Bunnahabhain Cruach Mhona Travel Retail Exclusive (2022) 3cl Sample

Bunnahabhain Cruach Mhona Travel Retail Exclusive (2022) 3cl Sample

Originally released for Travel Retail only, this is one of the uncommon, official peated bottlings from Bunnahabhain. Cruach-Mhona, meaning 'peat stack' in Gaelic, has notes of citrus and sweet fruits backed up by spices and a depth of tarry smoke.

Cruach Mhóna is gaelic for a pile of drying peat bricks and follows on from Toiteach (gaelic for smoky) as a peaty offering from Bunnahabhain. Although Islay is famed for its peat, Bunnahabhain's spirit is unpeated (this being an exception that proves the rule).

When the Bunnahabhain distillery was founded in 1881, it was heavily reliant on maritime trade. Bunnahabhain closed briefly in the 1930s, but in 1960 the distillery underwent one of the most significant changes in its history when a new road was built to connect it to the distillery. Another milestone in Bunnahabhain's history was 1993, when the last ship docked. At that time, the road was seen as the most suitable route for delivering the constantly needed ingredients and goods. In 2006, three years after Burn Stewart Distillers took over the distillery, a major redesign of the brand profile took place. The water used to make this malt rises from limestone springs and travels to the distillery through a pipeline. This process ensures that the water does not come into contact with peat on its way to the distillery. Therefore, in contrast to most other Islay malt whiskies, Bunnahabhain is characterized by a lower peat content.

The founder filled vats with clear, peat-free water for the first time almost 130 years ago, thus laying a valuable foundation for a great whisky.

Awards:

- Golmdedaille in 2017 at The Spirits Business Gold

- Silver medal in 2017 at the International Spirits Challenge

Tasting notes

Colour: Pale gold.

Nose: Fresh, sweet peat, tart, dry smoke, burnt grass.

Taste: Malty-sweet, smoky white pepper, seaweed, salt.

Finish: Long lasting, dry-smoky, spicy.

50% ABV

3cl / 30ml