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The Isle of Islay has come up with yet another tempting suggestion, this time from the Bunnahabhain distillery. Like many other whisky-makers, their new range comprising of four bottles under the title "The Uncharted Coast" is aimed at the burgeoning travel market.
The new offerings are said to be true to Bunnahabhain's signature style described as the "unpeated, sherried, Islay authority in single malt Scotch". The first is "Bàgh Garbh" - Scots Gaelic for "Rugged Bay" - and is a 13 Year Old Amontillado Cask Finish.
Its appearance is of amber gold and offers a nose of toasted hazelnuts, dried figs, and orange marmalade with a light floral note accompanied by malt and a gentle spice.
On the palate are suggestions of sultanas, treacle toffee and spiced orange peel unfold with a touch of dark chocolate and clove, balanced with dark berries, sweet vanilla and a hint of tobacco. The finish is of lingering notes of roasted walnuts, dried fruit and a touch of cinnamon.
READ MORE: 'Big, bold, smoky and coastal' - Sound of Sleat captures the spirit of Skye in a glass
Second in the series is "Trì Seudan" - which translates as "Three Jewels" and is a marriage of three sherry casks; Manzanilla, Fino and Palo Cortado. It described as a whisky of "depth, balance and richness" which hints at the coastal salinity which the village of Bunnahabhain is known for.
Warm, amber-gold in appearance, its nose is bright and vibrant, intertwined with lemon zest, crisp nuttiness, dried apricot and touch of roasted barley. On the palate there is a combination of toasted hazelnuts, white peach skin, polished oak, salted caramel, fresh grapefruit and a touch of dried chamomile. Meanwhile, the finish is salty sea spray and lemon zest linger with toasted oak and a gentle spice.
Two existing bottles complete the collection. The first, An Cidhe - formerly An Cladach - a combination of of two cask types: Bunnahabhain matured in ex-sherry casks and in ex-bourbon casks.
Amber gold, it offers a nose of dried fruit, caramel and vanilla with rich sherry notes. The palate suggests creamy and smooth with rich sherry, nuts, spice and briny coastal undertones with a finish that is long and lingering with hints of dried fruit.
Finally, there is Cruach Mhona which is the range's peated expression. It too is a marriage of two cask types: Bunnahabhain matured in ex-sherry casks and in ex-bourbon casks. With an appearance of pale gold, the nose hints at crisp and lively sweet peat with herbal hay, dry smoke and burning grass.
On the palate, it starts light, malty and sweet before developing into smoky white pepper and seaweed saltiness. The finish is described as lingering dry smokiness with seaweed and spice.
Commenting on the new offerings, Bunnahabhain's master blender, Julieann Fernandez explained: "This collection reflects the passion of our team and the growing demand from whisky appreciators globally. Each bottle captures the character of our remote coastal home - unpeated, sherried and unmistakably Bunnahabhain - offering a true taste of our distillery to whisky lovers throughout the world."
Julieann went on: "Our core Bunnahabhain range heavily features Oloroso sherry casks and while we wanted to stay true to our heritage, I deliberately used a mix of sherry casks across our new releases to allow for a point of differentiation for this important channel."
Bàgh Garbh has an RRP of £79.99 and an ABV of 50%. Trì Seudan has an RRP of £60 and an ABV of 50%. An Cidhe has an RRP of £48 and an ABV of 50% and Cruach Mona has an RRP of £56 and an ABV of 50%.
A fusion of India and Scotland
Douglas Laing is celebrating one of the world's most-spectacular festivals with a brand new release. Double Barrel India & Scotland has been launched to mark this year's Diwali.
The Hindu festival of lights symbolises the spiritual victory of Dharma - the underlying principles that govern a person's life and the universe - over Adharma, unrighteousness, immorality, and wickedness.
It celebrates light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. As the name suggests, Double Barrel India & Scotland is a marriage of single casks drawn from both countries. It has been created using a marriage of four single casks: two from India and two from Scotland.
The dram offers the fusion of Scotland's rich, peated malt and smoke contrasting with with India's bright citrus and deep oak notes. The bottle's hand-drawn illustration captures this union - one half is adorned with the Royal Bengal Tiger, India's national animal symbolising heritage and culture, whilst the other side shows the Unicorn, Scotland's emblem of strength and purity.
Crafted without added colouring and non-chill filtered, this limited-edition whisky reveals a refined balance. Described as being a rich, peated malt with elements of bright citrus and deep oak.
Double Barrel India & Scotland has an RRP of £75 and an ABV of 50%.
Aberlour pushes the frontiers
The Aberlour distillery has announced a new, limited-edition release to celebrate the craftsmanship and expertise in sherry cask maturation at the Speyside site. The Aberlour A'Bunadh Sherry Cask Collection is exclusively finished in 100%, first-fill sherry casks, delivering maximum flavour extraction and a deep sherry influence.
Master Distiller Graeme Cruickshank has curated this first expression with double cask maturation, fully finished in two distinct, hand-selected sherry cask types: Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez (PX). He said: "The Aberlour A'Bunadh Sherry Cask Collection represents a significant milestone, not just building upon the beloved Aberlour A'Bunadh tradition but boldly pushing the frontiers of sherry cask influence.
"This new release is a powerful testament to our unwavering commitment to quality and innovation, offering whisky enthusiasts a rare, unmissable opportunity to experience the profound depth and complexity that a 100% first-fill sherry cask finish can truly deliver."
Aberlour A'Bunadh Sherry Cask Collection - Release 1 has an RRP of £95 and an ABV of 56.2%.
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