Part 9 of Reviews from The Single Cask Singapore
Review by: Whiskery Turnip
Singapore is one of my favorite places to visit, and I leapt at the chance to finally return again during my summer conference schedule. I resolved to do a bit more whisky tasting while I was in the country and use my extended stay to drop by new places and meet new people.
We returned to The Single Cask many times in Singapore; the first time was to check out the place (found in parts 1-4). However, the half dozen other trips, usually just for a dram, resulted from that great first experience. No doubt, the fact that we stayed half a block away for part of the visit and walked by Chijmes, the complex in which the bar sits, just about any time we left the hotel, also played a role.
The staff and owners were terrific; happy to talk whisky, explain the story behind different bottles, share some of their favorites, and offer suggestions for food, fun, or more whisky. I love how whisky brings people together and breaks the ice, especially for someone like me who, if you can believe it, happens to be somewhat introverted and a touch shy when not performing or speaking.
Distillery: Bunnahabhain Staoisha
Bottler: The Single Cask Ltd.
Region: Scotland/Islay Single Malt
ABV: 61.3%. Cask strength.
Age: 7 years. Distilled on 16 Oct. 2014. Bottled on 21 Feb. 2022.
Cask type: Ex-Laphroaig PX Hogshead. Cask 10411A.
Price: $27/40ml at The Single Cask Singapore.
Nose: Ash and tar, maritime brine, peanut butter cookies, roasted peanuts and herbal medicines, burning sage, heather and dried grass; the missus described it as eating a jar of peanut butter on a boat.
Palate: Medium-bodied and very oily, charred vegetables, especially shishito peppers, charred lemons, peanut butter cookies, slight licorice with charred celery root, herbal medicinal quality in the background, peppercorns, cigar box on the backend with hints of mint and lavender, more earth over time with roasted apples, caramel, and pine.
Finish: Long and lingering with ash and roasty caramelization
Mental Image: Caramelized Christmas Tree
Conclusion: Heavily peated Bunnahabhain finished in an ex-Laphraoig PX cask? How could I say no to something like that? Well, my wife and I were just about to say yes to a meaty moscatel-finished Caol Ila when Yi Xian, one of the owners at The Singe Cask Singapore, suddenly looked up, grabbed this bottle, and passed it to us. Based on his recommendation, we changed course for the Bunnahabhain, curious how the Laphroaig cask might interact with the already feisty-peated malt.
The bottle art is part of a series done by the crew in Singapore, all under the theme of Exploration using the visuals and aesthetics of space and electronic music. The inspiration behind the art on this bottle was a solar flare reaching out into space— but we were told people often refer to it as “Sun Sperm” due to its semblance to the fertilization of an egg. We could combine the two and consider it an act of creation— fertilization or birth, perhaps the formation of an embryonic star. Either way, the artwork at least accidentally reflects the coming together of two forces and the birth of something new.
Okay, I know someone is saying, enough with the analysis of the label; how is the whisky? Or not, since I do list my score before the narrative, maybe you already know I liked this quite a bit. I thought it was exemplary of the peated Bunnahabhain style, or at least above average.
The dominant characteristic was the peated Bunnahabhian spirit, including the lovely nuttiness I found on previous bottles and typical heather, hay, and maritime elements. The Laphroaig was not invisible, though its effects were more an accent than anything else, elevating some of the whisky’s subtle tar and medicinal components. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the malt was the notion of sweet caramelization, almost charred onion or root vegetables, which differed from the most saccharine caramelized sugar and caramel candies I have found on similar vintage staoisha, especially from SMWS.
Overall, a delightfully fun bottle and an interesting variation on the malt.
Final Score: 84.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 