July 22, 2014

A little bag of newish Bunnies
as they come

Yes that would be Bunnahabhain. There’s more and more Bunnahabhain at the indies and we wouldn’t, and shouldn’t complain, even if they aren’t all ‘auld acquaintances’. Not talking about the bottlers, of course…

Bn6 (56.9%%, Specialty Drinks, Elements of Islay, 2014)

I’ve only tried Bn1 so far. Liked it. Colour: gold. Nose: someone must have bought ten packs of Werther’s Original and one litre of pure alcohol, and made all that marinate for three months! Caramel, toffee, fudge, butterscotch… you name it. Almost forgot café latte. With water: more of all that. Do Cadbury now own Bunnahabhain? Mouth (neat): rich and fruity, yet again on all things caramely and fudgy, plus plenty of Seville oranges and sultanas. Quite a lot of vanilla too, as if this came from 50% PX and 50% virgin American oak. Probably not. No complex spirit but it’s all perfectly balanced. With water: more malt, oranges and honey. We’ve got closer to the distillate. Finish: of medium length, a tad leafier. Honeydew, oranges, honey sauce, malt. Ovaltine after Werther’s. Comments: reminds me of some earlier versions of the official 12, only at a much higher strength. Much to my liking – it also reminds me of some official Glenrothes. SGP:541 - 86 points.

Bunnahabhain 11 yo 2003/2014 (58.8%, Signatory Vintage for The Bonding Dram, sherry butt, cask #1152, 627 bottles)

To think that the 2003s are already eleven, how time flies… Colour: gold. Nose: styles are extremely similar after Bn6, this one’s just got an added earthy touch, and perhaps a little more grass. Same batches? With water: same feeling. Mouth (neat): yet again, it’s very similar. Maybe a wee mustardy touch that wasn’t there in the Bn6, but other than that, both Bunnies are almost undistinguishable. With water: maybe a little more oranges and honey than in the Bn6 this time. Finish: medium length. Ovaltine, agave syrup, honey, Werther’s… Comments: another excellent one that’s true to the distillery’s official style. Only bigger! SGP:541 - 86 points.

Bunnahabhain 23 yo 1990/2014 (47.9%, Archives, sherry butt, cask #52, 201 bottles)

Rather first fill this time, or so it seems according to the colour. Colour: dark amber. Nose: starts with a little gunpowder, menthol and cured ham, and would rather develop on soy or even oyster sauce, parsley, hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts and walnut cake. Even pecan pie. Some heavy honey too. Mouth: very rich, rather old-style, it reminds me of many a bottling done by the Italians twenty or thirty years ago. A very heavy, old-style sherry, with plenty of jams (blackberry, raspberry), marmalade, chocolate, coffee, prunes, raisins… A touch of leather and rubber in the background, but nothing too embarrassing. Finish: long, ample, on coffee-schnapps(li). Pipe tobacco. Comments: classic. The slight rubber and the gunpowder work as seasoning agents here. I’m sorry, but it’s the same score again in my book. SGP:651 - 86 points.

Another 1990…

Bunnahabhain 24 yo 1990/2014 (50.5%, Asta Morris for Mikhail Selivanov, Russia, cask #AM 035, 204 bottles)

Colour: dark amber. Nose: once again, two similar whiskies are following each other, but this one hasn’t got the gunpowder, or very, very little. On the other hand, it’s got even more sultanas, as well as a more obvious coastal side. Sea breeze. Globally rounder and sweeter, and pretty cleaner. With water: more tobacco coming out. Amsterdamer pipe tobacco. Wee touches of leather. Mouth (neat): big fat old style sherry again, this time with more limoncello on top of the raisins, prunes, pipe tobacco, jams and chocolate. Easier and sexier. With water: honey and mint lozenges, fudge, orange marmalade, maybe touches of peat… All great. Finish: long, with even more honeydew (fir honey) and raisins. Comments: goes down too well. Heavy sherry without the dirty-ish corners, I’d say. SGP:651 - 88 points.

And a last one…

Bunnahahbhain 25 yo 1988/2014 (56.9%, Douglas Laing, Director's Cut, hogshead, cask #10272, 104 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: it’s a rather more ‘natural’ one after the heavy sherries, probably a little more complex, more elegant and… less immediate. I find an earthiness that wasn’t in all the others, notes of roots, raw celeriac, then more vanilla, branches, wee touches of varnish (not that it’s solventy of course), something a little medicinal… With water: maybe this baby doesn’t swim too well, it becomes a little muddy, in a way. No big deal. Nice notes of hay, though. Farmyard. Mouth (neat): oh this is quite superb! An unexpected peatiness, a lot of spearmint, lemongrass, peppermint, lemon liqueur, grapefruits… A surprise, really, and a great one. Where was the peat in the nose? With water: even more excellent? All citrus, lemony grasses and medicinal fluids and ointments. Finish: long, a notch grassier and oakier, spicier, greener, earthier again. Comments: what a great palate! Very well selected Messrs The Directors. SGP:453 - 89 points.

We may have more Bunnahabhain tomorrow…

Check the index of all Bunnahabhain I've tasted so far

A little bag of newish Bunnies as they come

A little bag of newish Bunnies
as they come