Bunnahabhain 25 yo 1988/2013 #4344 vs Bunnahabhain 34 yo 1980/2014 # 847945
Bunnahabhain is in a bit of a strange place – It’s quite widely available, both as officials and independents, so much so in fact almost every independent has stocks of it. But where there seems to be a lot of young, NAS officials, the older stuff is mostly found with the the independents. It’s almost like Burn Stewart or Distell sold off all their aged stock a few years ago. Bunnahabhain is another name not often found at the tip of a fashionable tongue, which as a consumer may not be bad. The good thing about being less sexy than some of its Islay neighbours is that well matured stock can be had at very fair prices.
(Photo: Whisky.com)
Bunnahabhain’s rather fat spirit might have something to do with its onion / wide necked stills, also worth looking at Lagavulin’s stills while thinking on the point.
Bunnahabhain 34 yo 1980/2014 # 847945 46.6%
Nose: Deep roasty nuts, leather settee, a frightening amount of leather and new suede actually.Fresh berries. Malty oily and fat. character. However the wood seems tired and the whisky just seems much less mature than it should be. Sherry seems to be refill and therefore not the deep and hugely purple sort, but the quality of the sherry itself doesn’t seem to be first class either.
Palate: A lot of oak lactones, huge amounts of leather, a wall of thick muskty floral notes. A walk through the graveyard a week after Qing Ming. A bin of overripe fruit. Some sort of deviant hipster black tea. Really not my preferred style. Crystallised ginger, nutmeg, black pepper.
Finish: Rather long. More of the same, but somewhat less overwhelming here. Again not my preferred style, but others may like it.
Bunnahabhain 25 yo 1988/2013 #4344 50.4%
Nose: It’s a malty buttery fat sort of spirit, with cleaner vanilla tones this time. Green fruit esters. some ginger and pepper. A thick oily and generous spirit, really quite appealing in its ample character. Hints of rock and salt.
Palate: How strange. Now it’s got quite a lot of leather and old dried out honey jars. Even something of the overripe fruit quality in the 34 yo. Polished oak panels. Vanilla creme. The raw heat of grated ginger in vinegar.
Finish: Long, much of the same, leather and overripe fruit. Is this am 80s Bunnahabhain thing?
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