Bunnahabhain 18 Year Old is a rich, complex beauty who has spent nearly two decades lounging in a mix of sherry and bourbon casks, soaking up all the good stuff. Bottled at 46.3% ABV without chill-filtration or added colouring (because why mess with perfection?), it serves up layers of sweet, fruity, and savoury deliciousness.
Salted caramel leading to sticky toffee pudding sprinkled with nutmeg. With time a leathery quality emerges.
Dense, rich sherried notes perked up with a coastal saltiness. On a second wave roast chestnuts emerge and gentle wood spice.
Woodspice becomes mixed spice. The finish is warming and lengthy; salt and sherry towards the very end.
Bunnahabhain without chill-filtration is dense and oily and shows off its sherried credentials with ease.
Not sure why there are so many negative reviews, this is a fantastic 18yo dram at a good price. Perhaps there are some quality issues which I've been lucky not to be the victim of. Baked sweets, salt, and toffee on the nose. Light brine, some sea salt, and nuttiness emerging late in the game on the palate. A nice woodspice finish with a noticeable sherry presence. This is a cracking scotch at a decent price. If you liked the 12, the 18 is a must-have if you can stomach the price hike, as it's a more subtle and refined version of its younger sibling. I'll be sure to keep a bottle open and another in the cupboard as this is a whiskey I'll want to have on hand at all times.
Tried it with a couple of ice cubes. Much impressed by the taste. Tried it neat. It is delicious. Like drinking Scottish honey. Unbelievably smooth for a 92.6 proof whiskey.
Tastes too much like Bourbon. Not enough peat. Very smooth but too close to bourbon Whiskey. I went back to the Toiteach un-chillfiltered Bunnahabhain.
Perfect
If you love Isla whiskies, the Bunnahabain is the most less-peated whisky at all. It's probably the next polar of your Isla taste. Great extension of 12 Yo.
