Bunnahabhain Ceòbanach

70cl 46.3% abv Islay

£58.00

SKU

23998

Bunnahabhain Ceòbanach Description

Bunnahabhain Ceòbanach (which we're told means "smoky mist") is, unusually, a peated expression from one of Islay's few (typically) unpeated distilleries. A small batch release, with the peatiness harking back to Bunnahabhain of the 1800s. Although there is no age statement on the bottle, we hear that this has been matured in ex-bourbon casks for around ten years and, as with all Bunnahabhain, is bottled non chill-filtered, to retain the oily character along with the wonderful harmony of flavours.The nose is intensely pungent and phenolic, with fragrant smoke, light tar, sweet oak and seaweed. The palate brings a sweet maltiness, then a lovely balance of tangy smoke and vanilla. Mellow and smooth, white pepper, bitter orange, liquorice and sea salt emerge, before a peppery sweet smoke and oatcakes in the lingering finish.

Taste Profile

sweetsaltyvanillaphenolicsmokyliquoricewhite pepper

Knowledge Bar

Bunnahabhain Ceòbanach (pronounced ’kyaw-bin-och’, meaning ‘smoky mist’ from the Scot’s Gaelic) comes from Master Distiller, Ian MacMillan's, desire to reflect the origins of Bunnahabhain - both the place and the single malt’s charming complex character. Inspired by life and distilling on Islay in the 1800s, when the whole island was dependent on peat for warmth, fuel and trade. In those days the smoke from the many open fires mingled with the salty sea air to create a ‘smoky mist’ that you could almost taste. When the Bunnahabhain Distillery was founded in 1881, it had its own malting floor and peat kilns to dry the malted barley that would be transformed into a peated and oily spirit. Later, in the 1960’s, new owners of Bunnahabhain ceased malting on site, preferring instead to ship in un-peated malted barley, from the mainland. As a result, the first Bunnahabhain single malt expression, released in 1979, offered layers of sweet, rich fruit, toasted nuts with hints of sea salt and smoke yet un-peated; characterising Bunnahabhain ever since.