Bunnahabhain

Bunnahabhain 12 years old

The Bunnahabhain distillery owes its name to the river Margadale from which it draws pure water for the production of its whisky. Bunnahabhain means "mouth of the river" in Gaelic and the site chosen for the construction of the distillery is not by chance. Only accessible by sea until 1960, Bunnahabhain was built with materials imported by boat from the continent between 1881 and 1883 by the Islay Distillery Company and the Greenlees brothers. Overlooking the Sound of Islay, a vast inlet criss-crossed by many ships, Bunnahabhain is struck by the sea air which influences the character of the whisky, bringing an unusual saline undertone; the warehouses are also located on the coast.

Islay's most remote distillery, perched well to the north, is the only one to use natural spring water from Margadale to produce two different spirits: Bunnahabhain and Moine (which can also be called Peated Bunnahabhain). To produce these two spirits, two types of malted barley are used: unpeated optic/concerto malted barley for Bunnahabhain and peated optic/concerto malted barley for Moine.

Although Bunnahabhain and Moine are produced in the same stills, washbacks and mash tuns with the same water, they have very distinct characters because of the malted barley used. The cut is later for the peaty expression (Moine), with the phenolic flavours coming through at the end of the distillation process.

The Bunnahabhain range is mainly aged in ex-sherry casks and is naturally coloured. The maritime influence and thoughtful craftsmanship make you want to travel to the far reaches of Islay, closing your eyes to discover the rugged landscape captured in these unique and complex single malts.