The MacPhail’s Collection 1991 Bunnahabhain (50 ml airline bottle)

Tasting notes:
This dram offers a unique syzygy of flavors and aromas reminiscent of Wonka’s Three-Course Dinner Chewing Gum, only that the dessert comes first–and there’s none of the Violet violence on the finish.  This dram’s nose is Islay through and through:  imagine a delicious chocolate cupcake drenched in honey crawling up your nose as you lounge in a one-of-a-kind Eames chair next to a table of smoldering incense cones made of peat.  But to say that much is to neglect the wonderful heathery-ness on the nose:  for that, imagine Roller Girl weaving her way up into your sinuses (I could have put her atop the cupcake, I suppose, but one must avoid overloading imagery lest it lose its effect or neglect a key aspect–in this case, the enchanting movement she would have no need to engage in astride a mound of icing).  In sum, on the nose, you’ll find peat, honey, chocolate, heather, goodness, and joy.  In the mouth, this dram hits you with a perfectly balanced smokey peat hammer and pounds you into blissful submission.  This excellent dram cloys at the finish and offers a remarkably savory flavor profile:  black pepper and bay leaf simmering in demi-glace in anticipation of being drizzled over osso buco.  Unlike Violet, you won’t want it to end.  Ever.

     
Rating:

                                                                                     –Stephen
  
 

(This is one of about 14 minis that John’s brother-in-law brought back to us from a trip to Scotland–a massive coup for us here at the Malt Impostor.  So here’s to brother-in-laws:  may they all be as generous and as crazy cool as John’s is)