Bunnahabhain 6 Years Old 2018 (Elixir)

Elixir Distillers is the London-based independent bottler behind The Single Malts of Scotland series, plus a number of other ranges including Port Askaig, Elements of Islay and Black Tot rum. The Small Batch line within The Single Malts of Scotland releases vattings of three to ten casks at a consistent 48% bottling strength, sitting below the single-cask Reserve Casks tier and aimed at the more approachable end of the bottler's range. This 6 year old Bunnahabhain comes from five refill hogsheads, distilled in 2018 and bottled in 2025.

The spirit is heavily peated, what Bunnahabhain calls Mòine in its own bottlings, sold as Staoisha when the cask goes to the independent market. The 35-38 ppm phenol level on the malt produces a campfire-smoke profile that's earthier and less medicinal than south-coast Islay reference points. The five-cask vatting pulls in refill hogshead character: quiet American oak, no aggressive wood signature, letting the young peated spirit lead.

Refill maturation is the right call for relatively young peated stock. First-fill bourbon hogsheads at six years would deliver a wood-forward profile that crowds out the smoke; refill hogsheads at the same age give the distillate room to breathe. Reviewer notes for the bottling cite peat smoke intensity with cocoa, herbs, mineral lift and lime acidity, consistent with what young Staoisha gives in quiet wood. Bottled at 48% with a small drop of water from cask strength, non-chill-filtered, natural colour.