Bunnahabhain Stiùireadair Whisky is a new single malt from the northernmost distillery on the Isle of Islay, launched in 2017. The Bunnahabhain distillery is located right on the seashore, and the name of this whisky in Gaelic means helmsman, a tribute to the ship’s helmsmen on whom the distillery depended over the years. The Stiùireadair (pronounced Stew-rah-dur) is a young single malt that is aged exclusively in ex-sherry casks. Some of them are first-fill, meaning they come from Jerez in Spain, and some of them are second-fill, meaning whisky has already been aged in them once at the distillery and are now being filled for the second time. The goal is to create a whisky where the sherry influence is not dominant and absolute, but is added as an ingredient along with the maritime character of Bunnahabhain. The result is a balanced whisky, and the distillery’s DNA is clearly expressed in it. The nose has a combination of caramel, raisins, hazelnuts, cloves, and the classic maritime notes of Bunnahabhain. The palate is thick, and everything we sensed in the nose also appears here with the addition of a slight salinity. The maritime character is also prominent in the finish with the addition of dried fruits and something chocolatey and slightly spicy. The combination of sherry casks only with the Bunnahabhain distillate creates a slightly musty experience in the good sense of the word, as if they managed to capture the air in an old wine cellar and add it to the whisky. It reveals a nice complexity for its young age and is definitely not a whisky for beginners – unless they are wine lovers.
