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	Bunnahabhain
			Sample
O.B.	12 years	17 3/4
	XVIII	17
	Darach Ur	15
	Toiteach		18
	Auld Acquaintance 1968	19 2/3
Adelphi	Adelphi 27 years	19
Duncan Taylor	Rare Auld Cask Strength 38 years	20
Gordon & MacPhail	Gordon & MacPhail 2000 Reserve		17
Ian McLeod	Chieftain's Choice 14 years	18 1/5
Jean Boyer	Moine 2005, Whisky in the Church 2009 bottling		18
	Best Casks of Scotland 1997 peat		18
Scott's Selection	Scott's Selection 1984	18
Signatory	Vintage 1997 - peated	18
	Heavily peated 1997 tasting sample		17
The Ultimate Whisky Company	The Ultimate single malt collection 1997, Heavily peated		18
The Whisky Exchange	Single Malts of Scotland, 27 years	19
Malts of Scotland	1997, sherry hogshead		18
	1976, sherry butt		19

 

Bunnahabhain 12 years
Age	12 years
Alcohol percentage	40%
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

 

 Amongst the Islay whiskies, Bunnahabhain is a whisky apart. It is the less peaty of all the whiskies from that island, but still has this sea character, so typical of the Hebrides Islands. It is a marvelous whisky, especially after a walk in the countryside during the winter. Its sweet and strong character is than fully revealed. I really recommend this bottle. The price of it is really good, compared to the quality. The old sailor on the bottle will probably agree with this.

The nose is pleasant and complex. There is no peat explosion here, unlike other Islay whiskies. This bottle is full of nuances, with sweet floral smells. The taste is rather intense but still sweet with some far-off peat hints, a rather rustic but still delicate taste. A very nice finish, however too short.

An undergrowth smell comes first out of this whisky and the nose develops quickly on floral (violet) hints. In the mouth, a kind of complexity where flowers make place alternately to discrete liquorice, chocolate or even honey, on a remote background of peat. A pleasant finish, however relatively short, coming back on ripe fruit and honey. It's a pity this whisky is bottled at 40%.

The nose is marked by both fruity and iodize hints. A fruit basket on the beach. A light impression of bee wax as well. Anyway, a very promising nose. The palate is characterized by a contrast between slightly bitter tastes (unripe wallnut) a touch of citrus fruti and a malty background. However a impression of something missing, probably due to the percentage of alcohol. A pity. A nice finish, lingering, woody and warmer than expected in the palate.

 Comments by Johannes Sauer

App.: Light Brown (colour added)
Nose: A very complex, multilayered and enchanting nose. There's plenty of beewax, gingerbread, vanilla, dried fruits (dates, figs), limepeel, a clear and fresh breeze from the sea and even traces of smoke (beewax candles blewn out in wintertime).
Taste: Even more beewax, and the impression from the seaside is getting stronger without being peaty. Added to the nosed aromes there is more salt (salted fish?) licorice, fisherman's, and less fruits and sweetness. Cigarette ashes or again those killed candles.
Finish: Not very long, but a very pleasureful smooth bitterness leaves a very comfortable impression of a cold chimney in the morning.
Conc.: I was very disappointed on my first visit to scotland, when I was a big peat-freak and very ! convinced that every islay-whisky should be like Laphroaig or Caol Ila and bought a bottle of this Bunna. It took me some some years to buy a bottle again and getting some very pleasureful surprise...

Comments by Henrik Johansson

Date of tasting: 19/9 2008
Apperance: A rich bronzy copper
Nose: Straight nose immediately reveals some maritime hints. It seems quite peaty without being smoky. There are dried shellfish there and mossy water along with a burnt rubber smell. Seems almost a little bit offending at times, but I think I can learn to like it. The diluted nose is fresher, like a sea breeze. Some honey, cranberries and feint spicyness there too. A second tasting revealed more winey and fruity notes, and the maritime hints had faded a bit.
Body: Medium to light
Palate: On the sweet side. Quiet yet pequliar start, almost a little wishy-washy, like a fruit juice which is too diluted. The middle rolls in with some heftyness which is very welcome indeed, there are some fruits th! ere, but they get washed away by a surge of the kippery, sulphury elements detected in the aroma. The finish is a little short.
Strangely, although this dram would seem too vatted down to reveal it's true merits, it benefits by adding some water. It becomes sweeter, and some of its less desirable elements become less noticeable. Be careful though, it can easily become too much.
Comments: All in all this is a decent dram, although far from an ace. It has a unique character which sets it appart, but other than that it's just mildly more pleasant than your average blended scotch.
76/100

