Almost exactly a year has gone by since I was gifted a dram of this by my good friend Rob Martin. Tonight, while out walking around, I wandered into Metro Liquors in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington DC and they had a fire sale on this 2018 bottling to make room for new things. I knew I'd had it, but my memory was scant, faded. So I picked up a bottle.
This is aged 10 years in a refill hogshead (bourbon? No idea) ... unpeated ... and bottled at 46% ABV by Clan Denny, which is a subset of Douglas McGibbon & Co. This cask produced 367 bottles, of which I've had two, which means I've had 1/183rd of this cask. No coloring, no filtering.
The official notes are in the smallest print imaginable: "The nose has a sweet home-baking quality - vanilla sponge with a fruity filling. The palate is generously spicy and sweet before running to a more salty, maritime character. The finish is medium-long and develops to a citrus tang - lemon sponge style (JLB)."
Intriguing. I was dubious this time last year, but after a few fantastic bottles of the 12 year old and the other core expressions, I've become a big fan of unpeated Bunna. Let's dig right in...
Nose: Seaside cake. Maritime rock salt, vanilla cake with white icing; salted caramel. It's sweet and salty in turns. Hints of smoke. I get a lot more of out this the second time around - at the front of the bottle, rather than the back. Quite nice, tasty.
With just a few drops of water: a tiny tinge of spirit-driven sulfur emerges as a savory element. Melon and apple hazily emerge. Mostly that same vanilla sweetness - like buttery cake batter.
Mouthfeel: Oily as hell. Viscous.
Palate: Interesting - follows the nose pretty closely. This is definitely bourbon cask and not sherry - sweet vanilla, soft baking spices, vague orchard fruit, more coastal salt and a hint of smoky brine. Sumo oranges, orange pith.
With a tiny bit of water: Stays largely the same. Perhaps slightly more citrus - a little more orange.
Finish: Nice, small deposits of smoke, sandy embers, yellow apple, vague oak, and more cake. Medium, average length.
Verdict: A good independent expression of Bunnahabhain, but missing some of the rich red fruits from the official bottlings, and what fruit there is here is tantalizingly vague. Still, contains the essential coastal salt essence of unpeated Islay. When on sale for $50, this is a deal - a quality malt from a respected distillery. Keep your eye out.
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