Bunnahabhain 12 year old, dumpy bottle (1990s bottling)

(Bunnahabhain cluster 2023 homepage)

Burn Stewart Distillers rolled out a 46.3%abv, natural color, non-chillfiltered presentation of Bunnahabhain 12 year old in 2010, an approach that has continued through the 13 years since. Before 2010, the 12yo had been bottled at either 40% or 43% (dyed and filtered) for more than three decades, most famously or infamously in a green dumpy vessel. Because the distillery was closed for a couple years in the 1980s, and since Bunnahabhain single malt was rarely in demand until recently, the 1990s Bunna 12s could be older than their age statement.

With a generous-sized sample of a 1990s bottling, I was finally able to do a Taste Off between it and......well, you'll have to see on Friday. For today: ye olde 12.

pic of a 40%abv version
(source)

Distillery: Bunnahabhain
Distilled and Bottled by: Highland Distilleries Company Ltd.
Current Ownership: Distell International Limited (via Burn Stewart Distillers)
Region: Islay





Age: minimum 12 years
Maturation: a mix of sleepy refill bourbon and sherry casks?

Bottled: 1990s
Alcohol by Volume: 43%
Chillfiltered? Yes
e150a? Yes

(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The pleasant nose starts with nectarines, eucalyptus, orange zest, and caramel candy. Some peach skins and dustiness fill the background. With time in the glass, the whisky picks up notes of anise and apple cider vinegar.

It has a fizzy, apple, ginger thing going on in the palate for the first couple of sips. Malt, pepper, and lots of caramel arrive next. It gets a good bitter bite, plenty of salt, and a hint of skunky weed, but reads a little thin in the mouth.

It finishes grassy and salty, with a curious mix of bitter herbs and apple sauce in the back.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

If not for the decent nose and quirky-but-not-quirky-enough palate notes, this 12yo wouldn't be much more than a whisky to slosh onto ice for detached consumption. It's definitely one step up from a blend (or three steps if we're talking about Cutty), but it's begging for the aforementioned contemporary 46.3%/nc/ncf presentation to wake things up a bit. And no, I don't think there's older whisky in this one, unless the warehouse had some underproof casks to use up. (Disclaimer: There was probably plenty of Bunnahahbain 12yo batch variation throughout the '90s.)

Availability - Secondary market

Pricing - shouldn't be pricey
Rating - 82

Welcome to the 2023 Bunnahabhain Cluster!

Unpeated Bunnahabhain is one of my favorite autumn malts, so as I slowly dehydrate in this 92ºF (33ºC) heat I shall try to summon cooler weather with a Bunna cluster. At the very least, the series will end on the last day of September, so this might actually work.

Bunnahabhain distillery's construction began in 1881, ending just before distillation began in 1883. Original owners Islay Distillers (Robertson & Baxter and the Greenlees Brothers) merged with William Grant & Company in 1887 to form Highland Distillers. The distillery kept its single set of stills until 1963-1964 when Bunnahabhain underwent a complete makeover. A second set of stills was added, the floor maltings removed, and a new Porteus mill installed. It was around this time that the distillery focused on creating a light style of malt for its blend destinations: Cutty Sark, Famous Grouse, Black Bottle, and Scottish Leader.

The whisky industry downturn that led to the closing of Port Ellen (and many other distilleries), also pushed Highland Distillers to close Bunnahabhain in 1982. Bunna was reopened two years later but its production was kept low for nearly two decades. Highland Distillers (now Edrington) sold the distillery to Burn Stewart Distillers in 2003, which in turn was bought by Distell International Limited in 2013. Under Burn Stewart's stewardship, production was expanded, single malt bottlings increased, and heavily-peated spirit distillations began, the latter of which seem to increase every year, now making up 35% of the annual runs.

