle to share with my wifes granddad during a joint vacation, I hated every drop of this. It tasted like garbish. Like something was off, bad batch of peat I’d say! I’ve been in love with Ardbeg & Laphroaig for close to 10 years now, having tasted hundreds of whiskies so far I reconed something must’ve gone terribly bad. Got another bottle awhile ago and needless to say, I was right. The new bottle I aqquired is wonderful (for its price range) If you love peaty whisky and happen to find this for 30-40 pounds, give it a go! P.S. Mixes very well with a heavy sherried whisky, I used 1.25 CL of Glenfarclas 17 to 1 CL of Bunnahabhain, a smoky, heavy sheried dram with a long lingering finish.
I've been enjoying a couple of drams a week for about two months now and am still unsure as to how much I really like this whisky. There are a few things worth noting, however: 1) It's there, but the peatiness and smokiness is far more subtle than the well known, heavily peated whiskys (Laphroaig, Ardbeg, etc). If you're a peat monster this might not be for you. 2) The fruit flavors are very lively, I tend to get a lot of raisin and a little plum. It's not as overtly fruity as the sherry bombs of this world but it's certainly palatable. 3) The nose is where I get most of the smoke from - when I first smelled the nose I was expecting a really smokey dram but in actual fact it's a lot calmer than the nose leads you to believe. 4) The mouthfeel is quite oily and rich and certainly feels more like a sherried whisky than a peated one. 5) The finish long lasting but subtle - neither the smokiness promised by the nose, nor the fruitiness promised from the palate, is markedly present. Instead there a subtle creaminess to it with a hint of spice. Given this description you're probably wondering why I'm still unsure about this whisky. Firstly I'd say if you have a chance try it and, if you don't mind doing so, buy a bottle and really give it a chance. It does change and open up once uncorked and this does alter the characteristics of it. Secondly, if you've got specific preference i.e. heavily-sherried, heavily-peated, etc then this whisky may not be for you as the flavours are not right in your face like say a Glendronach (sherried) or Ardbeg (peated) but they are present. The reason why I'm torn over this whisky is that I'm not convinced the balance between the smoke and the fruit is entirely right. Are all those things there? Absolutely. Do they taste good? Yes. Do they complement each other? Hmmmm. I don't know. I am a rank amateur, but in my mind the balance isn't quite right or harmonious enough - for me it feels like rather than tasting the flavours together, as if in some sort of beautiful marriage, you get hits of one then the other then the other and it feels disjointed. What this is down to I do not know, and I certainly cannot say I haven't enjoyed drinking it, I'm just unconvinced that the balance and harmony is there and, as such, I'm not sure I'd buy another bottle.
Here's a top review, don't read reviews. There are some rather odd opinions to read. Get a sample, if you like it, buy the bottle, if you don't, move on.
Nose - raisins, Smoke, peat, apricots Palate - more Raisins, Coffee, chocolate, smoke (but less than expected from the nose). Intense fired oak and peat. Finish - smoke, vanilla, sherry pepper A cracking dram. Tried an Octomore 8.1 a few weeks ago. Reminded me of this but less intense palate.
Burnt rubber, burnt rubber and more burnt rubber. So much so that it is actually unpleasant. Minimal finish, bitter and very short. Not a successful experiment. "The Chaps at Master of Malt" were clearly paid to write a favorable review.
