Scotland, Isle of Islay: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes

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Bunnahabhain

Description of the whisky

The distillery

Bunnahabhain distillerie
Bunnahabhain Distillery
Port Askaig
Islay - Argyll
PA46 7RP
+44 1496 840 646

Owner: Burn Stewart Distillers
Creation date1880

Photos

Built by the Greenlees brothers between 1881 and 1893 on the model of a castle of the French Bordeaux region, the Bunnahabhain distillery belongs since 1887 to the Highlands Distillers group after having operated under the name of Islay Distillery.
Extended in 1963, it was temporarily mothballed until 1983. Bunnahabhain was luckier than Port Ellen, definitively closed during the same year.
After having been closed for alteration works during several months, it resumed the production in autumn 2001.
The distillery was sold in may 2003 to Burn Stewart Distillers by Highland Distillers Co. Burn Stewart has been bought by a company based in Trinidad, CL Financial Ltd, who owns Angostura amongst other spirit brands. Other distilleries belonging to Burn Stewart are, Tobermory et Deanston
95% of the production is for blends, amongst others Black Bottle and The Famous Grouse.

The whisky

A propos des notes de dégustation Your own tasting notes

List of the bottles

Description of the distillery

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Bunnahabhain: Official bottlings
 

Bunnahabhain 12 years


Age
12 years
Alcohol
40°
Bottler
Official
=25 euros< 25 euros
 Bunnahabhain
 The colour is deep gold, the nose is full, refined and rich with oily peat hints (wet earth), toffee, liquorice and flowers.
The smooth palate is very delicate.
The final, oily as well, is long with fruit hints.
(la Maison du Whisky)
 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.

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Bunnahabhain XVIII


Age
18 years
Alcohol
43°
Bottler
Official
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
Bunnahabhain 18
COLOR : Gold amber with redish-brown glints.
NOSE : fruity (green banana, mango, orange), precious wood, green almond and wallnut bur.
PALATE : Supple and rich attack. Notes of almond powder, peaty (ash, tar) and caramelized banana cake.
FINISH : A touch of earth. Notes of bitter chocolate and citrus fruit (orange).
(la Maison du Whisky)
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.
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Bunnahabhain
1968
Auld Acquaintance
Limited Hogmanay edition


Age
34 years
Alcohol
43,8°
Bottler
Official
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Bunnahabhain 1986 Auld Acquaintance
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.

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Bunnahabhain: independent bottlings
 

Bunnahabhain
14 years
Chieftain's Choice


Age
14 years
Cask
Sherry
Alcohol
46°
Bottler
Ian McLeod
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Bunnahabhain chieftains
 
 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.
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Bunnahabhain
38 years
Duncan Taylor Rare Auld


Age
38 years
Cask
Sherry
Alcohol
40,8°
Particularity
Cask Strength
Bottler
Duncan Taylor
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Bunnahabhain 38 Rare Auld
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.
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Bunnahabhain
1984
Scott's Selection


Age
19 years
Particularity
Cask strength
Alcohol
57,5°
Bottler
Scott's Selection
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Bunnahabhain 1984
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.
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Bunnahabhain
Adelphi
27 years old


Age
27 years
Particularity
Cask strength
Alcohol
50.6°
Bottler
Adelphi
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Bunnahabhain 27 Adelphi
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.

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Bunnahabhain
Signatory Vintage
Un-chillfiltered collection
1997 - peated


Age
9 years
Alcohol
46°
Bottler
Signatory
=25 euros< 25 euros
Bunnahabhain 1997 peated
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.
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Bunnahabhain: samples

Bunnahabhain 1997
Heavily peated
Signatory: tasting sample for whisky live Belgium

Alcohol
59°
Particularity
Cask Strength
Bottler
Signatory
Bunnahabhain heavily peated
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.
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Bunnahabhain
Toiteach

Alcohol
46°
Bottler
Officiel
Bunnahabhain Toiteach
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.
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Bunnahabhain
Best Casks of Scotland
1997 peated

Alcohol
43°
Bottler
Jean Boyer
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.
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