BUNNAHABHAIN 1987 - ADELPHI

Islay underdog Bunnahabhain has started to pick up more attention from both drinkers and bloggers alike... and well deserved it is too. Since 2010, Bunnahabhain, along with its sister products from Tobermory and Deanston, have been bottled at 46,3% abv, and with no chill filtration or colouring. Bunnahabhain has also been a favourite of mine for quite some time now and I always seem to have a bottle of it open at home... and its also often one of the open bottles that gets emptied first.

I haven't been to Islay since  May 2011 but I'll make up for that next year, when most of a week will be spent on this beautiful island. Until then I'll just have to settle for whisky from there...

Bunnahabhain Washbacks - May 6th 2011  © The Malt Desk

Bunnahabhain 1987 25yo 44%, 1st fill sherry hogshead#2786, 146 bottles, Adelphi

Colour is Mahogany

Nose;

Heavy sherry with hints of balsamico and some well measured spicy oak to go along. Cold coffee grounds, chocolate turning very vinous very quickly. Also some musty notes in there, bung cloth, burnt sugar and polished hardwood floor

Taste:

Sugared strong coffee to begin with... then the sherry wine kick in. Also in there are old Cognacs, Madeira and Tawny Ports - very nice! It then fades to bitter drying orange notes and brown overripe banana before a rush of malt and dark fruits (prune juice?) shows itself...

Not overly complex in any way, but if you enjoy this style its good and tasty fun... one for the sherryheads, for sure!

87/100!