I've always enjoyed Bunnahabhain 12 year old in its 46.3%abv form. It's one of the unsung, consistently high quality single malts, not just from Islay, but Scotland as a whole. It's always been my next-step recommendation malt, as in, "If you like Macallan 12, then you should try Bunnahabhain 12 next." Earlier this year, Columbus Scotch Night opened a current bottle of the 12yo (now sold in Ohio!), and I am happy to say that the state of Bunnahabhain 12 year old is strong.

So how about a baker's dozen Bunnies this month?!

pic source

BUNNAHABHAIN CLUSTER ROLL CALL:

1. Bunnahabhain 12 year old, dumpy bottle (1990s bottling) - "...one step up from a blend......but it's begging for the......46.3%/nc/ncf presentation to wake things up a bit."

2. Bunnahabhain 12 year old (bottled 2018) - "This might be my favorite 10-12 year old standard Islay right now..."

3. Bunnahabhain 12 year old Cask Strength, 2021 edition - Diluted > Neat

4. Bunnahabhain 12 year old Cask Strength, 2022 edition - Neat > Diluted

5. Bunnahabhain Abhainn Araig, for Feis Ile 2022 - "...reads more like a Travel Retail NAS release than a celebratory limited bottling.

6. Bunnahabhain Feis Ile 2023, Canasta Cask Matured - "It has figs and dates, so who am I to complain? Diving for Pearls, that's who!"

7. Bunnahabhain 10 year old 2009 Adelphi, cask 900022 - "...play with dilution to find the honey spot."

8. Bunnahabhain 15 year old 2003 Amontillado Finish - "...a full step better than......the 10yo Adelphi. I'd even argue that the sherry casks in the 15yo are better integrated than the 10yo..."

9. Bunnahabhain 23 year old 1991 Whisky-Fässle - "Duck butts > Sherry butts?"

10. Bunnahabhain 25 year old (2015 bottling) - "The combination of old armagnac, black walnuts, and grapefruit made this drinker's palate very happy while it lasted."

11. Bunnahabhain 28 year old 1988 Alexander Murray & Co. - "...it caters to the bourbon-preferring palate. Alas, it doesn't work for my palate..."

12. Bunnahabhain 30 year old 1987 Wemyss, cask 2675 for Taiwan - "Keep this gorgeous beast neat! It has my dried fruits, fresh fruits, flowers, chocolates, savoriness, saltiness, and mossiness."

13. Bunnahabhain 33 year old 1980 Whisky Doris, cask 92 - "The highlight of this entire cluster, this whisky's nose elicits an audible reaction every time..."

Conclusion!

Things I Really Drink: Famous Grouse 18 year old Blended Malt (bottled in 2007)

Okay, I've been hiding this for years. I adore Famous Grouse 18 year old blended malt. Flawlessly assembled, FG18 had a better balance of sherry cask and malt than Macallan 18, and sometimes showed more complexity. It was also the perfect blending whisky. Drop it into anything, or drop anything into it, and you'll announce your brilliance after the first sip. Johnnie Walker hasn't had anything like this for at least forty years.

I know this is a super hot take, considering Edrington stopped producing this whisky almost a decade ago. But you know me, always relevant. It wasn't until FG18 was discontinued and stores were trying to get rid of it that I discovered the stuff, around seven years ago, for the price of $49.99. Eighteen-year-old sherried non-Kirkland single malt for fifty bucks? Yes please. I had three bottles. One remains.

Using Edrington's old convoluted bottle code (detailed in this Highland Park post), I figured out that all three of my FG18s were bottled in 2007. Considering that date, here are some possible ingredients: Bunnahabhain, Glengoyne, Glenturret, Glenrothes, Macallan, and Highland Park, all quite sherried.

Here are some tasting notes that are probably quite useless.

Brand: The Famous Grouse

Ownership: The Edrington Group

Type: The Blended (or Vatted) Malt

Age: minimum 18 years
Maturation: mostly sherry casks

Bottle code: L0968G L8 21/11 16:39

Bottling year: 2007
Alcohol by Volume: 43%
Chillfiltered? Probably
e150a? Probably

(from my bottle)

NOTES

The nose notes arrive in groups: Almonds in toffee. Dark chocolate and dried cherries. Manuka honey and a whiff of musty dunnage. Hints of manure, smoke, and walnuts in the distance.

