Slainte-Mhath
Bunnahabhain 12 Year Cask Strength (2022 Edition)
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
August 6, 2023 (edited December 30, 2023)
There are not many contemporary releases worth chasing, but this cask strength Bunnahabhain is a notable exception. On the nose, prunes, almonds and earthy sherry notes are complemented by bitter chocolate, tobacco and currants. Very inviting and layered. The rich arrival is bursting with dark fruits, toffee and cocoa, while nutmeg, mint and hints of salt develop mid-palate. Sublime mouthfeel. Slightly dry oak, roasted coffee and eucalyptus remain in the prolonged aftertaste. An adorable sherry bomb, I can only quote Ralfy: What an absolute joy!
RATING: 4.4/5.0 stars ≙ 90 pts → SUPERB [-]
95.0
EUR
per
Bottle
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@PBMichiganWolverine Looking forward to read your review! Hope it was the 2022 batch. The 2021 and 2023 are decent, but 2022 is by far the best.
@Slainte-Mhath I bought a bottle after hearing really good reviews and feedback. Haven’t tried it yet. Anything close to a Port Ellen, at a fraction of the price , seems like a must buy
WHISKY OF THE YEAR 2023: This year's pick was an easy one, Bunnhabhain 12 cask strength came pretty close to the Port Ellen I tasted earlier, a great sherry-matured whisky, rich and intense. After I finished the bottle, I immediately bought 6 more bottles, make of that what you will. It reminds me of the old batches of GlenDronach 18 Allardice, I wish I had bought more of them. Previously as 'Whisky of the Year': 2022 - Compass Box Flaming Heart; 2021 - Caol Ila 25; 2020 - Old grain whiskies (in particular Invergordon); 2019 - Yamazaki 12; 2018 – Springbank 12 CS; 2017 - GlenDronach 12; 2016 - Caol Ila 12.
@cascode 1 bottle of Port Ellen or 40 bottles of Bunnahabhain 12 CS? Seriously, this release reminds me of GlenDronach's glorious times when Billy Walker was running the distillery.
@Slainte-Mhath Anything that you consider to be in the same ballpark as a 32 year old cask strength Port Ellen but at less than 3% the price must be worth investigating!
If you followed my reviews, the Port Ellen that I reviewed before the summer break was merely 2 points better than this Bunnahabhain. Get your hands on this bottle, you will not regret it!
Additional comment: After my first dram, I immediately bought another bottle, this is a strong contender for my Whisky of the Year 2023.