A brilliant, nuclear grade sherry bomb.
This is simply the biggest and best sherry bomb I've ever tasted, and I'm comparing this to some pretty heavy hitters ranging from the GlenDronach 15 to the Yamazaki Sherry Cask. This is a huge whisky, that opens with a nutty, caramel, toffee, heavy dark sherried nose replete with cherries and dates all backed with a subtle fresh raspberries note. The palate is even bigger, the PX milk chocolate and caramel arrival gives way to a nutty dark and resinous oloroso sherry core of leather, christmas cake, plum pudding, black berries and a hint of wood fire that doesn't overwhelm Bunnahabhain's house style of subtle brine and just a tiny hint of peat at the edges. The finish is Rolo's, brine and just a hint of struck match.
This is an instant classic: a uniquely Bunnahabhain expression that shows that the little oddball distillery on Islay can create a sherry monster of truly epic proportions. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better whisky at any age and, frankly, this is one of the best malts bottled in the last 15 years. If you find it, buy it.
Ned Gnichtel Jan 1, 2018
Rich, complex, and versatile with water!
Color: Rich dark red copper; with water: a misty dried orange peel (non-chill filtered = lots of scotch mist!)
Nose: Intense, burnt caramel, toffee, nutty, fruit cake, super sweet, candied apple, candies cherry, raisins, faintest hunts of something herbal and minty, mildly salty (salted caramel anyone?), peppermint patty candies; with water (1tsp to 1.5oz): more fruitcake, soft winter baking spices, manuka honey, anise, candied pork, stewing sugar and fruits, warm milk chocolate, sweeter, creamier and spicier than before, finally hints of pine needle, rose petals, and fresh pecan pie; more water (3x more!): floral and herbal notes emerge, strong lavender, hibiscus, peppercorn, stronger pine, with fruity desert notes.
Palate: Intense maple syrupy arrival, develops with some smoke, heavy on the Sherry notes, both dry and nutty Oloroso/Fino and sweet cake Pedro Ximénez influences dancing together on the tongue, sweet brine, lemon, orange candy, very easy on the tongue at cask strength; with water (1tps to 1.5oz): an explosion of mild baking spices and sweet PX sherry, honeys, salt, lots of brine, cherry, apple soda, fresh gingerbread, peach cobbler, peppercorn, liqourice, mild chili chipotle, churros, brown Northern Mexican mole, lime.
Finish: A medium length cream sherry finish, faintest hints of smoke, brine, sweet at the beginning, dry at the end, umami notes throughout, pear, green apple; with water (1tsp to 1.5oz): the whole mouth feels warmer now, with mild cayenne pepper coming through, now more sour, tart, a wee bit bitter, cashews, almonds covered in dark chocolate, coffee beans, cacao nibs, hickory wood smoke, bison jerky, dry sour apple, honey over prosciutto.
Mouthfeel: Syrupy, medium bodied, creamy with time in the mouth; with water: slimmer, sloshy, milky, still medium bodied though.
Notes: the palate and finish are greatly opened up and improved with a moderate amount of water, whereas even more water begins to open up the nose with floral notes, slightly diluting the palate and finish.
I was extremely impressed at the complexity and cask influence, for some it may be a little overdone; but it’s definitely a sherry/px bomb that isn’t one dimensional. I liked it so much when I tried my first bottle I went to the store the next day to get a second one for a rainy day!
96.5/100 in my book
- Thomas Moss
Master of Malt Customer Dec 29, 2017
