SMWS 10.118 Enthralling pink and peat intensity

Whisky Review

• ABV: 60.6%
• Age: 10 Years Old
• Bottling: SMWS, Cask 10.118, 1st Fill Port Barrique Finished, 254 Bottles
• Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky
• Cost: £Sold out
• Origin: Bunnahabhain Distillery
• Vintage: 2006

What they say

Cask No. 10.118                         

Enthralling pink and peat intensity

Cask: First-fill Port barrique
Age: 10 years
Date distilled: December 2006
Alcohol: 60.6%

After nine years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky directly into a 1^st fill Port barrique for the remainder of its maturation.

Official tasting notes:

• The colour, a red blush like a rose wine, was aptly followed by sweet and fruity aromas of raspberry smoked maple jam, red candied apples and pink candyfloss.
• Hot, smoky and ashy on the palate like applewood smoked chicken with Dijon rub as well as pancakes with maple syrup and bacon. With water it felt like being in a small smoky cottage eating exotic dishes like smoked plum and nectarine ice cream and macarons with a raspberry ganache whilst drinking a glass of smoky, refreshingly crisp mineralic Riesling rose wine.

What I say

Bottled by SMWS in 2017, this peated Bunnahabhain (Margadale) was matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead for 9 years before being finished for at least a year in a 1st fill ex port barrique, lending it its name Pink & Peat.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Yellowy rose gold (7/20), large, oily tears and stout legs.
• Nose: Peat smoke and ash but with a huge sweetness, smoked scallop meat, briny, strawberry marshmallow roasted over peat fire or beach bonfire, strawberry and lime jam, rose Turkish delight.
• Taste: Hot, quite thin on the palate, hot smoked bacon/meat on rosemary skewers, jammy sweetness but oddly thin in texture, with time, well-toasted granary/brown bread coated in strawberry, plum and rose jam and candyfloss or marshmallow sweetness.
• Finish: Long, gently sweet and nutty/creosote peat lingers with earthy coffee grounds and dark chocolate

Overall

A lovely mixture of sweet port influence and smoke. I was worried the palate at cask strength may have been a little overpowering but actually the sweet and peat aren’t too much. A nice earthy/turfy influence grounds this whole whisky while gentle spices fizz in the background. A pleasant surprise, a wonderful nose sets the standard for a great dram throughout.

Score 87/100

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