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Auction: SC002 - Pouring Gold For A Platinum Year - Spink in association with Cask 88: Whisky - e-Auction
Lot: 6

Staoisha 2017 Ex-Bourbon

Distillery: Bunnahabhain
Region: Islay
Age: 5 years
Distillation Date: 20th February 2017
Cask type: First Fill Ex-Bourbon (Jim Beam)
Peated?: Heavily Peated
Re-gauge ABV: 62.9%
Re-gauged Litres of Alcohol (RLA): 113.9 litres
New bulk litres: 181.0 litres
Re-gauge Date: 21st December 2021
Bottles: 258
Cask Number: 21654

A Sister From Staoisha to Mark HM The Queen's Sapphire Jubilee in 2017: A Peated Islay Malt in a First Fill Bourbon Cask

Cask description

The Wood

The cask here is a First Fill Ex-Bourbon barrel from the internationally recognised Jim Beam distillery in Kentucky. Similar casks of this age have been snapped up and released by several independent bottlers such as Gordon & MacPhail and Douglas Laing, however rarely seen beyond 5-10 years old. The regauge strength of this cask after 5 years of 62.9% indicates that there is potential for this cask to continue maturation for many years and produce a one-of-a-kind whisky.

The Spirit

Staoisha is a heavily peated malt produced at the Bunnahabhain distillery. Currently, about 20% of Bunnahabhain's production is peated and undergoes two fermentation cycles designed to optimise efficiency. Ferments on Mondays and Tuesdays last for 48 hours so that the wash can be distilled that same week. Ferments on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays last for 110 hours so that they are ready for distillation the following week. The spirit made from the two different fermentations are blended together before being laid to wood.

The stills are also the tallest on Islay and, at 20 feet 10 inches, among the tallest in the industry. This causes more reflux and increased copper contact, resulting in a lighter malt. That's the primary reason why Bunnahabhain's peated whiskies are so different from their historic antecedents. Rather than being oily and pungent, Bunnahabhain's current peated offerings are drier and lighter with a more pronounced peppery influence.

The Masters

The distillery manager when this cask was filled 5 years ago was Andrew Brown whose journey with Bunnahabhain began in May of 1988, when the distillery found itself short-staffed for unloading malt boats that came into their famous pier.

'After helping out on a few occasions, I was given a full-time role as warehouseman, and joined the small, hardworking team. Over the years, I was lucky enough to gain experience in most other areas of the distillery. From the summer of 1989, I worked in both the warehouse and mash house, as the relief mashman.'
Andrew Brown (2017)

He also remarks that this style of Bunnahabhain is typical of Islay but not necessarily this distillery and that he particularly likes peated Bunnahabhain paired with local Scottish oysters.

The History

Established in 1881 on a remote corner of Islay, Bunnahabhain is perhaps the most exposed distillery to the elements and in 2019 undertook a colossal redevelopment and facelift of the visitor centre offerings costing upwards of 14 million pounds. This exposure has seen popularity of the distillery grow; however, compared to other household names from the tiny island, it is still somewhat unknown.

'It is like a sleeping giant quietly working away producing its gentle style of whisky, slowly gaining more respect and distinction as the years go by.'
Andrew Brown (Distillery Manager 2017)


The 2010s

The London 2012 Olympics was an occasion for the United Kingdom to appear on the world stage, and HM Queen Elizabeth took the opportunity to show her playful side. She made a dramatic entrance at the Opening Ceremony alongside Daniel Craig's James Bond - cementing her identity as a perceptive, modern monarch in the public eye.

The 2010s were a momentous decade for the Scotch whisky industry. Up until this point, the history of Scotch whisky had followed some quite distinct peaks and troughs. If following this pattern, we would've expected to have seen a decline in the industry throughout this decade, but the opposite was true: Scotch whisky grew enormously in the 2010s, and bolstered its position in the spirits industry as a force to be reckoned with.

The Royal Family had a similarly strong decade, with the weddings of princes William and Harry in April 2011 and May 2018 respectively. In 2012, HM The Queen celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, and in 2015 passed a momentous milestone to become the longest-reigning British monarch and female head of state in the world.

Estimate