Bunnahabhain XVIII
Age	18 years
Alcohol percentage	43%
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

The nose is clearly dominated by woody notes, mixed with some iodized hints. The mouth is between the cereal and the walnut, rather smooth but relatively bitter. It could be clearer. Probably some more degrees of alcohol would have had a benefic effect. The finish is lingering, and slightly dominated by bitterness. Some wood remaining in the mouth. Deserves certainly a new tasting.

Bunnahabhain 1968 Auld Acquaintance Limited Hogmanay edition
Age	34 years
Alcohol percentage	43,8%
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

A rich and delicate nose evokes the malt, walnuts and some musty smells, a dusty cellar, but the whole perfectly balanced. In the palate, malt at the time spicy and creamy, with clear woody hints which do not overrule the spicy notes however, and developing to chocolate touches. A nice finish, bitter and lingering, where the wood and the chocolate from the palate are still very present. This bottle needs probably a longer aeration, because it reputation and its price announced something superior... To re taste in a while...

The nose evoques dusty malt, with hints of orange chocolate, nuts with a slightly spicy touch.This whisky developes very nicely in the palate on very beautiful slightly acid notes mixed to discrete but rather present woody whiffs, some spicy notes, chocolate and malt, coming back on bitter woody hints. What a marvelous complexity on very close notes. The finish is very nice too, long, warm , slightly bitter, with woody and chocolate hints.
Compared to the 38 years old Duncan Taylor version, the nose is clearly inferior, while the palate is much more complex, and covers a greater range of tastes. In fact both versions are really close in terms of quality.

---

Happiness from the very first nose. A delicious mix of milk chocolate and hazelnuts, An obvious presence of sherry, a very large palette of smells, the one even more pleasant than the other one. A very nice balance and just a touch of smoke. The mouth is much the same as the nose was. Just happiness. Chocolate notes, cashew nuts and a balance close to perfection. The finish is lingering and prolongs perfectly nose and mouth. Really nothing wrong with this whisky, close to great art.

Bunnahabhain Darach Ùr
Age	No age statement
Alcohol percentage	46,3%
Bottler	Official
Particularityé	Finish in new wood (american oak)
Price/litre

What a strange nose, marked by a kind of wood juice and malt. The smell is first rather unpleasant. Then some fruity notes try to join but remain behind this strange young wood juice.
The same impression in the palate with some remote coffee hints.
The finish is long and warm, remaining in the same woody notes than mouth and nose. Woody notes without this nice bitterness which makes the old wood so interesting sometimes.

Bunnahabhain Moine Whisky in the Church 2009 Forum Bottling, cask #75
Age	3 years
Alcohol percentage	62,2%
Bottler	Jean Boyer
Price/litre

A nice nose smelling like youth and peat... Touches of hay and clear notes of undergrowth. Some nice fish notes and sea spray hints. Well, a nice relatively complex nose which remains pleasantly fresh despite this peat dominance.
In the palate, youth's freshness is quite dominating. A nice complexity like announced by the nose. Young peat and hay are still present. A kind of new make (which has already passed the stage of syrupy sweetness) feeling remains beside very promising enhancements in the future. The whole remains smooth, despite the high percentage of alcohol.
Finish is rather short, prolonging perfectly the mouth.

