Taster

Nose: Smoked haddock, brine, sweet wood smoke. Developing warm leather, liquorice and pine resin.

Palate: Full, with very sweet peat, pipe tobacco, citrus fruit and ginger; a sprinkling of salt.

Finish: Medium in length, sweet and salty.

Comment: Bunnahabhain as a ‘mainstream’ Islay! Not overly complex, but a very decent, sturdy dram.

Score: 8.3

Taster

Nose: A distinctly meaty nose, think Bisto gravy. Add to the mix a good splash of sea salt spray.

Palate: A savoury, almost chewy mouthfeel. Demerara sugar vies for attention with gentle smoke, sea salt, and some woody notes.

Finish: Initially sweet with dry smoke taking over.

Comment: Quite a complex, multi-layered whisky. ‘Cruach-Mhona’ apparently means ‘peat stack’ in Gaelic, but smoke is not the only show in town with this dram. Would be a good match for seafood.

Score: 8.5