Bunnahabhain 1997 'A Peaty Punch!' Wemyss

This whisky is around 16 years of age and clearly matured on a bourbon cask (if you judge by the color). Since the Wemyss team dubbed this one ‘A Peaty Punch!’ (including the exclamation point), I presume the peat will be quite prevalent. Let us get to work!

Indeed, the nose is quite peaty. Rather sweet and sour then truly smoky, but it does offer quite a few medicinal notes. Iodine, but also ecoline (wait, that is not a medicine, but a type of paint). Grasses, dried even, but also ashes. It turns sweet on a truckload of vanilla and a single drop of honey. Fruit? Err… not yet.

Light body. On the palate it turns very smoky and dirty from the start. Ashes and chili peppers. And then the fruit shows up. Granny Smith apples, mostly, but also a slice of lime. Even a hint of salted peanuts. Having said that, the ashes grab the most attention.

The finish is very clean, which is somewhat contrary to the palate. Who would have guessed? At the death, I get a strange sensation of green herbs.

Another fine Bunna, although I found it a touch too light on the palate.

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