 

Bunnahabhain 14 years Chieftain's Choice
Age	14 years
Cask	Sherry
Alcohol percentage	46%
Bottler	Ian McLeod
Price/litre

 This is a good example of complementarities between a distillery with very good but not really varied products and a quality independent bottler. A great success, this Bunnahabhain matured in sherry casks. The powerful sweetness which characterizes the best this particular Islay malt is still present, but associated to the sherry finish... Marvelous impression. I really recommend that bottle.

During the second nosing, the strong and complex character of this malt announced a great whisky. The powerful refinement of this Islay distillery is outstanding, although tempered by some light acid hints giving an impression of a whisky dominated by the alcohol. This bottle remains very good, even if the rating is slightly under the first one.

An exceptionally rich nose, with sherry dominations characterizes the third tasting; My first guess was a Macallan or a Glendronach, some famous sherry-minded whisky. A slightly acid hint follows. Green apple? The whole is extraordinary complex. The acid impression dominates the palate, but the taste moves quick on to sherry, with some malt touches, reminding some bitter beers. An exceptional finish, from bitter to acid, from sherry to ... happiness?. A very great bottle probably underestimated in the first tastings. This was probably a mistake.

All the impressions from the third tasting are completely confirmed at the fourth one. An excellent bottle.

 

Bunnahabhain 38 years Duncan Taylor Rare Auld
Age	38 years
Cask	Sherry
Alcohol percentage	40,8%
Particularity	Cask Strength
Bottler	Duncan Taylor
Price/litre

Behind its extremely dark colour, this bottle inspires great respect, not only for its great age, but for its exceptional qualities during the whole tasting.
The nose is very rich: sherry, chocolate, nuts, forrming all together something magic, nearly entrancing, it is nearly a perfume. A the end of the nosing, some subtle mixes of malt, chocolate and citrus fruits, perfectly balanced, give an impression close to perfection.
In the mouth, first an impression of bitter dryness, before it developes on very nice chocolate fragrances with a touch of citrus, through a taste marked by walnuts and a kind of cough syrup, the one children like because it tastes great. An exceptional finish, very long and chocolated, with very nice nut and wood hints. What a marvelous bottle.

Bunnahabhain 1984 Scott's Selection
Age	19 years
Particularity	Cask strength
Alcohol percentage	57,5%
Bottler	Scott's Selection
Price/litre

The very first nosing is rather pungent, and reveals some nice barley hints and citrus (orange) touches. In the palate, this whisky is first rather dry, before revealing beautiful and slightly acid touches, with a discrete hint of wood. The palate is rich and very pleasant. The finish is rather long and warm, with smooth and slightly woody hints. First approach is rather marked by alcohol. Some time will be needed for aeration to produce its benefic effects.

The relative discrete nose reveals nice floral notes, with a touch of spices (ginger) on the background. mentholated notes appear after a while. Anyway, a nice complexity. In the palate, a delicious mix of sensations, from the woody bitterness to the freshness of menthol, through touches close to milk chocolate. The finish is lingering and warm and quite varied. The menthol hints are still discretely present, mixed with impressions of milk coffe and above all... the memory of a great pleasure.
A good tip: let this whisky some time reveal all its capacities after opening of the bottle. The difference between both tastings is quite impressive.

Bunnahabhain Adelphi 27 years old
Age	27 years
Particularity	Cask strength
Alcohol percentage	50.6%
Bottler	Adelphi
Price/litre

A subtly fruity nose with spicy hints and nice floral notes. A touch of smoke on the background. The nose is quite fresh and relatively discrete. Some iodine too. This whisky, who does not renounce its coastal origins seems to ask for some attention and does not directly reveal all it's potential. But no deception after some efforts... The palate reveals a very nice complexity, where malty notes share the attention with others, slightly acid ones, the whole on a coffee/chocolate palette. An obvious presence of alcohol and a kind of bitterness which are not unpleasant announce a warm finish marked by a fine bitterness and some hazelnut hints.

