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You won’t find much Islay on this website. That’s mostly because peat and I don’t really get along. However, there’s an exception to that rule. Bunnahabhain is not like other Islays. It’s easy on the peat and heavy on the deliciousness. A few years ago, the core range was rebranded which included a very important change. The whiskies went from being 40% ABV to 46.3% ABV and non-chill filtered. That’s a big deal.
I’ve always heard that Bunnahabain’s core OB range tastes really similar whether you’re tasting the 12 year, 18 year, or the 25 year. I’ve been a fan of the 12 year for a long time so naturally I had to explore a little further.
| Category | Notes |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Copper |
| Nose | Earthy sweetness, coastal, vanilla, nutmeg, cloves, grassy field, floral, maple syrup |
| Taste | More earthiness, excellent balance between sweetness, spice, and coastal influence. Red berries, vanilla, baking spices, caramel, toffee. |
| Finish | Sea salt, vanilla, light oak, spicy, raspberry, sour patch kids. Saltier with water, fresh fruit salad, apples, berries, cinnamon, hint of shitake mushroom, honey |
| Overall Thoughts | This tastes A LOT like the 12 year with a bit more sherry influence. That sweet and salty flavor profile really works well and the finish in particular really pulls it all together. There's great balance here but I think this is too much like the 12 year to justify the difference in price. I think this more speaks volumes about the quality of the 12 year. The 18 is in no means "bad" compared to the 12. The 12 is just really that good. |
| Total Score | 91/100 |
