La Maison du Whisky’s Artist Series 8 is all about exploring unique casks which represent the artistry and character of their distilleries – be it in a non-Sherry or Sherry matured avatar. The Sherry range was adorned with most gorgeous labels created by Japanese artist Takehiko Sugawara.

At our Whisky Live Sinagapore 2018 tasting, this Bunnahabhain was the ‘penultimate’ dram in the series – both the oldest and most certainly the most expensive at SGD 1,999.

While we had only a wee nip, were left with the following impressions…

Bunnahabhain 35 year (1979/2018) Sherry Cask#9521 47.9% (472 bottles)

• Nose – A lovely soft understated quality, complex with many nuanced layers – a bit medicinal, a bit floral, a bit of fruit, a hint of spice, even a herbal quality with a tinge of saline
• Palate – Very soft and light, incredibly smooth, the palate was completely in character with the aromas – beautiful
• Finish – Long yet subtle

Don’t laugh but what first struck me is how “nice” this whisky is! Exceedingly nice. I’ve been disappointed with older Bunnahabhain’s before but not this one.

What do the folks at La Maison du Whisky have to say about this whisky?

• Nose – Voluptuous, concentrated. Irresistible notes of emery cloth, tincture of iodine, heady flowers (purple lilac, geranium), cocoa beans and leather provide a lot of fabric and depth to the first. At aeration, it becomes more fruity (orange, fig, apricot), spicy (cinnamon, grated ginger) and exotic (passion, mango). Balsamic, it extends on eucalyptus, cardamom and even basil
• Palate – Creamy, smooth. True delicacy, the attack in mouth oscillates between the candy with the violet, the blood oranges, the dark chocolate, the liquorice and the dried fruits (date, nuts). With a lot of freshness, the mid-palate is fruity (black grape), liquorice (stick) and honey (linden). These tones precede little bourbon vanilla, ripe bananas and cloves.
• Finish – Long, fluffy. It preserves and preserves intact every flavor unveiled by the mouth. Then, as and when, she fully satisfies her desire for exoticism (passion, mango, guava). In retro-olfaction, coffee with milk, crushed strawberries, blueberries and ginger permeate the palate. The empty glass is resinous (pine, sweet of the Vosges) and empyreumatic (eucalyptus).

—- From LMdW website with an imperfect google translation from French.

La Maison du Whisky Artist #8 with Sherry

• Glenrothes 20 year (1995/2018) Sherry Butt Cask #909700 52.8% (530 bottles)
• Ben Nevis 25 year (1991/2018) Sherry Cask #2375 55.3% (561 bottles)
• Bowmore 15 year (2001/2018) Sherry Cask #108 55.3% (679 bottles)
• Glenlivet 10 year (2007/2018) 1st Fill Sherry Cask #900214 Batch #2 64.1% (308 bottles)

If you are curious, here are a few more Bunnahabhain‘s sampled over the years…

• 18 year 46.3%
• 24 year (1990) HH No 7398 51%
• 25 year (1991/2017) Cask 5436, 50.5% (Blackadder Raw Cask)
• 26 years (1988/2014) 48.6% (Signatory)
• Ceòbanach 46.3%
• Chuach-Mhona 50%
• Eirigh na Greine “Morning Sky” Batch 1, 46.3% + Batch 5

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