Meaning "smoked 2" in Gaelic, this Toiteach A Dhà follows on from the limited version, Toiteach.
This is the first peaty expression in the regular range from Islay distillery Bunnahabhain.
Matured in bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks.
It is not cold-filtered.
Our tasting note from Thomas
The nose offers a combination of smoke and salinity. Cold stone and sage add depth, as do icy mint and vinegar chips. However, we shouldn't restrict it to this aspect. There are, for example, caramel, resinous touches (pine sap) or even a little praline and brown sugar.
Aeration offers a drier reading, with wood and spices (cinnamon, clove, sweet pepper). Finally, a little tobacco, mellow citrus fruit and a hint of blackcurrant make their appearance.
Prolonged opening brings out the sweetness.
The palate is rich and, in the end, not very smoky. Sea vegetation takes over, with seaweed and anchovies. Dark chocolate, almonds, dates and red berries follow in a sweet atmosphere. The second half of the palate gains raisins and black pepper.
The finish is peaty (vegetal), close to dried fruit (raisins, dates), salty and peppery. Flavors of barley, dry smoke and spices (pepper, cloves) remain.
" A peated whisky that plays on the contrast between sweet roundness and drier spices..."
SMIT ELIANE
was out of stock.
I bought a Port Charlotte instead.
Alas, it has become rare and very expensive, but when you like whisky with a lot of bend, it's supper.