The palate has a layer of figs, plums, sultanas, and tingly citrus on top. Almond flour, bitter herbs, and lightly toasted oak assemble in the middle. Earth, minerals, and hay highlight the background.

The moderately sweet and tart finish lasts longer than expected, with plums, dried apricots, bitter herbs, and floral sake(!) drifting and drifting and drifting...

WORDS WORDS WORDS

It's delicious, and does anything else matter? It's also surprisingly bold for a filtered 43%abv production, so the blenders must have included plenty of lovely, possibly older, casks in the mix. Can you imagine Edrington dumping those gems into a blend today?! Yes, I'm certainly leaning on too many superlatives right now, but FG18 has been so reliable, and become so familiar, that I can't just say, "yeah, it's a very good blended malt" without waxing romantic a little bit. It's a whisky of the past, and yeah, it's a very good blended malt.

Availability - maybe somewhere out there
Pricing - ???
Rating - 88

Willett Family Estate 8 year old rye, barrel 1433

MGP's 95%-rye recipe is the best rye whiskey in the world. FIGHT ME. Actually don't fight me, I'm kinda scrawny and have no rotator cuffs to speak of. That's right, I'll never grow up to be the ambidextrous knuckleball-flinging middle reliever I dreamt of becoming. So here I am, medicating drinking booze on a school night during baseball season.

Long-long-longtime readers may remember that I absolutely adore Willett's single barrels of MGP rye. I dip into the stuff once every other year to make sure the quality remains sharp. This time, I thought I'd bring you with me. Wish I could share the whiskey with you, my one reader! Instead, here's my first Willett rye review in nearly six years.

Distillery: MGP's own Ross & Squibb Distillery

Bottler: Willett Distilling Company
Range: Family Estate Single Barrel (WFE)

Region: Bardstown, Kentucky (Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana)
Type: Straight Rye Whiskey

Age: 8 years

Maturation: New American Oak

Barrel: 1433

Alcohol by Volume: 57.4%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

Sure there's rye bread aplenty in the nose, but it's snuggled within layers of fresh apricots and plums, anise, flower blossoms, sour apple candy, brown sugar, and brine (more ocean than pickle).

It's very, very drinkable at this strength, with the palate balancing sea salt, sweet plums, tangy chiles, bitter raw cocoa, and hints of butterscotch hard candies. It gains mint, blackberry juice, and a little bit of pipe tobacco after 30+ minutes in the glass.

The finish holds onto many of the palate notes. Tangy chile peppers, tangy berries, sweet plums, and lots of salt. A little bit of wood smoke and mint leaf in the background too.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

After this tasting, I feel very reassured that my senses haven't totally collapsed into cynicism. Willett's MGP rye still works wonders on my palate. Yum.

The word "balance" gets overused on this blog, but I rarely wield it when reviewing American whiskies, as those spirits tend to be almost entirely about oak extraction. And the enormity of rye spirit doesn't really offer symmetry as one of its features. But, damn, this 8 year old rye barrel's got it, from the nose to the palate to the finish. Grand spirit and stellar cask management meet again. And to think I complained when this stuff was $80.

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - *looks, sighs, shrugs*
Rating - 90

Chichibu 2017 W for Seibu Department Store

I usually commit two weeks of old spirit reviews in honor of my own age ticking up one more year, but 2023 will be different. This second week is all about stuff I like; two brands I adore and one secret beloved pour. Sorry for the rhyme, kinda.

Today: Chichibu, my favorite Japanese distillery. Yes, my favorite. Once Yamazaki and Yoichi start offering up obtainable and delicious (and preferably age-stated) whisky again, then a Taste Off will be in order. As noted in previous reviews, my palate says Chichibu is the only new distillery, anywhere in the world, whose output matches or surpasses its hype. Sadly, their primary and secondary market prices are very very very very very steep. But if you go to Japan, you may find a good number of whisky bars with Chichibu surprises awaiting your glass.