The nose is very delicate, fruity and slightly spicy. Nice hints of exotic fruits, mangoes and very fine woody notes on the background make this whisky, which if first rather discrete, a very promising one. Complex without being all show. This gives a great impression of maturity. In the palate, a real firework.... First traces of alcohol, hints of wallnuts mixed with citrus fruit. A nice bitterness reminding the best Belgian beers. Very spectacular first, and then getting wiser, rounder and at least much more balancec. The finish is very nice, with clear hints of walnut and a memory of the citrus fruits in the mouth. A great success, nice balance and nice sensations.

Nice spices behind a light veil of smoke. Some pepper, some cardamom, lots of personality. Exotic fruit hints as well In the palata, a wonderful impression of a generous mix of tastes, form malty smoothness to nutty bitterness, through pleasantly complex moka and cocoa notes. An excellent impression this exceptional whisky leaves behind... The finish is in the same mood. Even if quite limited in the length, the exciting pleasure of the mouth remains, on characteristic notes of coffee and milk.

Bunnahabhain Signatory Vintage Un-chillfiltered collection 1997 - peated
Age	9 years
Alcohol percentage	46%
Bottler	Signatory
Price/litre

The nose is rather fresh and seems to be made from a mis of malt, hay and yeast. Nice combination giving the nose a nice complexity. An impression of relatively discrete peat completes the whole. In the palate, a kind of small explosion. Slightly bitter notes, mixes of yeast and walnut on one hand, fresher citrus hints on the other one. A nice balance, specially when peat comes on top of the described aromas. The finish is lingering and warm, and the pleasant notes from the nose and mouth are confirmed.

Comment by Johannes Sauer

cask 5275, bottle 303/734
Colour: Mighty bright white wine, looking great, held against the sun there are (spoken poetically) plenty golden sparks to be seen.....
Nose: Very charming soft peat (cold candles, cigar ash) combined with clear hints of lemon and grapefruit juice in an almost perfect balance. But, alas, I miss the coastal aromes, a whiff from the sea, this one could pass as maybe one of them peated speysiders.
Taste: Fine and easy. The pleasureful peat-citrus combination is accomplished with a good pinch of smooth oriental spices: Cumin, cinnamon, cloves, tomato paste, freshly ground pepper (not an indian meal, but a bit in this direction) there's a soft but disturbing touch of yoghurt or sour cream.
Finish: Medium long, the spices are busy for the longest ! time.
Conc.: No great complexity but a very fine every-day-dram but I'd loved it better with some sea salt instead of the yoghurt.
Sept. 8. 2008

Colour: Mighty bright, Chablis held against the sun, there are hundreds of golden sparks to see in the glass (poetically spoken). I don't know why I sometimes prefer brighter whiskies to darker ones (We should discuss this matter later in the Forum....).
Nose: Strong peat is the first impression, later there are floral notes, green tea, leather, honeyflowers and a strong zest of lemon. I guess this is one of them peated Highland-malts. A little sour note like sour cream or yoghurt. What I am missing here is a salty or fishy note, like a whiff from the sea.
Taste: Peat being very busy, white rock sugar, the strong citrus note mentioned above, even grapefruits. The sour cream note gets a little disturbing, I guess a sea whiff would do much better. The interplay of peat and ci! trus is very interesting and delightful nevertheless.
Finish: I call this medium long; peat fading into a smooth bitterness.
Conc.: An uncomplicated and joyful dram despite the strange sour milk note
Date: 9/15/2008

Bunnahabhain The Single Malts of Scotland
Age	27 years
Alcohol percentage	49,5%
Bottler	Whisky Exchange
Price/litre

Quite a fresh nose, with its hints of green apple and honey and its touch of cut grass. A real candy announcing happiness and complexity. A pleasant evolution on ripe fruit, reine-claude (yellow plum) or peach with a touch of acidity.
The palate is excellent too, with the same fruity notes, very smooth and this amazing contrast brought by some acid touches then some bitter ones. A wonderful feeling.
The finish is lingering and fresh, keeping the memory of this mix of honey and ripe fruit combined with green apple.

