Bunnahabhain PX 14 yr distillery only

Fruits confits et miel profond, biscuit avec une touche salée, oranges, caramel, pas mal de scotch mist avec l’ajout d’eau, manque de raffinement mais beaucoup de saveurs!

Considering the maturation and the distillery style I was expecting it a little more elegant and complex. I felt a coarse alcohol note that was covering all the other aromas.

This is a 2018 Feis Isle Festival special release from Bunnahabhain: 14 Year Old, Pedro Ximenez Cask that was hand-filled and available only at the distillery during the festival. It was bottled in 375ml bottles with hand written labels and sold for around $60. It’s cask strength and bottled at 54.8% ABV. My buddy @PBMichiganWolverine sent me a pour of this as part of a recent trade. It’s light gold and oily in the Glencairn. I didn’t see any legs initially and it left behind tiny droplets after giving it a twirl. The nose is red berry craziness with a nice pinch of sherry cask and light smoke. The nose had a funky, buttery note as well and gave off a nice punch from the higher ABV. The palate was slightly harsh, but ultimately very sweet. More red berries and grape must with a nice backbone of citrus peel to keep it from turning into a full on cavity inducing mess. The ABV again showed up and made it a bit harsh with a little smoke ring rounding it out. The finish is medium-long, harsh and quite hot. The sweetness finally fades and ultimately finishes dry. I went back and added a little water and the nose became more funky, salty and smoky, which was a nice break from the sweetness. The harshness disappeared from the palate, but it offered no change to the finish. I’d say this was a good one for added water- I don’t usually say that. Overall, it was a decent dram but certainly not worth the $60 price for a half bottle. Thanks again to my buddy Pranay for the pour. 3.5 stars. Cheers, y’all.

To follow up on the previous night’s Oloroso cask Bunnahabhain, I plucked this whisky courtesy of @PBMichiganWolverine from my overflowing sample stash. It’s a very different dram, with a more subtle nose. There are sherry flavors, to be sure, but they’re entwined with smoke and a coastal note. There’s a slightly funky cheese aroma, too, which I always enjoy. A teaspoon of water coaxes out more smoke. The palate is lemons, peat and black tea, with a surprising Unami note at the end, an echo of the cheese aroma perhaps. The finish is long and dry. This is a much more balanced whisky than the Feis Ile Oloroso cask. The aftertaste isn’t as spectacular, but it’s more consistent from start to finish and showcases the spirit as much as the cask. Another Bunna stunner.

This is a hand filled distillery only 14 yr old that’s matured exclusively in PX casks. It’s in a much smaller 375ml bottle, about $60. At first pour, I was surprised that the color wasn’t dark. I guess I expected a much darker hue if it’s in PX cask. But, it is NCF and No-coloring...so maybe weaker casks? Nose isn’t much to write home about. Oysters and brine. Weak at best. But, the palette...that’s different. Sweet lemon cake. Real sweet..almost like a white wine spritzer. This would be PERFECT on a hot summer afternoon. Think wine spritzer, with a dash of grilled lemons, in a salt brim glass. Finish is shortbread cookies. Sweet. Really sweet. Personally I loved it, but it’s not an everyday dram. Save it for a hot muggy night or sweltering hot afternoons. Addition: I normally take 2 hours to finish a pour of 2 ounces. This one took me 15 minutes tops. It’s so much like dessert.