Review #77: Bunnahabhain 24yrs 1989/2013, Alambique Classique, 50.9%, ex-bourbon, C# 13305, 141 bottles

another German bottler

"Alambique Classique" seems like a silly name for a German bottler, but I guess they bottle all sorts of spirits, including French ones. Looks like they sell a lot of Cognac.

There still seems to be a pretty good supply of Bunna casks on the market, but time and thirst are probably about to overtake those, too. This one will be disappearing soon.

nose: I can tell this is a good one right out of the bottle. It starts off with thick vanilla cream and some almost figgy fruit, nuts, and marshmallows -- I think I was expecting a sherried cask. But it settles down into something leaner and more coastal. Vanilla salt water taffy, smoldering bonfire, and slightly mentholated wet gravel. All sorts of smaller grassy and mineral and even meaty notes, and then the creamy vanilla pops back in. Maybe creme brulee. (uh, crème brûlée).

palate: soft and sweet before a salty smoky attack. I'm really surprised by the intensity of the smoke and salt -- it's like the malt got a spice rub.

finishes quite long, like the palate. burns a little, and then vanilla caramel puts it out. some chewy malt and a tart apple note is new. oaky dryness, but not too much.

This is full of surprises, and really good stuff. It might take some attention -- there are a lot of little flavors underneath the big bold ones - but the whole thing is fantastic.

score: 90

Review #56: Bunnahabhain 12yr, OB +/- 2013, 46.3%

another Bunny

I haven't tried this in a while -- not since they upped the proof. I think there's more sherry casks in the mix now, too. And it's owned by a South African drink conglomerate, because whatever.

nose: sharp, grassy edge followed by distinct sherry notes: orange peels, walnuts, coffee, dried fruits, and fudge. A little bit of medicinal bitterness, but the overall effect is light and sweet.

palate: bitter attack that develops nicely, through marzipan sweetness into waves of apple peelings, walnut skins, salted caramels, and oak. There's some sulphur here, I think, but it works well to give some oomph to a light whisky.

finish: finish is pleasant but unremarkable. maybe a little saltier and greasier than the palate.

very well made -- everything in balance, so that modest flavors are tasty and interesting. Good basic malt.

score: 82

Review #55: Bunnahabhain Moine 5yr 2006/2012, C#800041, 61.1% abv, 261 bottles

resuming from technical difficulties

So, it turns out that Caol Ila is bad for laptops. (Fucking Diageo.) Obstacles have been surmounted, however, and now I'm back to posting here at the TastingDome. I have a bunch of things I managed to write on scraps of paper, so I'll just type all of them out, I guess, if I can read my own handwriting. First up is a very young Bunna.

nose: starts off dry and smoky, with hints of cardboard, but then switches to bacon. Rich, fatty bacon, and then coastal notes -- seaweed, sea salt. Maybe a little ashy, as if the bacon got overcooked. I'll give it a few minutes to see if anything else turns up ... Smoked pears, some vanilla and lanolin.

palate: like a lawn mower that caught on fire. creamy, too.

finish: oily and sweet.

This isn't what I expected. I expected mouth-burning phenols, weird beery notes, and angry pears. This is actually pretty pleasant, especially if you like bacon. I had heard this was newmake-y, and if that's so then I like newmake. It was aggressive on the palate, but the sweetness bails it out.

score: 83