While I love a sherry bomb if I’m in the right mood or a first fill Bourbon cask when I want something punchy yet sweet, it is the classic refill sherry hogshead that has my true heart. When you get an active one such as this impeccable Bunna cask, it’s irresistible. Bunnahabhain’s soft peat smoke and succulent fruits meld perfectly with the raisin and berry compote and nuttiness of the pristine sherry barrel. The individual salt notes, sea spray from the whisky, salt rocks from the sherry, blend in perfect harmony to support the entire profile. Golden straw at the edges and deep red copper in the core, the color is beautiful. The aromas start with grilled peaches and move into expressed citrus oil and a small sugar cane grass fire. Tempering dark chocolate and lemon icing work together in unexpected ways. Raw peat, freshly cut brings an earthiness that binds to the sweet spices of the barrel - nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and cracked pepper of the oak itself. This is a dram that is hard to move past the nose because it’s so intriguing. When you do convince yourself to taste it, the tempest rages. You feel wrapped in a dizzying array of flavors. Sweet, salty, fruity, nutty, smoky, earthy, herbal, it has it all. Chocolate dipped dark cherries topped with fleur de sel. Maple glazed almonds. Abba-zaba candy. Unlit cigar, fresh from the humidor. It’s a trip in every sip. At 55.3% ABV it is the epitome of easy drinking. With a few drops of water more herbal notes are released on the nose, but the palate leans into the sweet nuts, more creamy peanut butter than herbal walnut or almond. The smoke fades more into a background cloak rather than an upfront screen. This is a singular cask that offers so much to the drinker in a single bottle. A classic Islay malt that is not to be missed.