Bunnahabhain Sample Box Set

This four dram Bunnahabhain sample box set contains excellent Bunnahabhain vintages from the 1980s and 1990s.

This sample box features four 30ml (3cl) drams of the following Bunnahabhain whiskies:

Bunnahabhain 1985 Vintage, 16 Year Old Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask (50%)

This 1985 Vintage, Single Cask 16 Year Old Bunnahabhain was bottled by Douglas Laing as part of their Old Malt Cask series.

Distilled in March 1985, this was then bottled in March 2001.

This release was limited to just 366 bottles.

Like all the other Old Malt Cask releases this whisky was bottled at 50% abv.

Our tasting notes:

Nose: Fresh early morning coastal walk. Canned fruit syrup. Wet seaweed. Cooked ham. Toasted rye bread.

Palate: Cornflakes. Soot. Almonds. Turf. Green tomatoes. Sea salt. Gentle oak.

Finish: Charcoal and salted nuts to finish.

Bunnahabhain 1990 Vintage, 10 Year Old Douglas McGibbon Provenance (43%)

This is a Bunnahabahain 1990 Vintage, 10 Year Old single malt whisky that was bottled by Douglas McGibbon as part of their Provenance range.

Distilled in Spring 1990 this was matured for 10 years before being bottled in Winter 2000.

The whisky was bottled at 43%.

Our Tasting Notes:

Nose: Cashews. Salted plums. Lemon water. Green leaves. Wet turf.

Palate: Rum & raisin fudge. Tobacco. Leather. Brown banana skins. Wood spice.

Finish: Dark chocolate. Prunes. Cloves. Ash.

Bunnahabhain 1997 Vintage, 9 Year Old Signatory Vintage (46%)

This is a heavily peated Bunnahabhain Single Cask 1997 Vintage, 9 Year Old Single Malt Whisky that was bottled by Signatory Vintage as part of their The Un-Chillfiltered Collection.

The whisky was distilled on the 1st December 1997 (the exact same day as our The Ultimate 1997 Vintage 9 Year Old Bunnahabhain we also have for sale), matured for 9 years in a Refill Butt and was bottled on the 4th June 2007 at 46% abv.

Our Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sea shells. Figs. Tobacco. Musk – almost has a Zara aftershave smell to it (but not in an industrial or artificial way). Distant smoke.

Palate: Grilled citrus. Tomato chutney. Pumpkin seeds. Pomegranate.

Finish: Gentle guava note. Re-emergence of maritime notes. Iodine presence. Malt extract.

Bunnahabhain 1997 Vintage, 9 Year Old The Ultimate (46%)

This is a single cask 1997 Vintage, 9 Year Old heavily peated Bunnahabhain (Stoisha), that was released by legendary Dutch independent bottler Herman van Wees as part of his fantastic The Ultimate series.

The whisky was distilled on the 1st December 1997, matured in a refill butt for 9 years and bottled on the 14th March 2007 at 46% abv.

*this whisky was distilled on the exact same day as our Signatory Vintage 1997 Vintage 9 Year Old Bunnahabhain that we also have for sale.

Our Tasting Notes:

Nose: Marzipan. Breaded cod. Powdered sugar. Lightly toasted oak chips. Cod liver oil capsules. Clean smoke. The deck of an old ship.

Palate: Slight taste of accidentally swallowing sea water – but in a good way. The sea water notes work in tandem with an excellent barrel spice note. Hazelnuts. Vegetational. The air of a musty room.

Finish: Honey roasted almonds. Mushy raspberries. Waxy apple skins. Campfire embers.

Bunnahabhain Distillery – Active

Founded in 1881 on Islay’s east coast, Bunnahabhain is the most northernly distillery on Islay and an entirely unique entity.

For most of its history, the vast majority of Bunnahabhain’s whisky has predominantly been unpeated – a highly unusual stance in comparison to its Islay siblings.

Nearly all of Bunnahabhain’s new make is filled into ex-sherry casks and its house style typically features waves of dried fruits, nuts, layered honey and crisp sea air.