Hand Selected in 2008 | Scotch Whisky
This month’s featured product was hand selected by Vinocopia’s own Scotch luminary: Marion Dauner. Marion is a member of the most exclusive and respected Scotch society in the world, the Keepers of the Quaich. Founded by the major Scotch distilleries, one receives the honor of membership into the Keepers of the Quaich by showing the deepest, most passionate level of commitment to the Scotch Industry. Marion is one of only a handful of Americans to receive this honor.
This year, Marion poured her expertise into a barrel of Scotch, Bunnahabhain 12 year to be precise. The love Marion has for this particular barrel of Bunnahabhain becomes clear after a few short moments of speaking with her. Helped by at-the-time Bunnahabhain Master Distiller Ian McMillan, Marion handpicked this single barrel of scotch -barreled in 2008- for its complex flavor profile and low smoke qualities.
Bunnahabhain is unique among Islay (pronounced eye-luh) whiskies in that the flavor profile is quite mellow. Islay whiskies are most commonly associated with heavy smoke flavors due to the concentration of peat found in the water at the south end of the island. Bunnahabhain resides on the northern end and offers both peated and unpeated varieties of Scotch. Marion’s special selection is of the unpeated variety, lending to complex flavors of berry and nuttiness. Marion’s Bunnahabhain 2008 12 year Single Barrel is a terrific iteration of northern Islay Scotch.
