It's been ~7 years since I last tried the Bunnahbain Toiteach ("Smoky" in Gaelic) - since then, Bunnahabhain has released this new version ("a Dha" meaning Two). This is rumored to be quite heavily peated (55 ppm?) and aged in Manzanilla sherry casks, comes with No Age Statement from distillery Bunnahabhain. We may not know how old it is, but it's un-chill-filtered, un-colored, and presented at a decent 46.3% ABV. How is it?
Nose: Very meaty and exceedingly smoky - charred peppered steak, and sticky industrial smoke. A dry, savory nose: smoked meat, smoked fish, more pepper, bacon, salt, brine. My kind of whisky! After a long while in the glass, I get even more savory notes: olives, mushrooms.
Mouthfeel: Very thick and oily.
Palate: A quick pop of chili-rubbed steak, peppercorns, bacon, mushrooms, olives, and then a sweet sherry influence finally emerges - golden raisins, Sultanas, orange jam. Some dried red fruit (prunes??). The spicy red chili pepper sort of floats around the entire palate, which results in some really nice combinations of flavors.
Finish: Peat, smoke, metric tons of ash, oak wood, and a nice juiciness related to the sherry cask. The ash dominates.
Verdict: I really like this new version of Toiteach! I would recommend this to any "traditional" Islay fan who might have been uninterested by Bunna's fruity unpeated offerings. This is quite coastal and very smoke-laden, very savory and sweet in turns, and certainly an interesting whisky from any angle. Worth exploring.
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