I just checked, and today's 'Bu is my last sample. 😿  For now. 😼  It's also a pour about which I know nearly nothing.

Seibu, Ikebukuro.
Their restaurants and food merchants look awesome. I must go there next time.
(pic source)

Each year, from 2015 to 2020, the Seibu department store(s) sold a pair of exclusive cask strength Chichibu bottlings, an "S" whisky and a "W" whisky. I can tell you that the bottles' listed year, like "2017", refers to the bottling year, not the distillation year. But I'm not sure what the "S" and "W" refer to. The Ikebukuro store carries the "W" appellation on some Japanese sites, so is there an "S" store too? Can anyone help a brother out here?

Anyway, today's baby bomber has that "W" on the label. Will that "W" = "Winner"?

Distillery: Chichibu #1

Location: Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Ownership: Venture Whisky
Range: Ichiro's Malt

Bottled: 2017
Age: ???

Maturation: ???
Outturn: ???
Exclusive to: Seibu
Alcohol by Volume: 61%

(from a bottle split)

NEAT

Key lime pie, ground cloves, and yuzu gelatin fill the nose's foreground. A carrot-ginger-orange juice sits in the middle. Background hints of brine and paprika offer a fun twist. Unsurprisingly the alcohol content bites back in the palate. Once the tongue recovers, one may find lots and lots of malt, followed by mint leaves and baked apples. Ultra-tart citrus and a touch of mango arrive in later sips. The key lime pie returns for the finish, as does as the mango and barley.

DILUTED to ~50%abv, or 1¼ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

It's a different whisky now. The nose has different fruits (honeydew and lemons), a hint of dessert (hazelnuts and vanilla), and a bit more edge, with bold ocean and concrete notes. The mildly sweet palate is full of creamy barley things, with a squeeze of orange in the background. The finish matches the palate, while also bringing in a hint of yeast.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

In my limited Chichibu experience (~15 bottlings), I've found their each of their whiskies fitting into one of three categories: 1.) Reads older than its age; 2.) Unreasonably beautiful youth; 3.) Close to new make. Today's 'Bu plops into the 3rd group. The nose wins (of course), but I always enjoy barley-forward palates. At the same time, the palate feels limited compared to the distillery's other offerings, and it even lost some complexity when diluted. While the whisky plays in a different league than the vast majority of the world whisky market's other ultra-young bottles, it's not the distillery at its best. I'd still drink it any day, though!

Availability - Secondary market?
Pricing - I ain't looking
Rating - 84

Birthday Booze: Speyside 45 year old 1973 TWE, Magic of the Cask

I'm 10 years old!

When attempting to source whiskies that match my actual age, I'm mostly limited to these 1970s teaspooned Glenfarclas, er, "Blended Malts". (See a 41yo here and a 43yo here.) That's what the market offers. The majority of 40+ year old whiskies ain't getting split. Hell, I don't think they're even being opened anymore. Today's "Speyside" will be the penultimate not-Glenfarclas I will review. I'll just have to get more creative as the birthday number increases.

Today's Glenfarclas Speyside is from The Whisky Exchange's Magic of the Cask range bottled for their 2019 Whisky Show. Its 549-bottle outturn and 45.1%abv has me thinking it was recasked into a sherry butt at some point towards the end of its life. Maybe from a pair of casks? Anyway, it has a good drinking strength, so I'm going to drink it.

Distillery: Glenfahrvergnügen

Region: Speyside, perhaps?

Independent Bottler: The Whisky Exchange

Range: Magic of the Cask, for The Whisky Show 2019

Age: 45 years old (1973 - 2019)

Maturation: sherry butt

Cask #: 6
Outturn: 549 bottles

Alcohol by Volume: 45.1%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The nose shows off the old pretty cask, starting with dried apricots, almond extract, and old furniture. Candied ginger + baked apples, then peaches + clover honey with a metallic hint in the background. Old stamp glue and potpourri. The old wood note expands with time.

