The Islay Odyssey 2015 sequel tastings Bunny and Laddie

February 20, 2015

The Islay Odyssey 2015
Bringing rare whiskies back to their birthplace to open them.

The Sequel Tastings,
the Laddie and the Bunny

Our very last ‘Islay Odyssey 2015’ session, most sadly. We’ll have an old ‘Laddie’ vs. an old ‘Bunny’, both at high strength, and then a very strange new one. And that will be it. Boo-hoo-hoo…

Bruichladdich 21 yo 'Limited Edition' (53.4%, OB, 389 bottles, 1994) Another rare bottle, distilled in the early 1970

Tomas' Bruichladdich 21 yo 'Limited Edition' (53.4%, OB, 389 bottles, 1994)

Another rare bottle, distilled in the early 1970s, in all likelihood, so before the number of stills was doubled (from 2 to 4), and bottled just before the distillery was mothballed (in 1995). Colour: dark red amber. Nose: it’s one of these marvellous old sherried Bruichladdichs that reminds be of al old 10 for France that was very chocolaty as well. So chocolate, soy sauce, dried porcinis, walnut wine, then a touch of blueberry jam, then rather blood oranges, then truckloads of all kinds of raisins. There were also some sherried 1986s by the former new owners that were very great as well. With water: big saponification, so let’s wait… zzz zzz zzz… After 15 minutes: oh yes! Camphor, eucalyptus and raisins. A magical trio in (some) whisky. Mouth (neat): it’s jam! Superb notes of rose liqueur, litchis, plenty of tangerines, bags of raisins, more raisins, even more raisins… Some sweet Port as well, a touch of rancio, then tinned peaches, then ginger and pepper… It’s really old-style sweet sherry, and one cannot not think of pajarette. Spectacular sweet raisiny sherry. There’s even a little muscatel, perhaps. With water: raisins again, plus dried figs. Jam, not whisky. Finish: quite long, very jammy, very raisiny. Comments: it’s not often that some many raisins are to be found in a whisky. Love that. SGP:751 - 91 points.

Bunnahabhain 32 yo 1976 (55.7%, The Taster, Japan, fino sherry, cask #6382, 120 bottles, +/-2008)

Hideo's Bunnahabhain 32 yo 1976 (55.7%, The Taster, Japan, fino sherry, cask #6382, 120 bottles, +/-2008)

This baby was bottled for our friend Hideo Yamaoka. Colour: pale gold. Nose: it’s the antithesis of the Bruichladdich as far as sherry’s concerned. This one’s much leafier, more on grass, tea and walnuts, with some leather as well, a wee rooty side… So much less emphatic, but maybe more elegant. With water: a touch of varnish, then more earth and leather. Mouth (neat): superb! Fruitier and zestier, very grassy as well, with a buttery side, some sour apples and oranges, earl grey, notes of rosehip syrup, liquorice allsorts, more walnuts (both fresh and old), cranberries… Also notes of orange squash. It’s lovely and rather unusual. With water: not so sure, some tannins are brought out, as well as more sour apples, Gueuze beer… Finish: quite long, on sour fruits. Cranberries, apples. Comments: I find this baby excellent and really enjoyed its ‘difference’. Almost made it to 90. SGP:461 - 89 points.

And also:

Bunnahabhain ‘Eirigh Na Greine’ (46.3%, OB, travel retail, +/-2014)

A strange NAS containing ‘a significant proportion of high-quality ex-red wine cask-matured Bunnahabhain whiskies of various ages’. Err… As for the name, you should pronounce it ‘ae-ree ne gray-nyuh’. All that is quite unlikely, isn’t it, but the truth lies your glass. Let’s see. Colour: gold (I had thought it would be pink). Nose: starts a little butyric and sweaty (so to speak), with a spicy background. Those spices are soon to come to the front, with some ginger and cinnamon, nutmeg, quite some juniper, and then some cumin. It’s the oak that’s doing the job here, the distillate – and the fruits – do not have much to say. Some pleasant malty notes do come through, though. Sweet beer, hops, IPA… Mouth: more sweet spices. This baby’s very oak-driven, and very ‘modern’, but that rather works, you just have to be into this contemporary, rather Heathrowish style. In other words, young Scotch 2.0. Finish: long, very spicy. Ginger galore! Raspberries in the aftertaste. Comments: very, very okay and certainly well made, just not my style I’m afraid. Maybe a matter of generation. Tastes a bit like peppered vodka and Red Bull. SGP:661 - 72 points.