Whisky : Bunnahabhain 12 Year SMWS 10.141 “Indulgence by the sea”

Country/Region : Islay

ABV : 59.5%

Cask : Refill Ex-Bourbon Barrel

Age : 12 Years (Distilled 25 May 2005)

Nose : Maritime air rises out of the glass— dried sea weed and saltwater ponds.  The salty sweet air after a coastal storm.  Lovely bits of citrus and dried citrus rinds along with just a hint of sweet grilled fruits. 

Palate : Lovely oily body with competing notes of fragrant vanilla, salty sea water, and sugary saltwater taffy.  The dram is medium bodied with damp grass undergirding some of the competing flavors.  Imagine a hay bale that rolled down a hill and splashed into the ocean surf which someone then pushed back out and onto the beach before dumping gasoline on it and then trying—but failing— to light it on fire.  Is that oddly specific?

Finish : Lingering dry pungent citrus and saltwater.

Score : 6

Mental Image : Ocean Drenched Hay Bale

Something Better : Hibiki Blender's Choice (more complex, similar salt/hay bale savory quality)

Something Similar : Aberlour 18 Year (bit more spice, less sweet, similar citrus and grassy notes)

Something Worse : Dewars White Label (similar hay bale/grassy notes, less body, less finish)

Notes : Bottled for Fèis Ìle in 2018 this Bunnahabhain has a lovely maritime character with hints of citrus and grass.  This was an interesting bottle in that it reminded me a lot more of Caol Ila than it did Bunnahabhain.  It is not the first Bunna I have had where the bottle description prepped me to expect prominent maritime notes, but this is the first time I have really found them.  There was no idle ocean spray or fresh sea cotton, this was very much a bite of seaweed infused saltwater taffy— it was oysters smoked on a wet seagrass fire.  

I still have not found the Bunnahabhain that really makes me go ‘alright, I get it, this distillery is awesome.’  I keep running into drams like this that are okay, but do not leave me really craving more.  I really wanted to like this one as well— May 25th was the premier of Star Wars : A New Hope and Return of the Jedi— two movies that were absolutely foundational to my childhood.  This dram was a bit more Attack of the Clones than anything— it had its moments, but ultimately failed to live up to expectations.