Bunnahabhain Moine Marsala Finish Hand Filled 13 Year Old, Bourbon & Marsala Wine Cask, 2018, 46.3%

SilverRover15 Sept

Smoke and saltiness meet a generous run of fruit here, while the palate’s Christmas cake and chocolate pudding bring a sweeter counterpoint to earthy peat. That push-pull sounds more interesting than a one-note smoky dram, though the slightly bitter, drying finish is a real reservation. The Bourbon and Marsala wine cask details give the 13-year-old bottling some context, but the listed notes are what make it appealing. At the SGD 173.02 sale reference, I’d weigh that layered contrast against the drying edge rather than call it an obvious bargain.

busstop.postcard16 May

There’s a lot going on here, but the relationship between fruit and smoke is what catches my attention. Apples and vanilla appear alongside wood smoke on the nose, while the palate moves towards fruity hard candy and earthy peat. That gives the sweeter notes something substantial to play against without making this sound like a purely sweet whisky. The creamy texture also appeals to me, especially with the richer chocolate pudding and Christmas cake notes in the mix. The finish seems less soft-edged: spice, oak and sea salt sit alongside big smokiness, with a slightly bitter, drying turn. That last detail may divide opinion, but I like the contrast it brings. Overall, it sounds well suited to someone who enjoys fruit and vanilla with a distinctly smoky side.

smoke, fruit, and vanilla make a curious contrast