Following last week’s Bunna tasting I have a craving for more. How lucky then that I do have some more. In fact, no less than four additional samples and two open bottles, but let’s have some self restraint, shall we?
Today I will finish off the 5cl sample of the standard 12yo, and compare it to a 12yo single cask sample from the SMoS whisky calendar. To top the evening off I have a sample of an 18yo Bunna from Chorlton that I got from the Hop/Scotch bar. I’m a little worried it’s sat long enough for the infamous mini-bottle cardboard note to develop. Let’s see.
Bunnahabhain 12yo Elixir Distillers
Type: Scotch single malt
Alcohol: 56.3%
Cask info: single cask #42645
Bottling info: unchillfiltered and natural colour
Price and availability: only part of whisky calendar
🔗Not on WhiskyBase
Sample from Single Malts of Scotland whisky calendar 2022 (3cl)
Experience ⚡
On the nose: briney and minerally, with tart fruits (apples, underripe pineapple), citrus (grapefruit and lemon), and fresh, resinous pine wood and broiled meat. I find fainter notes of lavender, coconut oil, and gasoline. Quite drinkable, even at the high ABV. The saltiness and sweetness continues the briney impression. Bourbon-cask vanilla and juicy oak, candy floss, grapefruit (tying in with a developing bitterness) and a phenolic and herbal impression, like peat without the smoke. Satisfying honied, bourbony finish.
Thoughts 💡
Without the sherry cask, there is a lot of salty brine, but not the salted caramel I associate with Bunna. The briney, the slightly fusile, and herbal – more challenging notes – do balance nicely with the sweet, fruity and bourbony notes. It’s a successful bottling. But it’s not my favourite profile or version of Bunna.
Worthwhile and enjoyable ✔️
Bunnahabhain 18yo Chorlton
Type: Scotch single malt / single cask
Alcohol: 53.4%
Cask info: Sherry butt
Bottling info: unchillfiltered and natural colour
Price and availability: Original price ~£150 (2021), available from Italy for ~€200 (2023).
🔗WhiskyBase
Review sample from Hop/Scotch (25cl, £8)
Experience ⚡
Very closed nose, requiring time and water. Eventually there is a clear note of perfectly ripe pineapple, chalk and yeasty cider. On the palate, salty-sweet, with orange, cognac and apple cake. There is a phenolic, and meaty/robust character to the spirit. Tropical fruits in the finish.
Thoughts 💡
This one sits somewhere between the above 12yo and the core range 25yo in profile. There is a complexity in the tropical fruit notes that is hard to describe, but which tells of age. But overall, it’s not as generous as other Bunnas, like the 25yo, so I would not score it as highly.
Worthwhile and enjoyable ✔️
There you have it! And no mini-bottle defect 🤩
DuckDrams 
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