March 3, 2014

Bunnahabhain, grouped fire – almost

I believe Bunnahabhain has become #1 as far as the number of new independent expressions is concerned. There’s pleanty, both young and old and both unpeated and peated. And many are very good… Let’s have a few today – again.

Bunnahabhain 6 yo 2006/2013 (60.7%, Berry Bros & Rudd, cask #800097)

So young? I suspect it’s a peater, let’s see… Colour: pale white wine. Nose: it’s rather blocked, I suppose the high ABV does that. Whiffs of coal smoke and cut green apples, but not much else at this stage. It’s a peater for sure. With water: a very narrow and sharp profile, certainly not unpleasant but it’s so simple that it’s more like smoked vodka. Coal, ashes and apples, wet wool. Mouth (neat): very punchy and fiery sweet peat, very aggressive, this thing burns your throat. Help! With water: smoked apple juice and bitter almonds plus a little salt. Becomes drier and drier. Finish: not very long but very narrow. Smoked brine, some tar, apple juice. Comments: I think this very simple young peater ought to be drunk with many ice cubes. Highball? SGP:337 - 76 points.

Let’s call to some older ones for help…

Bunnahabhain 1990/2013 (50.9%, Whisky-Doris, sherry butt, 228 bottles)

Colour: amber. Nose: some evanescent gunpowder at first nosing, then a pretty beautiful earthy sherriness, with some tobacco, many dried fruits such as figs and raisins, touches of balsamico and soy sauce, then a little camphor. An elegant sherry, not a thick monster at all. A lot happening in this one so far… With water: a little smoke and a farminess. A little manure? Also limestone, gravel… Mouth (neat): very good arrival, chocolaty and raisiny, with some marmalade and a few greener elements such as apple peeling and grass. That keeps it lively and even kind of light. Tobacco. With water: pretty perfect, fresh, orangey, with also a little more toffee and coffee. Finish: quite long and relatively dry. More tobacco and more coffee. Comments: that was an excellent sherry cask. Great balance. SGP:452 - 87 points.

Bunnahabhain 24 yo 1988/2013 (49.8%, Berry Bros & Rudd, sherry, cask #4111)

Colour: dark amber. Nose: this time it’s a rather grassy kind of sherry that we’re having at first nosing, with some eucalyptus, liquorice and mint, and then it would rather unfold on the usual fruitcake and pipe tobacco, all that in a beautiful manner. Quite some strong chestnut honey as well as, maybe, tamarind jam… Beautiful nose! Mouth: very classy sherry indeed, with always a lot of fruitcake, orange liqueur, raisins aplenty, milk chocolate, cappuccino and, once again, chestnut honey. It’s big but it’s not thick. Finish: long, with a few bitterer notes that keep it tensed. Propolis, maybe, as well as marzipan. An a very chocolaty aftertaste. Comments: state of the art clean yet big sherry. No tiny flaws whatsoever, that’s a 90. SGP:541 - 90 points.

Bunnahabhain 26 yo 1987/2013 (62.5%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams, joint bottling with LMDW, pale version)

We already had its excellent sister cask that was much darker a few months ago. I know I should have had both head to head, mea culpa… Colour: gold. Nose: this is different, there might be some sherry but it’s a very light one, while more fresh fruits and possibly a little coastal smoke are playing first fiddles. Distant beach bonfire plus grapefruits and a little verbena. Quite easy and even very elegant at 62.5% vol.! With water: lovely fruits, both sweet and sour. Pineapples, mangos, apples, gooseberries… Mouth (neat): a big boy but most amazingly, it’s kind of swallowable. Er… I seem to find a little banana liqueur as well as notes of strawberries. Marshmallows and jellybeans for sure, but not quite the same kinds as what one can find in very young whiskies. With water: perfect fruitiness and an earthy touch. Finish: quite long, fresh, fruity… A little acacia honey and tinned peaches. Grape jelly. Comments: fresh, fruity and complex. I like a lot. Perfect maturation. Same high quality as the dark version. SGP:641 - 90 points.

Bunnahabhain 33 yo 1980/2013 (45.6%, Whisky-Doris, sherry butt, cask #92)

Colour: full gold. Nose: the oak’s more apparent in this one, but that’s normal. Polished wood, chocolate, praline, walnut cake, honey cake… It’s rather ‘beehivy’ in fact, which is most pleasant. You’ve got the wood, the wax, the honey and the pollen. No, no royal jelly. Also a wee smoke, charcoal, then hints of menthol and milk chocolate. Maybe dried seaweed? So far, so good. Mouth: the oak is more obvious this time, and probably a little drying (strong green tea), but the honey and the nice notes of tarte tatin keep the whole balanced and lively. Mulled wine, orange cake, cinnamon flavoured chewing-gum (do they still make that?) and gingerbread. Finish: long, rather more on praline and gingerbread/speculoos. The honey’s still there in the aftertaste. Comments: the oak starts to show a bit but it does act more like some spice and just underlines the very lovely honey notes. Excellent, I think. SGP:651 - 88 points.

Bunnahabhain 1973/2013 'The Birthday Dram' (48.5%, The Whiskyman, 155 bottles)

This bottling was done to celebrate the 40th birthday of four Beligian friends, namely Dirk, Geert, Dominiek and Billy. Colour: light gold. Nose: ha! They chose a waxy one! It’s actually one of these whiskies that do hint at Cynelish 1972-1974, with this kind of sappy fruitiness, citrons, beeswax, orange zests, barley water, putty, plasticine, apricots, plums, papayas… Also yellow flowers, dandelions, buttercups… And earth and roots. What’s not to like? Nothing, unless this baby got flattish on the palate, let’s see… Mouth: perfection. Plenty of fruits, some wax, a little salt, some honey… Oh too hell with tasting notes, let’s simply enjoy this lovely baby… Finish: orange salad with honey and olive oil. Pear cider. The oak’s under control, it only really shows up in the aftertaste. Comments: a magnificent fruity 40yo Bunnahabhain, but it’s a little too drinkable. Of course not! SGP:651 - 91 points.

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