Bunnahabhain 12 Year

A great unpeated Islay scotch. Vanilla and spice on the nose, a saltiness to complement the oak and sweetness, finishes with a pleasant fruitiness

Nose - honey, apple juice, grape, raisin, whiff of smoke, orange, oat, white wine, subtle nuttiness, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - honey, oat, sweet caramel, vanilla cream, raisin, light smoke, orange, hay, apple, grape, cereal, walnut, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing fairly long with caramel, apple, and honey flavors. The flavors are deeply rich, sweet, and satisfyingly balanced. It’s a bit hot, but the heat suits the experience. It’s a similar profile to the Classic Laddie, but succeeds where the other comes up short.

The nose is clean and bright with sweet fruit, peaches and cream, dried cherries, vanilla, honey, flowers, and sweet oak. As enjoyable as the nose is, the palate is even stronger. At first the palate bursts with strong sweet flavors of candied apples, star fruit, and salted caramel before brine, sea water, char, and a little dark chocolate begin to overpower the lighter flavors. As the sweetness fades, the sea salt and brine become stronger and control most of the finish. But the sweetness returns again at the end of the long finish with more peaches and cream giving this malt some great contrasting flavors and complexity. Really a beautiful scotch, just another gem from Islay.

Solid. Smooth, slight peat. Easy sipper