Bunnahabhain 1997 Heavily peated Signatory: tasting sample for whisky live Belgium
Alcohol percentage	59%
Particularity	Cask Strength
Bottler	Signatory

At the first nosing (and nothing changes in subsequent nosings...): peat and peat. Certainly not unpleasant but really dominant. Apart from a little smoke, it is very difficult to detect anything else but may be very remote hints of meat or leather.
In the palate, the foreground is shared between peat and notes which are both slightly bitter and slightly acid. But peat remains heavily present.
The finish is warm and long, and still this peat. For the unconditional peat freaks, this must be quite an interesting experience. But only for peat freaks.

Bunnahabhain Toiteach
Alcohol percentage	46%
Bottler	Officiel
Price/litre

Quite a typical peaty nose where some typical farmy smells are not far away. Wet hay, cereals and peat. This is the major part of the quite nice smells characterizing this whisky. The pear remains present in the mouth, very smooth with however a touch of bitterness on the background. And here again, peat is dominating. A pleasant mouth, even if it is quite different from other Islay whiskies. Different form the peated whiskies fron Islay and different from the Bunnahabhains... Fruity hints seem to appear behind the peat. Not so much smoke traces. The finish is quite interesting, still on the same peaty notes. It is rather long and prolongs the pleasure of the mouth still without any aggressiveness.

Bunnahabhain Best Casks of Scotland 1997 peated
Alcohol percentage	43%
Bottler	Jean Boyer
Price/litre

A smooth smell of oily peat and smoke together with remote hints of citrus fruit characterise this very pleasant nose.
In the palate, peat seems to get dryer and citrus fruit more acid. Nice complexity created by the contrast of this fresh acidity ant this rustic peat.
The finish is rather long and mainly marked by memories of peat.
A peated whisky with a rare elegance, perfectly mixing rusticity and refinement.

Bunnahabhain The Ultimate single malt collection 1997 Heavily peated
Alcohol percentage	54.5%
Bottler	The ultimate single malt company (Van Wees)
Price/litre

A very nice smoky nose. Peat of course, but also d kind of refinement behind this veil of smoke and this cold ash. A touch of fruit? Anyway no aggressiveness at all.
The mouth is immediately pleasant. Peat is obviously present and mixes with a kind of fruity freshness already announced by the nose. Here again no aggressiveness due to the high level of alcohol. Quite a pleasant and relatively complex palate.
A lingering finish, but here some alcohol hinder appears, but fades fortunately rather quick.
An excellent surprise and a very good price-quality ratio.

Bunnahabhain Malts of Scotland 1976, sherry butt
Age	32 years
Alcohol percentage	52%
Bottler	Malts of Scotland
Price/litre

An original and fresh nose. Nice notes of ripe fruit, peach or melon mixed to very discrete hints of incense and a light touch of cut grass. Great smoothness which announces a nice balance.
The mouth too is very smooth, despite the high degree of alcohol. Mice complexity as well where ripe fruit mix with green apple. remarkable balance.
The finish is of the same kind. Rather long, fresh and nicely smooth.
Excellent bottle.

Bunnahabhain Malts of Scotland 1997, sherry hogshead
Age	11 years
Alcohol percentage	55,3%
Bottler	Malts of Scotland
Price/litre

Near this farmy nose, this whisky presents nice fruity notes behind this veil of pear, so characteristic form some Bunnahabhains from 1997...
In the mouth, the peat has a dominant role, even if it lets some room to a kind of fruity freshness before taking the hand again and developing on nice chocolate notes.
Lingering finish, keeping the memory of milk chocolate for long minutes.

Bunnahabhain Gordon & MacPhail Reserve 2000
Alcohol percentage	59,7%
Bottler	Gordon & MacPhail
Price/litre

A very pleasant first nose, both on fruit and honey, with however a kind of tingling probably due to the alcohol percentage. The nose remains fresh with some remote hints of cut grass. A touch of smoke.
In the mouth, the first impressions are rather close to those of the nose, but soon the alcohol percentage hinders a bit. And after a while, some discrete beer yeast tastes appear, giving the whole a bitter character.
The finish is of medium length, dominated by this bitter hints of yeast. The smoothness of the nose has disappeared.