The palate begins with a blast of oak spices and toasted coconut. The subsequent sips bring tart oranges, macrons, very sweet lemon candy, and just a little bit of hot cocoa mix around the edges. It gets tarter and more tannic with every sip.

The finish sheds the tartness and goes all in on the sweets and oak. Baked apples, lemon candy, and plain ol' sugar meets eucalyptus + big peppery tannin.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I'm going to be the party pooper here. Whiskybase has it at nearly 90 and WhiskyFun has it at 89 (twice). Those scores are very generous. And I get it. Old whisky critters inspire compassion and wistfulness. Hell, my score might be on the optimistic side as well.

This is oak juice, very good oak juice, but still oak juice. Sometimes oak juice can be lovely and moderately complex, but it frequently isn't. I'm not saying this is one dimensional 45yo stuff — a lot of bright fruity bits break through — but it's the simplest of this week's three whiskies. At times it seems like an old single grain, though it has the silky mouthfeel and texture that seem to come from only 100% malt. To end on a more positive note, this does seem to be a lot better than the 41yo Speyside from four years back. Perhaps Year 45 will be better than Year 41 for yours truly; I certainly hope so!

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - ???
Rating - 85 (probably too charitable)

Birthday Booze: Glen Ord 25 year old 1978

I reviewed Glen Ord 30 in 2015, then the 28 year old in 2018, and now the 25 year old...

This Glen Ord Thrillogy was released as part of Diageo's annual once-actually-special Special Releases: the 28yo in 2003, the 25yo in 2004, and the 30 in 2005. It's a darned shame they stopped there. Or rather they didn't. Teenage Glen Ord Special Releases arrived in 2019 and 2022, but were aged in recharred hoggies and wine casks because......?

Enough of dwelling in the recent past! Rather, it's time to indulge in ancient times with one of the last 1978 samples in my whisky closet.

Distillery: Glen Ord

Owner: Diageo

Region: Northern Highlands
Range: Special Release

Age: 25 years (1978-2004)

Maturation: ????????????

Outturn: 3600 bottles

Alcohol by Volume: 58.3%

(from a bottle split)

NEAT

Yep, fruits in the nose! These apricots, kiwis, and mangoes get riper and muskier with time. Mineral/stone notes provide support in the midground, while toffee pudding, almonds, and toasted oak fill the background. Similar to its sparring partner, the 43yo Cadenhead blend, this Glen Ord offers quite the musty dusty palate, focusing on old books and dunnage at the start. Tart guavas and lemons give it a big zing, and there's plenty of earth in the background. It finishes herbal and musty with a touch of lemon and a lllllllllot of length.

It's a bit monolithic at this strength. Time to add water...

DILUTED to 50%abv, or 1 tsp of water per 30mL of full strength whisky

The nose starts off......the same? Ah, but then blood oranges and lemonade powder appear with a hint of dunnage in the background. Much of the palate's mustiness is replaced with gentle wood smoke. The blood oranges show up here too, with some bitterer citrus in the back. The finish grows sweeter and tangier, keeping the good length.

More?

DILUTED to ~43%abv, or >2 tsp of water per 30mL of full strength whisky

A simpler nose now, with butterscotch candies, blood oranges, roses, and dunnage. The palate's elements come together well here, with citrus + nuttiness + dunnage. Toasted nuts and sharp citrus fill the finish, with a little bit of dustiness in the distance.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I did not anticipate diluting this whisky, but I'm so glad I did. It wallops at full strength, shines at 50%abv, and balances at 43%. The grand blood oranges mix with the mustiness perfectly, and it never gets too sweet. The 30yo reigns supreme, and the 28yo is probably more complex, but this one may be the most flexible. And it's just damned good stuff, often seeming even older than its stated age. Like me!

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - I can't look
Rating - 90 (diluted)