Wet Sand

In their Discovery range Gordon & Macphail offer approachable entry level malts and today I’ll put two of those to the test, both for the Islay distillery of Bunnahabhain. Both are quite young, but one matured on a bourbon cask, while the other slept on a sherry cask. I’ll start with the 10 years old on bourbon.

On the nose it is immediately clear that this is peated Bunna on sweet malt, cured meat, sea fruit and wet sand. Some paprika powder, charcoal and a medicinal note. Iodine and burn ointment.

Nicely mouth coating and a lot sweeter than the nose promised. Toffee, barley sugar and liquorice. The salty edge returns and the peat smoke becomes relatively dominant. Nice balance.

The finish is long, sweet versus salty with lots of notes of charred wood.

Not really entry level in my book. Much better in fact. And more interesting. Very entertaining Bunna, around 50 EUR.

Slightly smoky and iodized nose. The mouth is on the same aromas. Average final. Easy to drink and pleasant no more.

Nothing surprising, yet another peated whisky with nothing distinguishable.

Aroma
Maritime, sweet smoke, salt, vanilla

taste
Smoke, slightly sweet, nutty, some citrus

finish
Medium length, salt, maritime

Nose: very peaty, malt, Bovril, saltwater, lime zest and vanilla
Palate: gose, bitter lemon, preserved lemon and kumquats
Finish: burnt ginger, star anise and hashish, cassia bark

With water:
Nose: candied ginger, lemongrass, raw prawns and white grape
Palate: softer- pear and simple syrup
Finish: mustard seeds

Tasted as part of The Dusties: Monsters of Peat Gordon and Macphail tasting with sales manager Luke Todd Webb