Origin: Islay (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 48%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon
Chillfiltered: No
Added colouring: No
Owner: LMDW
Average price: € 115.00
Official website: www.whisky.fr
La Maison Du Whisky (LMDW) was founded in France in 1956, the brainchild of Georges Bénitah, who was so into Scotch whisky that he decided to become its importer in his homeland, with the intention of becoming a leader in the sector.
And he certainly succeeded: he opened his first shops in Paris and became a bottler in the 1970s, and from there he expanded exponentially in all areas, including publishing, culminating in the organisation of Whisky Live Paris, one of the world’s most important events dedicated to the distilled spirit.
One of the independent bottling lines is called Artist, which pairs each single cask release with a work of art by contemporary artists, with an annual sub-label called Artist Collective (in collaboration with Scotland’s Signatory), which abandons the single cask connection for variations in strength and type, dedicating each series to a single artist.
From the seventh edition in 2024, with the works of Katrin Bremermann adorning the six different labels, here is this Bunnahabhain in its peated version.
Tasting Notes
On the nose, there is plenty of meat on the fire, a fiery, sizzling grill of ribs and bacon, with a strong mineral and sulphurous streak that at times leads to truffle. Lots of olives in brine, with notes of citrus (blood orange, kumquat), baked apple, liquorice root, spices (anise, turmeric, white pepper) and burnt wood. Coastal, rocky undertones. Energetic.
On the palate, the burnt wood takes over, the grill moves to the crackling bonfire with an accentuated saltiness: fish specialities have taken the place of carnivorous ones, between herring and scallops au gratin with herbs (rosemary, thyme) and black pepper. Ginger, clove and cloves punctuate the aromas, which are declined again in citrus (lots of it), liquorice, baked fruit (apple, pear, banana), toasted cane sugar and the sulphurous part, which is pushed to the bottom.
The finish is long and salty, with glowing embers, spices, citrus, liquorice, sulphurous and mineral notes.
In the glass you find exactly what you expect, only with a more pronounced mushroom note, but all in all a classic Staoisha, no more, no less. And therefore good.3
Vote: 85/100