Bunnahabhain 30 year TWB Artemis

Bunnahabhain juice. Not sure I need to say much more. It would be difficult to not to enjoy. Expectations are high. However, I am not sure what to expect from this particular version of a Bunn N: A slowly forming aroma of orange peel and cinnamon crescendos from low and easy to a nice refreshing citrusy marmalade nose. Images of Beach and sun bounce in my mind from these aromas. Tropical it becomes. Pineapples, coconut shavings and light caramel, peaches and mangoes. P: The first sip arrives sweetly. The orangey nose is embodied on the palate. Candied oranges or Sunny-D orange drink, sweet tea and vanilla. Just as that sweetness makes you happy and comfortable, a kick of black pepper and ginger comes in stirs the palate around a bit, in a good way which segues to a more earthy quality. Leather, tobacco, walnuts with a bit of mineral. Just as it all gets familiar and comfortable, that punch of pepper comes back and winds out to a fade towards the finish. F: Peppery finish that tingles but fades to a long woody, orange and honey and charcoal. O: What is described may seem simplistic but what is experienced is rich. What could be a summer sipper, is enjoyable with no bitterness or harshness. Easy to sip. Easy to enjoy. I only wish I had more than just a sample and could continue to enjoy. Thank you @pkingmartin for another quality sample. above and beyond. [94/100][Tasted: 7/21/23]

On the nose grape must, fresh orange, grilling charcoals, spiced vinegar bbq marinade, black chai tea with cream. Tangerine creamsicle, spiced ketchup, vinegar marinade, allspice and clove on a medium length with finish sharp alcohol burn on the palate.

Wow. This is freakin’ good. This was our pour #2, sent courtesy of @pkingmartin , for our quarterly online tasting ( followed after a old rare Balvenie 10, and preceding a hefty in-your face JD single barrel barrel strength rye). I so wish I bought this when I had the opportunity. Especially considering the price. And I’m not a sucker for labels, but this is of Artemis, which is NASA’s next flight to the moon ( sister of Apollo…which was the first flight to the moon ). I’m a huge space junkie, so this is one of the only labels that truly hit home for me. If Brora had a wanna-be little brother, this would be it. Farmy, slightly peaty, a citrus hit. All wrapped in an elegant silky backbone of shortbread. If you find this bottle, buy on sight. Thanks again to @pkingmartin for the pour!

I was 12 when this was put in a barrel, and I imagine would not have known anything about scotch at the time. Now in my 40s I've had a few drams of scotch, but nothing approaching the age of this. I don't recall having tried anything in the 20s, let alone 30. It's an impressive and somewhat intimidating age statement. I hope this isn't wasted on me. I'm following Pking's lead and adding some water, and it definitely opens up the nose. I pick up some of the tropical notes, pineapple, maybe banana, sour apple, honey, and a smidge of the barnyard, although it comes across to me more as hay than especially funky. The palate is really pleasant, mouth-coating, honey, fruit, and a little more funky than I picked up on the nose. I don’t get a heavy wood influence, but there’s maybe a little oak lurking in the backyard. A nice warming finish rounds this out. What an incredible treat to try this, a 30 year old Bunna bottled at cask strength. Wow! Thank you @pkingmartin for the sample. 5 stars!

One of the latest in The Whisky Barrel's series of space themed whiskies is this Bunnahabhain 30 which was distilled in 1990 and aged for 30 years in a hogshead then bottled at 54.8% ABV and given the title of Artemis to commemorate the first flight of the Artemis Moon program that’s expected to launch this year. The nose starts with a mix of moderate barnyard funk, light smoke and creamy but moderately soured fruit then the barnyard funk remains but in the background of fruits of salted mango, papaya, caramelized peaches, lemon juice, and sour cherries followed by roasted macadamia nuts and dark chocolate with a caramel center before transitioning to gooseberries, ginger spice, leather and light ashy oak with high ethanol burn. The taste is a viscous mouthfeel starting with a moderate sulfur that quickly fades to a mix of moderate barnyard funk and creamy but moderately soured fruit then a bed of hay with fruits of salted mango, papaya, caramelized peaches, lemon pith, and sour cherries followed by roasted macadamia nuts and dark chocolate before transitioning to grapefruit pith, moderate ginger and black pepper spice, leather and moderate ashy oak with high ethanol burn. The finish is long with light sulfur, sea spray, peaches, sour lemon candy, dehydrated mangoes, plantain chips, macadamia nuts, dark chocolate, a moderate ginger and pepper spice, leather and medium ashy oak that lingers for minutes. This one is a bit of a rocket without jet fuel that at full strength is on the sour, pithy, funky and ashy side, but once you give that rocket some water as fuel to bring it under 50% ABV this whisky blasts off to another level by keeping the same notes of the full strength profile but tames those bitter and sour fruits allowing more tropical fruit through and the ashy oak becomes rich polished oak with a medium and creamy mouthfeel that’s nearly perfectly balanced. In the rocket without jet fuel state, I’d rate this at 3.5, but in the fueled up rocket blasting off state, this is damn near perfection with the main flaw being those slightly sour flavors really causing me to rate it under a 5.