Malt Nuts – Wine Finished Bunnahabhain Tasting

Being the one breaking down the bottles into the samples takes a touch of the mystery out of these events. I say a touch, because during the pandemic I’ve been breaking down at least 2 events worth of bottles at a go. And If you think I remember what each whisky is after pouring 700-1,000+ samples over the course of 48 hours, then you have more faith in my memory than reality can demonstrate.😛

BUnnie1

It’s true that I do take the photos as well, but I only revisit them long enough to name them in a folder the same day I take them. That way they’re queued and ready for the virtual event. After that I turn my mind towards more pressing and existential matters, like what to watch on Netflix.

Do I watch the zombie movie? Or the foregin zombie movie? Or the comedy zombie movie? Or the comedy zombie TV series? So many choices, so much alone time. Getting back to whisky, here’s how the rounds for the Malt Nuts -Wine Finished Bunnahabhain Tasting broke down.

  • Round 1: Cut Bunnahabhain
  • Round 2: Cask Strength Bunnahabhain Distilled 2009
  • Round 3: Cask Strength Bunnahabhain Distilled 2007
  • Round 4: Signatory Bunnahabhain Face-Off
  • Round 5: High-End OB Bunnahabhain

07Bunnie

This was a tasting that promised to blow many of our previous tastings out of the water and we were all excited, but unfortunately, that excitement got a bit neutered due to some tainted sample bottles. The lesson we learned here folks is to be VERY sure of the condition and source your sample bottles come from.

Nothing was physically wrong with ours, and no one got sick or anything, but a lot of whisky was ruined. The caps were unfortunately tainted from being stored near/around some scented items and perfume which it in turn bestowed upon the whisky giving it a soapy profile… Live and learn.

 

Round 1: Cut Bunnahabhain

Malt Nuts - Wine and Sherry Bunnahabhain Round 1

1A: Gordon & Macphail Bunnahabhain 11 years: 43% – ex-Sherry

  • Nose: Orchard fruit, vanilla, sherry and malt.
  • Palate: Orchard fruit
  • Finish: Sweet patchouli soap
  • Overall: (N/A) Seems like a light and delicate malt.

1B: Bunnahabhain Stiuireadair: 46.9% – ex-Sherry

  • Nose: Deep fruity sherry, malty, vanilla taffy and a light nutty spice.
  • Palate: Malt
  • Finish: Sweet patchouli soap
  • Overall: (N/A) The nose is so good on this, it’s such a tragedy.

1C: Bunnahabhain Eirigh Na Greine: 46.3% – ex-Red Wine

  • Nose: Fruity snd spirity malt.
  • Palate: Fruit
  • Finish: Fruit
  • Overall: (N/A) I didn’t care for this one when I originally reviewed it and the soap is not an improvement.

 

 

Round 2: Cask Strength Bunnahabhain Distilled 2009

Malt Nuts - Wine and Sherry Bunnahabhain Round 2

2A: Gordon & Machpail Bunnahabhain 7 years (09-17): 59% – First Fill ex-Sherry Hogshead

  • Nose: Honey Nut Cheerios, malt, fruit, and sherry sweetness.
  • Palate: Plums
  • Finish: Sweet patchouli soap
  • Overall: (N/A) Hmm…

2B: Adelphi Bunnahabhain 10 years: 59.3% – First Fill ex-Sherry

  • Nose: Sticky sherry, grilled fruit, malt, nuts, plums, iodine and ink.
  • Palate: Sherry, char and ink.
  • Finish: Iodine and sherry.
  • Overall: (N/A) I snuck a sip while filling these with the permission of the bottle owner (thanks Raj!) and I have to say, this had everything needed to make it THE bottle of the night. It was so dense and heavy with a superb complex delivery. It was a sherry bomb, but balanced and nuanced. Damn…

2C: The Ultimate Bunnahabhain 11years (09-20): 67% – ex-Sherry Butt

  • Nose: Buttery toffee, sherry, malt and pine.
  • Palate: Smoke and fruit.
  • Finish: Sweet patchouli soap
  • Overall: (N/A) Super oily delivery.

2D: Signatory Bunnahabhain 10 years (09-20): 68.5% – First Fill ex-Sherry Butt

  • Nose: Honey Nut Cheerios, dark fruit, strawberry taffy.
  • Palate: Fruit
  • Finish: Sweet patchouli soap
  • Overall: (N/A) Nicely fruity.

 

Round 3: Cask Strength Bunnahabhain Distilled 2007

Malt Nuts - Wine and Sherry Bunnahabhain Round 3

3A: Exclusive Malts Bunnahabhain 9 years (07-16): 51.5% – Refill ex-Sherry Hogshead

  • Nose: Honied fruit, good sherry, malt and candy.
  • Palate: Fruity malt.
  • Finish: Sweet patchouli soap
  • Overall: (N/A) Super light and crisp.

3B: Gordon & Macphail Bunnahabhain 9 years (07-16): 55.8% – First Fill ex-Sherry Hogshead

  • Nose: Honey grahams.
  • Palate: Honey.
  • Finish: Sweet patchouli soap
  • Overall: (N/A) Obliterated…

3C: The Ultimate Bunnahabhain 12 years (07-20): 58.1% – First Fill ex-Sherry Butt

  • Nose:Honey Nut Cheerios
  • Palate: Fruit
  • Finish: Sweet patchouli soap
  • Overall: (N/A) Another obliteration.

3D: Signatory Bunnahabhain 12 years (07-19): 58.9% – First Fill ex-Sherry Butt

  • Nose: Fruit candy, malt, char, Cheerios, smoke and nuts.
  • Palate: Fruit candy.
  • Finish: Fruit candy and char.
  • Overall: (N/A) Quite expressive all things considered.

 

Round 4: Signatory Bunnahabhain Face-Off

Malt Nuts - Wine and Sherry Bunnahabhain Round 4

4A: Signatory Bunnahabhain 11 years (01-13): 56% – First Fill ex-Sherry Butt

  • Nose: Buttercream, herbal, sherried fruit and malt.
  • Palate: Buttercream and fruity candy.
  • Finish: Fruity candy.
  • Overall: (N/A) Surprisingly nice.

4B: Signatory Bunnahabhain 10 years (05-15): 57.8% – First Fill ex-Sherry Butt

  • Nose: Sour fruit, copper and sulfur.
  • Palate: Sour fruit, sulfur.
  • Finish: Sulfur and soap… but mostly sulfur.
  • Overall: (N/A) And we just learned that even sulfur can’t be tamed by soapy tainted bottles.

 

Round 5: High-End OB Bunnahabhain

Malt Nuts - Wine and Sherry Bunnahabhain Round 5

5A: Bunnahabhain 18 years: 46.3% – ex-Sherry

  • Nose: Honied graham.
  • Palate: Sherry and graham.
  • Finish: Sweet patchouli soap
  • Overall: (N/A) Kinda got killed.

5B: Bunnahabhain PX Finish 14 Years (03-17): 54.3% – ex-PX

  • Nose: Buttered popcorn, malt, orchard fruit and dark fruit.
  • Palate: Buttered popcorn and grapes.
  • Finish: Grapes and soap… but mostly grapes.
  • Overall: (N/A) Wow, the PX punches through the soap.

 

These notes are the best I could do and could offer. I tried as hard as I could to dig around the soap and find the beauty I knew was there. It is what it is, shit happens, and we’re already planning a Part 3. The tainted caps have been dealt with and we know from recent tastings the new ones are just fine. So here’s to the future.

Cheers!

PortBunnie

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