I have a long history with Bunnahbahahnahn—let’s try again, Bunnahabhain. Or just Bunna. Now, to some my total history with whisky isn’t particularly long at all, but Bunna has been there almost from the start. My friend Petter had received a couple of 20cl bottles of Bunna from a family friend and would share with his friends in the early days of legal drinking age. I can’t remember what I thought then except that I liked whisky.
When I moved to Scotland I soon picked up on Bunna as a favourite. One tasting with the Water of Life Society (Edinburgh uni’s whisky club) was hosted by Loch Fyne whiskies, who run a couple of shops and a small indie bottling operation. The last whisky of the night was their own bottling of a 16yo Bunnahabhain. It expanded my conceptions of how good a whisky could be (they’ve been expanded many times since). I was especially captivated by the salted caramel note.
Since the tasting was a promo, the Loch Fyne guys left the unfinished, opened bottles to the society committee for free. In those days, the committee tended to hoard whisky leftovers at the president’s place and then consume them during “organizational meetings”. Of course, some whisky samples made it to the weekly raffles. I asked if I could buy the remainder of the Bunna bottle from the society for a small penny. And that’s how I got my first (quarter of a) bottle of Bunna.
The experience with this Bunna prompted me to seek out bottlings from this distillery in the coming years. I jumped on the chance to get a Bunna from SMWS. I bought another for my father from Cadenhead’s. At Whisky Fringe 2019, a Bunna from Adelphi was my clear winner. I treated myself to an outstanding vintage Bunna at a conveniently located pub on our Skye trail hike. I signed up to buy the ‘Untold Riches’ release from Wemyss of vatting of sum 28-34yo Bunna.
So I’ve imbibed my fair share of Bunna. But I haven’t really given their standard range much attention, which might be a real oversight. I went to Bunnahabhain distillery as part of the Islay trip earlier this year. I was on driving duty, so I didn’t try any whisky, but I took a lot of samples with me, including most of their core range. Today I will try the 12, 18, and 25yo side by side.
Bunnahabhain 12yo
Type: Scotch single malt
Alcohol: 46.3%
Cask info: ex-sherry and bourbon
Bottling info: unchillfiltered and natural colour
Price and availability: broadly available ~€45
🔗WhiskyBase (or similar batch)
Sample from Bunnahabhain distillery (5cl for £7.50)
Experience ⚡
Sweet sherry and dessert aromas, stone fruits, crystalized orange peels and ginger, and a coastal minerality on the nose. Sweet and salty on the palate, with some gentle oak tannnins too. Caramel and custard (crème brûlée, cinnamon-dusted Pastes de Nata), and toasted hazelnuts. A light peat and heather in the development and finish.
Thoughts 💡
Classic and very enjoyable malt here. It’s a sherry-driven expression, but Bunnahabhain spirit really works with sherry, where the coastal salt transforms to salted caramel, and the peat adds flair but doesn’t steal the show. A good single cask (1st fill sherry) will give more oiliness and salty caramel (which I like in Bunna) but that’s not to say that the standard expression is lacking. I can’t think of a dram that’s a more solid recommendation to the person who’s starting to get serious about whisky.
Worthwhile and enjoyable ✔️
Special distinction ⭐ Great value & Iconic
Bunahabhain 18yo
Type: Scotch single malt
Alcohol: 46.3%
Cask info: (not stated — 100% sherry rumoured)
Bottling info: unchillfiltered and natural colour
Price and availability: €140 (Germany, 2023)
🔗WhiskyBase (or similar batch)
Sample from Bunnahabhain distillery (3cl for £10)
Experience ⚡
Rich and vinous; red fruits (strawberry laces, tangy plum, cherries, red apples), leather, port wine, toffee and marzipan. Sweet, salty, unctuous on the tongue; dessert notes (strawberry cheesecake, salted caramel), there is heft to the spirit, maybe some glazed ham, but not much smoke.
Thoughts 💡
More winey than the 12yo, delivering especially on the red fruits. It is delicious. I actually thought there was port wood involved, but it seems I’m wrong and it’s all sherry? In any case, is it a step up from the 12yo? In terms of density and intensity, yes. But it is also a bit different in profile. We have also gone up in price by a factor of 3 to 4, which is quite steep!
Worthwhile and enjoyable ✔️
Bunnahabhain 25yo
Type: Scotch single malt
Alcohol: 46.3%
Cask info: not knwon
Bottling info: unchillfiltered and natural colour
Price and availability: 💎 around €300 (Germany, 2023)
🔗WhiskyBase (or another batch)
Sample from Bunnahabhain distillery (3cl for £15)
Experience ⚡
Nose: Coastal breeze, sublime tropical fruits, touch of vanilla and cinnamon. Sherry, yes, but not so overbearing. Toasted nuts and green grapes, subtle oak wood. Once can dig around for a long time here. Palate: golden sultanas, dried tropical fruits, a little liquorice, coffee. Great complexity. A little woodsmoke in the background. It’s one of those drams with an indescribable elegance and a special mature and perfumey note, perhaps rancio is apt? Sweet and salty finish, with a puff of smoke. The finish is not extraordinary, but who cares, because I’m leaning in for the next sip long before the finish has subsided.
Thoughts 💡
Wow! I was not expecting this subtlety and complexity. I thought I’d mostly be getting more salty caramel, an oilier texture, and more leather and tobacco notes perhaps, as compared to the 18yo. Instead, this dram takes a few steps back and ventures of in a delicate tropical fruit direction, and finds more self-restraint regarding the dessert aromas, while keeping the perfect balance of salty and sweet. Simply stunning, and possibly my favourite Bunna to date.
Worthwhile and enjoyable ✔️
Personal favourite ❤️
DuckDrams 
Leave a comment