A Category-Defining Heavily Peated Islay Single Malt
2014 Bunnahabhain Staoisha Heavily Peated 4 Year Old “Signatory Unchillfiltered Collection” Dechar/Rechar Cask Strength Islay Single Malt
“Only four years old and absolutely cranking! The heavy peated Stoaisha is always good, but here we’re in a different league than the others we’ve sold.” — David Othenin-Girard, K&L SoCal Spirits Buyer
Staoisha, the trade name for Bunnahabhain heavily peated bottlings, has developed a significant following over the years. These expressions skillfully combine the delicious malt of Bunnahabhain, the signature saltiness of Islay, and unabashedly bold peaty notes. When we happened upon a 4-year-old version in Signatory’s warehouse, we were more than a little curious how it would show. The answer: brilliantly! Don’t be fooled by its modest age, as this single malt is hugely complex, offering a dazzling array of flavors more commonly found in drams twice its age. Easily among the most compelling Staoishas we’ve tasted, this is a must-have for any fan of heavily peated malts. Employing a dechar and rechar process, by which a barrel is given new life, this single malt serves up tantalizing elements of smoke and wood spice. For all its power, this 4 Year Old is quite elegant and refined, delivering the best of both worlds. If you’ve enjoyed previous Staoisha releases, then you absolutely have to give this stunner a spin.
The Bunnahabhain distillery is located at the far northern edge of the island of Islay and was built in 1881. There it has quietly made a famously non-peated Islay malt capturing many malt lovers’ hearts. The distillery began experimenting with heavily peated malt in the 1990s and has continued to produce limited quantities under various names since then. We’ve fallen absolutely in love with the style and we’re excited to see this special cask in the Signatory warehouse. We typically avoid malt this young, but the Staoisha we got from Milroy in an almost completely inactive refill hoggie was delicious, so we figured we’d have to give this refurbished cask a spin. Thank the lord of the Isles we did. The dechar/rechar process is just as it sounds. The inside of an old barrel is scrapped to reveal a fresh layer of oak, then a fire is ignited to re-carmelize the wood sugars and seal the cask once again. The result is a much more active cask, but without the harsh tannins we usually associate with virgin oak. Astonishing on first nosing. The whisky could easily be 8+ years older. Straight out of the bottle, expect a big bold peaty malt with roasty bbq, dense smoke and a core of dark spicy malt. With water, this precocious youngster displays a finesse and elegance reserved for much older Islays. Classic Bunnah saltiness is there but framed by an impressive array of flavors. Those who pass on account of the age are only punishing themselves with their closed mindedness.
David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 26, 2019
Only four years old and absolutely cranking! The heavy peated Stoaisha is always good, but here we’re in a different league than the others we’ve sold. The addition of the very active oak turns this from a linear malt with just peat and salt into something much more complex. The nose is bold smoke, but with complex wood smoke, sweet vanilla syrup, tiny whiffs of iodine, orange sherbet melting on a diesel engine. The palate, while I was worried that it would be dominated by oak, is the purest peat smoke, sweet roasted almonds, herbs of all kinds, saffron, salted lemon peel, and a slight lanolin quality. With water it’s a bit more ozone; lemon peel comes forward and tons of herbs. More nuts and vanilla on the palate, but very fresh. It might be “modern,” but it doesn’t seem composed or adulterated like so many young malts from the big boys.
Will Blakely | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 26, 2019
This bottling definitely speaks directly to the die-hard peat fanatics out there. Fans of last year’s John Milroy 3 y.o. Staoisha should be pleased with this successor, because honestly, it is worth the increase in price. The former bottle relied almost exclusively on barbecue smoke and a healthy dose of oak, but ultimately felt understandably underdeveloped. This fills out all the flavor you were missing–salty, mossy and rich with marvelous charred oak and a lick of spice. Tobacco and aromas like a dry-rub for pork keep this feeling fresh and different on every sip. The dark, chocolatey malt makes for a perfect backdrop on which to hang all these intricate, nuanced flavors that work so well with the deeply entrenched smoke. With a bottle like this, the impending shortage of double-digit age-stated single malts does not seem so scary.
Neal Fischer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 24, 2019
Alright, Staoisha, you got my number. I know it might not be for everyone (just the fact that it’s heavily peated implies as much), but I’m all about this Scotch! Smoldering fire embers, toasted cedar planks, iodine, and a scent of just-overcooked bacon. Then more nuance develops as lighter elements emerge: grilled peaches, buttery kettle corn, and (surprisingly) wild flowers linger on the nose and manage to shine through all that smoke. The palate has a nice balance of smoked sweet and savory elements, including well-toasted baking spices, but even fresh flavors such as Granny Smith apple. This one will wallop you, but you’ll love it for it all the same.
Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 24, 2019
Oops. I made the mistake of popping this bottle in a communal staff space and it took over the room much to the chagrin of the few peat haters. It’s robustly peaty, loaded with wet earth, cold smoke, iodine, salted caramel, candied cereal, and green apples. It’s a titanic whisky. This will challenge all of your perceptions regarding the importance of age and is not for the faint of heart.
