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Bunnahabhain Toiteach

Smoke on the horizon

0 687

@FiberfarReview by @Fiberfar

9th Jun 2015

0

  • Nose
    23
  • Taste
    22
  • Finish
    22
  • Balance
    20
  • Overall
    87

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

This is my second peated Bunnahabhain, the first one being Young & Feisty by Douglas Laing, which I quite liked but perhaps was a bit too much on the young side.

Toiteach is better in all regards. The price in Norway (which at one point was lower than the UK, not sure if it still is) makes it a natural comparison to Laphroaig's Quarter Cask. I will not do a comparative review, but I'll say right now that if I did, QC would come out on top by only a small amount.

Nose: I'm immediately met with a warm, welcoming fruity sweetness, akin to sherry notes. After a few minutes in the glass, smoke and salt is making its way into the mix. I'll admit there are fusel alcohol notes to be found in the nose, implying a young age, but they are in no way unpleasant or dominant. After a while, I also found pleasant notes of leather.

I don't think I've ever had a glass of Toiteach and thought to myself "yep, same as last time". I'll admit my nose have been a bit off at times, but not every time. To me, this makes Toiteach interesting, while some might describe this as unbalanced, I'd rather call it enjoyable.

Taste: Sherry sweetness, a faint taste of chocolate. Pepper and smoke.

Finish: A delicious sweetness balanced against smoke, pepper and unripe plums.

With a splash of water, the sherry influence is more easily recognized, but without the whisky in any way being too sweet. I found the smoke and peppery notes to be somewhat more powerful, and more pleasant.

Comment: Balanced? Perhaps not, but not in a way that to me made this unpleasant in any way. I think Bunnahabhain certainly has proved they can make solid peated whisky.

Bunnahabhain is quickly becoming a favorite.

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6 comments

@Ol_Jas
Ol_Jas commented

Interesting (and reliable? I think so) info on Bunnahabhain's modern peated runs is here:

thewhiskeyjug.com/whiskey/…

I've only had a single barrel IB from 1997, which I wasn't too hot about (too grassy). I'm pretty keen to try some more, though. I'd probably get one of these-here Toiteachs if I were doing an order from an online seller that has a decent price. No way am I paying the $90 that local shops want for it.

8 years ago 0

@Fiberfar
Fiberfar commented

I enjoyed reading that, thanks! I'm interested in the CeĆ²banach, but it is too expensive for me at the moment. Hopefully before the run is over unless the price skyrockets. Yeah, Toiteach is on the pricy side, from what I can tell. Here I give the same for a CQ so it makes little difference one bottle to or from. Hopeyou get to try it, @OlJas

8 years ago 0

@Alexsweden
Alexsweden commented

I've had the toiteach on a couple of occasions. I think its really good, good flavors but a bit pricy.

8 years ago 0

@Alexsweden
Alexsweden commented

I've had the toiteach on a couple of occasions. I think its really good, good flavors but a bit pricy.

8 years ago 0

@Alexsweden
Alexsweden commented

I've had the toiteach on a couple of occasions. I think its really good, good flavors but a bit pricy.

8 years ago 0

@Fiberfar
Fiberfar commented

The Toiteach is $71 here (549,- NOK), with the Quarter Cask coming in at $72. For once I'm really happy with having such a great dram at a reasonable price.

8 years ago 0

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