Bunnahabhain Feis Ile 2014 Whisky Sample 10 Year Old Dram An Stiureadair (30ml, 56.7%)

Bunnahabhain Whisky Sample Feis Ile 2014 10 Year Old Dram An Stiureadair (30ml, 56.7%)

While the name is very similar to the core range "Stiùireadair" (which sits at 46.3%), the Dràm an Stiùreadair at 56.7%is a vastly different beast. This is a rare 10-year-old Fèis Ìle 2014 festival release, and it is a "Killer Bunny" in every sense of the word.

Unlike the unpeated core range, this is a heavily peated Bunnahabhain that utilizes a unique fortified wine finish.

It spent its first 9 years in ex-Bourbon casks before a final 1-year finish in Marsala wine casks. Hand-signed by then-Distillery Manager Andrew Brown and Master Distiller Ian MacMillan, only 632 bottles were ever produced.

The name translates to "The Helmsman’s Dram." While the standard Stiùireadair is a sherry-matured unpeated malt, this 2014 festival exclusive is a heavily peated expression (distilled at roughly 35–40 PPM). It spent its first 9 years in ex-Bourbon casks before a final 1-year finish in Marsala wine casks. Hand-signed by then-Distillery Manager Andrew Brown and Master Distiller Ian MacMillan, only 632 bottles were ever produced.

Tasting Notes

Nose: A powerful maritime arrival. Brine and sea spray collide with sweet peat smoke and vanilla flan. There’s a spicy undercurrent of crushed black pepper and cinnamon gum.

Palate: The attack is peppery and oily. The heavy peat is beautifully integrated with the Marsala influence, offering notes of fortified wine, red fruit jam, and creamy fudge. It develops into a savory layer of leather and salty Dutch licorice.

Finish: Long and warming. Lingering notes of sweet ash, caramelized biscuits (Speculoos), and a final maritime sea-breeze kick.

Why this bottle is special

The Marsala "Bridge": Marsala is a rare choice for peated whisky. It provides a specific nutty, oxidative sweetness that bridges the gap between the medicinal smoke and the creamy bourbon-cask DNA.

The Decade of Maturation: Having been bottled in 2014, this spirit comes from a specific era of production at Bunnahabhain. It represents the "re-awakening" of the distillery’s peated experiments that have now become legendary.

Extreme Rarity: With only 632 bottles released over 11 years ago, this is one of the harder-to-find Fèis Ìle bottles. Most were opened and enjoyed at the festival, making an intact bottle (or a sample) a true "unicorn" find.