washeewashee_reviews
Bunnahabhain 2008 Manzanilla Cask Matured
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
December 16, 2020 (edited March 17, 2022)
Nose - (w/o water) Salted caramel, milk chocolate, raisins, golden raisins, honey roasted almonds & pecans, sweet pecans, pecan pie, dried apricots (w/ water) Salted caramel is reduced a bit, additional hints of Coke mixed with root beer/sarsaparilla
Taste - (w/o water) Salted caramel, salted pretzels, milk chocolate, sweet pecans, raisins, candied orange peel, candied ginger spice/heat, almost like a salted pretzel with a rolo caramel candy topped with a roasted pecan half. (w/ water) Slightly less chocolate vibe, added notes of root beer along with everything else
Finish - (w/o water) Lingering gentle warmth, dried fruits, light "dried fruit funk" similar to that of a dried papaya, lingering salted caramel vibe (w/ water) Fruit "funk" goes away, salted caramel remains, milk chocolate comes back
Score - 94/100
Final Thoughts - This one was quite interesting in that I got such a strong salted caramel vibe from this one it was crazy. It was like a slightly fruity "turtles" candy on top of a pretzel, but in boozy liquid form. This wasn't overly sweet in anyway and was nicely balanced. The addition of a tiny bit of water really helps as it opens up a new dimension of Coke/root beer in the back ground & for me, it gets rid of this weird "dried fruit funk" I get with certain dried fruits. That being said, this is really good, but I think I'll have to be in the mood for a dram of this one as it is quite unique.
Would I drink it if offered? - Yes
Would I specifically order it? - Yes
Would I buy a bottle? - Maybe if it was a bit cheaper
NOTE - All reviews are done without factoring in price.
200.0
USD
per
Bottle
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@washeewashee Sounds like a great Bunnahabhain! Prices on these releases have been creeping up significantly...
Just poured a sample of this and am loving the funky notes from the manzanilla. I’m increasingly obsessed with rancio-style flavors in whisky and this scratches that itch.
I really appreciate these tasting notes. A bottle is on order for me and I cannot wait to open it. I’m mostly surprised there wasn’t a hint of peat even though Bunna tends to be really light anyway. But thanks for this and looking forward to mine.
This sounds amazing. Definitely a profile that would be up my alley. $200 is steep, but with these notes, then totally worth it.